POW/MIA UPDATE: October 8, 2010

[boardman]

AMERICANS IDENTIFIED: There are now 1,708 Americans listed as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War. On September 20th, the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO) posted the news that the remains of three US personnel had been recovered and were now identified. Those whose names were released are Air Force Major Woodrow W. Vaden, of Tennessee, listed KIA/BNR on December 10, 1964, South Vietnam. His remains were recovered July 18, 1984 and identified August 11, 2010. Also announced were Army Master Sergeant Charles V. Newton, Texas, andSergeant First Class Douglas E. Dahill, Ohio, both listed as MIA on April 17, 1969 in South Vietnam. Their remains were recovered November 11, 1991. MSGT Newton was identified June 18, 2007; SFC Dahill was identified October 3, 2008. The number of Americans returned and identifiedsince the end of the Vietnam War in 1975 is now 875, though another 63 US personnel, recovered post-incident and identified before the end of the war, bring the total to 938. Of the 1,708unreturned veterans, 90% were lost in Vietnam or in areas of Laos and Cambodia under Vietnam’s wartime control: Vietnam - 1,307 (VN-478 VS-829); Laos – 335; Cambodia - 59; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters – 7. Over 450 were over-water losses.

DEFENSE DIALOGUE FORMALIZED BETWEEN THE US AND SRV: The pace and scope of bilateral military dialogue and cooperation between the US and Vietnam is increasing, as evidenced by the September 12th talks held in Hanoi between Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for South and Southeast Asian Affairs Robert Scher and Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh (see below) to discuss an ever-increasing number of issues of mutual interest. During the talks, Minister Vinh presented DASD Scher with some artifacts related to returned US POWS and, very importantly, a hand-written ID card of an American unaccounted-for in north-central Laos since 1961. All items had museum accession numbers, again signaling the extent of materials and records that could be provided with a decision by the Vietnamese leadership.

Under Secretary of Defense for Policy (USDP) Michèle Flournoy met at the Pentagon on September 28th with Vice Minister of National Defense for External Affairs Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh and his delegation to further the Defense Dialogue and cooperation. Reportedly, the Vice Minister turned over some investigation reports on a few cases in restricted areas that Vietnam has now agreed to open to joint operations and some ID cards and other material relevant to the issue. As earlier, the turnover of such archival material and records is deeply appreciated, again signaling Vietnam’s ability to do much more unilaterally to provide such critical support and assistance. Later the same day, Vice Minister Vinh also met with DASD for POW/Missing Personnel Affairs Bob Newberry, affirming Vietnam’s intention to continue and increase POW/MIA accounting-related cooperation as part of the increasing bilateral military ties.

Comment: The Vietnamese have long recognized the POW/MIA issue as a fundamental building block of the bilateral relationship. As an issue of stated priority within DoD, it is crucial that the accounting be integrated into the broader dialogue, not left aside for DPMO to try to accomplish on its own. Further support is needed from the President and his Administration at the highest levels. The need for greater unilateral action to provide archival material and records must consistently be raised. It is especially important that Secretary of Defense Gates be personally engaged, as it is assumed he will be when he visits Hanoi in October for the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting as one of several invited observers, including Russia and the PRC. Secretary of State Clinton has repeatedly raised this issue during discussions with Vietnamese officials, as she did meaningfully at a State Department-hosted Conference on “the American Experience in Southeast Asia, 1946 – 1975.” POW/MIA accounting is an American issue that concerns millions, including our nation’s veterans. That message should be a matter of highest national priority in public diplomacy.

ARCHIVAL MATERIALS AND DOCUMENTS EXCHANGED IN HANOI: US Ambassador to Vietnam Michael Michalak participated in a unique ceremony at Vietnam’s Museum of Military History to unveil a wartime journal of an artist’s sketches, recovered on a battlefield in Kon Tum Province on March 26, 1968 by a US Army Major. Before turning the sketchbook over to his commanding officer, the Major tore out three pages and mailed them to his wife as keepsakes. Having located the missing pages with the help of DPMO and JPAC, Ambassador Michalak was returning them to their rightful owner, Mr. Le Duc Tuan. Senior Vietnamese officials present were Vice Minister Vinh, Deputy Chairman of the People’s Army of Vietnam General Political Directorate Lieutenant General Nguyen Tuan Dung, former Director of the National Defense Institute General Nguyen The Tri, Director General of the Americas Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (also Director of the Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Persons, or VNOSMP) Nguyen Ba Hung, and Director of the Military History Museum Senior Colonel Nguyen Xuan Nang.

In his remarks, Ambassador Michalak stated, ”I would personally like to thank Lieutenant General Vinh and the Museum of Military History for the recent turnover of several American POW/MIA related artifacts from the museum system. The United States appreciates this trend towards the unilateral provision of POW/MIA related artifacts and archives. I urge you to continue to be forthcoming with additional unilateral turnovers of POW/MIA related artifacts and relevant archival documents.” This appeal from Ambassador Michalak to these very senior military leaders is one of the highest level public statement in years by the US calling for Vietnam’s unilateral responsiveness on this issue and is most welcome.

NATIONAL POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY AT THE PENTAGON: Secretary of Defense Bob Gates and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General James Cartwright, USMC, hosted the national ceremony at the Pentagon. Secretary Gates’ remarks reaffirmed DoD’s commitment to the issue, reassuring all that “their country’s efforts to get them home will never cease,” adding that DoD’s “commitment to prisoners of war, the missing and their families is deep and abiding.” General Cartwright’s focus was also on assurances of continued effort and commitment. The Missing Man Flyover was said to be spectacular and impressive.

Comment: Assurances and commitment by DoD leaders are always welcome and appreciated, especially a pledge to sustain and increase funding and personnel, but Secretary Gates and General Cartwright provided no such specifics. Importantly, neither senior official signaled the need for greater unilateral action by foreign governments, especially Vietnam, Russia and the PRC, to provide archival materials and records that would facilitate answers. There was no commitment to engage at their level, despite ongoing opportunities in New York City, Washington and Moscow, as well as Hanoi later this fall. If senior US officials will again take the accounting issue seriously enough to engage counterpart foreign officials at the highest levels, we will see the significant progress and increased results that could occur and are available.

PENTAGON DEDICATES NEW POW/MIA CORRIDOR: On September 15th, USDP Flournoy officiated at the dedication of a new POW/MIA Corridor, much larger in scope than the 1989 display, now expanded to include all past wars and conflicts. Secretary Flournoy stated in part, “No matter how far away or how long ago, we will do everything humanly possible to bring all missing service members home. We do this for the sake of their family members, and we also do this for the sake of all those who serve.” Specific to the Vietnam War, she noted, “…. we have been able to pursue a robust and vigorous accounting mission in Southeast Asia. That mission also remains ongoing, as do our efforts to work with China and Russia to identify others lost during the Cold War era.” Finally, she noted that Congressmen “keep close watch over the Department’s performance, call us to task when necessary, and even now are urging us to expand our efforts still more – something we look forward to doing.” This last comment was the only reference to the critical need for added personnel and funding that would enable the US to respond seriously to Vietnam’s March 2009 proposal to expand the pace and scope of accounting operations in their country.


US-RUSSIA JOINT COMMISSION ON POW/MIA AFFAIRS (USRJC) EXPANDS: At long last, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has selected a replacement for the vacant seat reserved for a House Democrat on the USRJC. Representative Tim Walz (D-MN) serves on the Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, and Transportation & Infrastructure Committees. Although Senator John Kerry (D-MA) is listed as a Commissioner, he has never taken any active role in the Commission, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has ignored repeated requests to name a replacement.

The Department of State and Defense Intelligence Agency have recently named replacements for their Commissioners who retired, so the League anticipates increased Commission initiatives in the coming months. The Russian Federation is reportedly set to name its new Co-Chairman in the next few weeks. Three JCSD specialists recently spent two weeks in Moscow, seeking greater access to archives of the former Soviet Union that pertain to the Vietnam War, and one extended a week to be on hand for the arrival of DASD Newberry who also serves as DoD’s USRJC Commissioner. The League strongly supports expanding the USRJC’s role under the leadership of General Robert H. Foglesong, USAF (Ret), supported by Executive Secretary Norm Kass, Director of the Joint Commission Support Directorate (JCSD), a Directorate in DPMO, and his staff of skilled specialists.

MORE OF RUSSIA IN THE NEWS: DASD Newberry wound up a week-long visit to Moscow and St. Petersburg, accompanied by Deputy Director of JCSD Roger Schumacher. Though the specific schedule is unknown, he was to hold discussions with Russian veterans, counterpart Russian officials, US Ambassador to the Russian Federation John Byerle and other US Embassy and JCSD-Moscow officials to receive on-the-ground updates and assessments.

National Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Richard Eubanks and Executive Director Bob Wallace also wound up a visit to Moscow where they were to meet with officials and veterans of the former USSR who served in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. Russian veterans, and those who were from Ukraine and other states that were then part of the USSR, have been a primary VFW and JCSD focus for quite some time, due in no small part to the fact that the Russian Federation has thus far been uncooperative in providing Vietnam War-related archival documents and records, despite repeated urging and formal requests.

POW/MIA CONSULTATIONS: On August 12th, MG Stephen Tom, USAR, Commander of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), led a team of US officials to Vientiane for substantive discussions with Lao counterparts. Now former US Ambassador to Laos Ravic Huso again participated, as he has so often in the past, joined by the Defense Attaché, the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) Stony Beach POW/MIA Team specialist now assigned in Vientiane, the JPAC Detachment 3 Commander, and specialists from JPAC Headquarters, Detachment 3 and the Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO). The talks were comprehensive, covering critical issues such as continued access by US officials to helicopter support for field operations and access by Stony Beach to participate fully in field investigations. Though the talks were constructive, no positive results were reported.

General Tom also recently held talks with Royal Cambodian Government senior officials. These twice-yearly talks were held in Siem Reap, near the historic site of Angkor Wat. Results indicate further cooperation in the coming months, including agreement to hold another Provincial Governors Conference in the near future. Cooperation between the US and Cambodia on the accounting issue is hampered only by the lack of US resources and the failure of Vietnamese leaders to authorize release of relevant records on US personnel lost in areas of Cambodia where Vietnamese forces operated during wartime along the shared border.

This week, officials from Vietnam were in Hawaii for semi-annual talks that also were hosted by the JPAC Commander. Nguyen Ba Hung, Director of the Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP) led the Vietnamese delegation.


ACCOUNTING COOPERATION: A comparatively small-scale 100th Joint Field Activity (JFA) recently concluded in Vietnam, though an Investigation Team (IT) was extended briefly. Preceded two weeks earlier by an advance team, two Recovery Teams (RTs) and two ITs conducted operations from August 2nd to September 7th. At the conclusion of the JFA, a Field Forensic Review (FFR) was conducted by Dr. Bob Mann, Director of JPAC’s Forensic Science Academy, and remains were selected for further analysis at JPAC’s Central Identification Laboratory (CIL). A US Navy ship, with a JPAC underwater archeologist and master diver, participated in a side-scanning sonar search in waters offCambodia on a short operation that concluded August 10th. From June 22nd to the end of July, three JPAC RTs participated in the 30 day 115th JFA in Laos where three aircraft crash sites, associated with four individuals, were excavated in two Lao provinces. This JFA was also noticeably smaller than the 50-person cap allowed by the Lao Government.

JPAC teams conduct five field operations each year in Laos for a period of 30 days, with a team not to exceed 50 US personnel, augmented by unilateral Lao investigations. Thus far, the Lao government has not allowed DIA’s Stony Beach specialist to participate in field investigations, considering him an Assistant Attaché, instead of a Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist. In Vietnam, JPAC conducts four joint operations each year with as many as 100 US personnel involved for the approximate 30-day period. These joint operations are also augmented by unilateral Vietnamese investigations. Two Stony Beach specialists alternate temporary duty assignments to facilitate archival research and investigations. In both countries, JPAC teams have recently been smaller than allowed. InCambodia, JPAC schedules only one field operation each year, though if personnel and funds have permitted, an additional mission has been added to the schedule in the past. Also in Cambodia, Stony Beach has two specialists permanently assigned in Phnom Penh, working closely and consistently with the Cambodian POW/MIA Committee.

World War II investigations and recoveries have required a significant increase in JPAC’s attention and planning. JPAC has been operating in Papua New Guinea, the Republic of Kiribati (Tarawa), the Peoples Republic of China and Germany, and recently completed operations in Vanuatu, Austria and Canada, including several underwater operations. JPAC is also trying to establish better cooperation with India. Due to continued lack of access to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK, better known as North Korea), remains recoveries and identifications on Korean War personnel are resulting from disinterring remains from the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl), and field operations in the Republic of Korea (South Korea). Added funding and personnel are essential to preclude further eroding of the Vietnam War accounting effort. Please contact your elected Members of Congress to ask for their support to expand the JPAC budget to allow the expansion of accounting operations mandated by the Defense Authorization Bill passed late last year. If additional funds are not approved, there is no question the Vietnam War accounting will suffer; it already is, despite assurances to the contrary.

41ST ANNUAL MEETING CONCLUDES: The July 22-24th meeting brought over 200 Vietnam War family members to the Hilton Crystal City Hotel to hear briefings and updates from US officials most directly working to account for America’s unreturned veterans, our POW/MIAs. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg’s remarks coincided with Secretary of State Clinton’s visit to Vietnam for discussions with counterparts at the ASEAN Regional Forum. State Department’s interventions have been especially helpful over the years, as has the strong support of our US Ambassadors in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) keynoted the Opening Session that also featured the senior Defense Department official present, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense Pete Verga, appearing for the second time at a League annual meeting, as was DASD/Director of the Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) Bob Newberry. The Opening Session concluded with an on-target assessment by League Senior Policy Advisor Richard T. Childress, never one to shy away from helpful critiques of the US Government’s efforts, past, present and/or planned. Check the League website for some of the key remarks or request them from the League office

A special highlight was the participation of BG Robert Carr, USA, DIA’s Deputy Director of Operations, followed by DIA’s Stony Beach Lao Specialist Dustin Roses and a panel of experienced Southeast Asia intelligence collectors and analysts, moderated by League Intelligence & Research Advisor George “Jay” Veith.

At the 41st Annual Dinner, guests were treated to a patriotic concert by the US Army Chorus, a favorite for decades. This year, with sudden cancellation of the scheduled speaker, logn-time friend and supporter, former Deputy Secretary of Defense and President of the World Bank Dr. Paul Wolfowitz stepped to the podium and gave spontaneous remarks that had the capacity audience riveted. This year, a League Award was presented to the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, accepted by VFW Executive Director Bob Wallace, who had spoken of his and the VFW’s commitment to the issue during his presentation on the VFW’s support for and involvement in the work of the US-Russian Joint Commission on POW/MIA Affairs. Special soloist at the 41stAnnual Dinner was Wendy Coble, a friend of the League and an underwater archeologist now working for JPAC.

The lead-off by JPAC Commander MG Stephen Tom, USAR, set the tone for the professional briefings and presentations. The quality of such information improves and increases each year as capabilities expand and are applied. The extended question/answer period that concluded Saturday morning’s session was led off by League Executive Director Ann Mills-Griffiths giving her assessment of where things stand, some of which is included throughout this newsletter. Remarks of Senator Chambliss, Under Secretary Verga, Richard Childress and BG Carr are available by request from the League office. Following are resolutions adopted at the closing Business Session:


#1: RESOLUTION ON NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT


WHEREAS, Congress has mandated in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that the POW/MIA Accounting community must develop the capacity to make 200 identifications per year by 2015; and

WHEREAS, Congress has failed to fund the referenced mandate; and

WHEREAS, the accounting community has stated that it would be virtually impossible to meet this mandate without the necessary funding and resources; and

WHEREAS, it was conveyed at the 41st Annual Meeting of the National League of POW/MIA Families that in order to meet this mandate without necessary funding, the accounting community would have to focus efforts on cases from WWII and Korea where remains are more readily recoverable and potentially easier to identify, to the detriment of Vietnam War losses; and

WHEREAS, it is the consensus of all involved in the issue that the window of opportunity to reach the fullest possible accounting in Southeast Asia is closing rapidly, AND this race against time does not impact as adversely the accounting efforts pertaining to earlier conflicts; and

WHEREAS, the creation and expansion of JPAC, DPMO and other accounting related entities are due directly to the efforts of the National League of POW/MIA Families for the sole purpose of accounting for American servicemen and civilians missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War; be it

RESOLVED, that the National League of POW/MIA Families strongly urges Congress to reassess its position on the mandate, repeal the requirement for 200 or any specified number of identifications per year and reiterate the commitment that accounting for Vietnam War POW/MIAs continues to be a matter of highest national priority.


#2: RESOLUTION ON VIETNAMESE ARCHIVES

RESOLVED, that the League again calls on the government of Vietnam to locate and provide archival records that would facilitate US accounting objectives in Vietnam, and in the areas of Laos and Cambodia where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, 1961 – 1975.

#3: RESOLUTION ON PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

RESOLVED, that DOD should work more aggressively to establish a strategic public diplomacy program designed to motivate the governments concerned to respond positively to US accounting objectives.

#4: RESOLUTION ON DEFENSE DEPARTMENT REPROGRAMMING OF FUNDS

RESOLVED, that the League urges the Department of Defense to reprogram funds to enable the US to meet Vietnam’s proposal to expand the pace and scope of accounting operations until Congress passes supplemental funding and subsequently full funding to surge accounting efforts.

#5: RESOLUTION ON CONGRESSSIONAL APPROPRIATION OF FUNDING

RESOLVED, that the League calls on Congress to pass a supplemental appropriation bill now, followed by full funding necessary to meet requirements defined in the NDAA to expand the US government accounting effort.

#6: RESOLUTION REGARDING STONY BEACH IN LAOS

RESOLVED, that the League calls on the Lao PDR to approve full use of the US Stony Beach representation in investigations and interviews on a humanitarian basis as the program was designed to facilitate our joint accounting efforts.

#8: RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE JOINT POW/MIA ACCOUNTING COMMAND

RESOLVED, that the League commends JPAC for adopting the nationally and internationally recognized POW/MIA logo, initiated by the League, as its command insignia and for ensuring that it appears on JPAC presentation slides.

#9: RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY

RESOLVED, that the League commends the DIA for its consistent support for the Vietnam War accounting effort by providing its Stony Beach Team of POW/MIA specialists and protecting them from budget and personnel cuts over the years.

#10: RESOLUTION ON THE US-RUSSIA JOINT COMMISSION ON POW/MIA AFFAIRS

RESOLVED, that the League supports a fully-funded and staffed US-Russia Joint Commission on POW/MIA Affairs which requires that Congressional Commission members be responsible, willing and actively working to achieve Commission goals; and be it further

RESOLVED, that should a vacancy occur or a Congressional member of the Commission be unable or unwilling to fulfill the obligations of serving as Commissioner, the League will strongly encourage House and Senate leaders to immediately fill the vacancy or seek said person’s resignation and immediately appoint a replacement.


MESSAGE FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: There are serious problems that are adversely impacting field operations. The first concerns the US requirement for safety certification of all helicopters (including Lao and Vietnamese military helicopters) being used to transport personnel and material supplies necessary to conduct field operations. A US (DoD) waiver was granted for transporting material and supplies on non-certified Lao and Vietnamese military transport, but not for personnel due to safety concerns.

The League obviously does not want to risk the lives of any US or SRV personnel and is optimistic that the issue will be solved in Laos, but it could be more difficult in Vietnam. If not solved soon, field operations could be restricted to sites accessible by road. This would be a serious problem in Vietnam, but potentially worse in Laos where the terrain is more difficult, sites are more remote and surface transportation options are limited. There is no similar problem in Cambodia, as the large, government-owned troop-transport helicopters are not used.

Another issue deals with the Lao Government’s disappointing decision to limit the ability of our DIA Stony Beach specialist to pursue in-country POW/MIA investigations. After working for over a decade to gain Lao Government approval for permanent assignment in Vientiane of the US Defense Attachéand Stony Beach, this decision has already impeded operations. Hopefully, the Lao Government will respond positively, and soon, to appeals from our Ambassador, the Attaché, the DASD for POW/Missing Personnel Affairs, the JPAC Commander and the League to eliminate this obstacle.

As previously cautioned, there is a mandate in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for DoD to develop the capability to achieve identifications on 200 remains per year by 2015. The bill that passed is authorized, but still not funded, and there is ongoing debate within the US Government about direction and approach. The League’s position is that there is inherent danger in allowing too much control by any one organization or agency. It is critical to ensure a process of checks and balances to prevent excessive control and possible manipulation.

The number of teams deployed to Laos in June was two teams short of the allowed number due to deployments elsewhere (WWII) and lack of an adequate number of forensic anthropologists to be deployed to the field AND working in the lab to achieve the number of identifications outlined by Congress in the NDAA. While JPAC’s CIL reportedly has all designated billets filled or a designated hire incoming, the total number is insufficient to support worldwide requirements now being actively scheduled and executed by JPAC. That leaves too few forensic anthropologists to conduct full-scale Vietnam War-related field operations, much less respond to Hanoi’s offer to expand the pace and scope of such activities in their country.

If appropriations are not forthcoming to support the authorized expansion, there will be a push to decrease Vietnam War accounting operations to devote personnel and resources to WWII recoveries that predictably result in larger numbers of remains for identification. This would completely ignore Vietnam’s proposal, first made to the League in March 2009, to expand the pace and scope of field operations, a proposal that could expedite results IF the US responds and IF the Vietnamese expand unilateral actions to locate and provide archival records and remains previously recovered, but not yet repatriated. Those are two huge “IFs” that warrant very close scrutiny.

Finally, one program item at the League’s 41st Annual Meeting was a panel on Public Diplomacy, a policy process very successful in the past in transmitting US government seriousness concerning the POW/MIA issue, always highlighting specific actions needed to achieve the fullest possible accounting. The panel’s essential responses ranged from “It’s State Department’s job” to “We can’t do it without policy guidance,” but we were promised things would be better. The next opportunity high level speeches after the abysmal failure surrounding Memorial Day was National POW/MIA Recognition Day. As indicated earlier, that too was a missed opportunity to send needed messages to those with answers. Without the support of State, especially Secretary Clinton and our Ambassadors, and consistent messages by in-country JPAC and US Embassy personnel, these governments could assume the US has no priority accounting goals.

PUTTING FACES WITH THE NAMES: League member Candace Lokey has worked for many years trying to locate photos of every American who was MIA or KIA/BNR at the end of the war, to put a face with the name, to make our missing loved ones real. She now lack only 36 and really needs some help locating these last few. PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN.


Branch Name Country of Loss Date of Loss Hometown
USA Samuel Almendariz Laos 7/12/1967 McAllen, TX
USA Bruce Raymond Baxter Laos 11/09/1967 Lowell, MA
Civilian Alan L Blewett Laos 7/14/1962 San Joaquin, CA
USA Dwight Amos Bremmer S. Vietnam 12/14/1971 Oakland, TN
Civilian Frank L Bytheway N. Vietnam 10/02/1969 TX
USAF Robert Alexander Cairns S. Vietnam 6/17/1966 Highland, CA
USN Patrick G Carwright N. Vietnam 1/31/1971 Reno, NV
USA Isom Carter Cochran, Jr S. Vietnam 5/23/1968 Houston, TX
USN Earnest Keno Cota S. Vietnam 5/14/1968 San Deigo, CA
USA Benjamin David De Herrera S. Vietnam 11/16/1967 Colorado Springs, CO
USN Carroll Joseph Deuso N. Vietnam 12/15/1970 Richarford, VT
USA David Andrew Dillon S. Vietnam 7/20/1966 Spring Valley, CA
USN David Lloyd Dixon S. Vietnam 9/28/1968 Medford, OR
USN Dwight Glenn Frakes S. Vietnam 2/24/1965 Los Angeles, CA
USN David Paul Halpin S. Vietnam 9/28/1968 Watertown, NY
USN Charles David Hardie S. Vietnam 7/27/1967 Houston, TX
USN Rayford Jerome Hill N. Vietnam 10/02/1969 Houston, TX
USN August David Johnson S. Vietnam 2/03/1967 Houston, TX
USN Clayton Charles Kemp, Jr N. Vietnam 1/12/1967 Wheatridge, CO
USA Freddie Kemp S. Vietnam 8/17/1966 New York, NY
USA William John La Grand S. Vietnam 9/05/1965 Portland, OR
USA Edwin J Martinez-Mercado S. Vietnam 11/11/1967 New York, NY
USA Dan Daily McConnaughhay S. Vietnam 2/05/1966 Artesia, CA
USA Dewey Allan Midgett S. Vietnam 11/25/1967 Chesapeake, VA
USA Anastacio Montez S. Vietnam 5/24/1969 Presidio, TX
USAF William Edward Neville S. Vietnam 6/18/1965 El Cajon, CA
USAF Linus Labin Oakley S. Vietnam 10/29/1971 Carthage, AR
USA Samuel Joseph Padgett S. Vietnam 4/10/1968 Tulsa, OK
USAF Elbert Austin Phillips Laos 8/28/1968 Huntsville, AL
USA Richard Joseph Rossano S. Vietnam 3/25/1971 New York, NY
USA Earl Francis Seablom S. Vietnam 7/18/1968 Ishpeming, MI
USN Bernard John Sparenberg S. Vietnam 2/05/1966 Baltimore, MD
USA Robert Milton Staton, Jr S. Vietnam 11/11/1967 Jamesville, NC
USA Merritt Stoves III S. Vietnam 1/10/1967 N. Birmingham, AL
USA William Walters S. Vietnam 5/10/1967 Philadelphia, PA
USN Richard Daniel Wiehr N. Vietnam 1/21/1973 Mankato, MN



AIR FORCE CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT AWARDED MEDAL OF HONOR: Though it took 42 years, Chief Master Sergeant Richard L. Etchberger, USAF, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor by the President at a September 21st White House Ceremony, attended by the Executive Director to represent the League. The nation’s highest award was presented to Chief Etchberger’s three sons in front of an audience that included the Secretary of Defense, Air Force Chief of Staff, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and countless flag and general officers and USAF Non-Commissioned Officers, as was appropriate. Of great significance was that three of the pilots who flew the Air America rescue helicopters were on hand, as was a survivor of the Lima Site 85 incident, the largest loss of USAF personnel in a single incident during the Vietnam War. Perched on the top of Phou Pha Thi, one of the highest peaks in Laos, this radar tracking station was highly classified until the mid-1990s, when the official USAF report was declassified. There are still ten US personnel unaccounted-for from Lima Site 85. More can be read of this ceremony, and the incident, on the Internet.