POW/MIA UPDATE: 16 DEC 08

National League of POW/MIA Families - Arlington, VA, USA

AMERICANS ACCOUNTED FOR: There are now 1,742 US personnel listed by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO) as missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War. On December 15th, DPMO released an announcement naming four US Air Force personnel whose remains will be part of a group interment on December 18th at 9:00 a.m., Arlington National Cemetery. The four men are Major Bernard L. Bucher of Eureka, IL; Major John L. McElroy of Eminence, KY; 1st Lieutenant Stephen C. Moreland of Los Angeles, CA; and Staff Sergeant Frank M.Hepler of Glenside, PA. Two other servicemen, individually identified in October 2007, are also represented in this group of US personnel lost on May 12, 1968, on board a C-130 Hercules aircraft evacuating Vietnamese citizens from the Kham Duc Special Forces Camp near Da Nang, South Vietnam. They are Captain Warren R. Orr, Jr., USA, of Kewanee, IL, and Airman 1st Class George W. Long, USAF, of Medicine, KS. The remains of these men were recovered over a period of several years from 1993 to 2007 and five separate field investigations and recoveries. This brings to 841 the number of US personnel accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. 90+% of the 1,742 still missing from the Vietnam War were lost in Vietnam itself or in areas of Laos and Cambodia under Vietnam’s wartime control.

DEFENSE ATTACHE OFFICE OPENED IN LAOS: A Defense Attaché Office (DAO) was officially opened on December 5th at the US Embassy in Vientiane, Laos. The long-sought agreement to exchange military attaches between the US and Laos was first announced in 2007. The new US Defense Attaché, Army LTC James McAden, met with senior officials at the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of National Defense as part of the DAO opening. US Ambassador to Laos Ravic R. Huso hosted a reception that evening for Lao and US officials, as well as counterpart attaches in the embassies of other countries with representation in Vientiane.

LTC McAden is a Southeast Asia Foreign Area Specialist (FAO). He most recently served as Deputy to the Foreign Policy Advisor at the US Pacific Command (PACOM) in Hawaii and previously served at the US Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia. He holds a Master of Arts in Asian Studies from The Johns Hopkins University and an Advance Diploma in Strategic and Defense Studies from the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He is a graduate of the US Army Command and General Staff College and of the Malaysian Armed Forces Staff College.

DEFENSE ATTACHE ACCEPTED BY VIETNAM: After months of awaiting official approval from the Government of Vietnam, COL Patrick Reardon, USA, will shortly depart with his family for Hanoi. The first exchange of attaches between the US and Vietnam occurred fairly early in the bilateral relationship formally established in 1995. The resulting improvements in the military-to-military relationship have been useful and are beneficial to both countries, including the pursuit of answers on America’s POW/MIAs. There is announced agreement by Vietnam that the use of a US Navy ship in the accounting process can occur and is expected in March of 2009. The final details are still being worked out, but since the latest formal announcement was made by the Prime Minister during his June 2007 visit to Washington, DC, there should no longer be any reasons for delay.

DASD RAY VISITS SOUTHEAST ASIA: In mid-November, Ambassador Charles Ray, DPMO Director and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for POW/MIA Affairs, visited the capitals of Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, plus Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), before heading back to the US. Though the precise reasons for his trip are unclear, and perhaps it was a farewell visit of sorts, though no high level calls occurred, but one can assume that the usual points were raised. The only known issues that would really help include pressing Vietnam for unilateral provision of archival records, especially on cases in Laos and Cambodia, and implementation of Hanoi’s now longstanding commitment to allow viable use of a US Navy ship for underwater surveys, investigations and recoveries.

JPAC OPERATIONS: Commander of JPAC RADM Donna Crisp, USN, conducted two command visits in Southeast Asia in late October. After meeting with US Ambassador to Laos Ravic Huso, Lao Vice Minister of Defense Somphet and Detachment 3 personnel in Vientiane, she visited JPAC teams working at all five recovery sites. She went on to Hanoi where she met with US Ambassador to Vietnam Michael Michalak, SRV Ambassador Nguyen Van Dao, Vietnam Office of Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP) Director, and Detachment II personnel, she visiting a team at one site, before returning to Hawaii. Operations recently or just concluded in Vietnam, Laos, South Korea and India.

Five Recovery Teams (RTs) conducted operations in Laos from October 14 – November 18th. The 106th Joint Field Activity (JFA) took place in Khammouan and Savannakhet Provinces. In Vietnam, four RTs excavated four cases in Lao Cai, Dien Bien, Son La and Ninh Binh Provinces. One IT planed to investigate 23 cases in eight provinces and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The second IT was to conduct research and interviews related to 10 cases in Hanoi and three cases in two other provinces. Reportedly, unilateral advance research and interviews were also conducted by the VNOSMP on 12 cases throughout the country. The 45-day work period ended on December 9th with redeployment of the JPAC teams to Hawaii. In South Korea, one IT concluded work in Kyong Gi Province and in the DMZ on November 25th, as did another IT conducting underwater Phase Two Testing (P2T) operations in the Port of Pyongtaek. Another P2T recently conducted operations in India and concluded its work on November 21st.

STATUS OF THE LEAGUE: Since the financial appeal was distributed in mid-October, funds have been received to enable the League to continue through December 31st. The Board of Directors will be meeting in early February to discuss where things stand. The Board and Executive Director are exhausting every possibility to ensure the League’s continuation, hopefully despite the economic downturn now facing the US. League members and supporters are urged to be imaginative in trying to raise funds and to contribute to the extent possible to sustain League efforts.

PLAN NOW TO ATTEND THE 40TH ANNUAL MEETING JULY 22-25, 2009: Next year’s annual meeting promises to be special in many ways, including commemoration of over 35 years since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, and 40 years since the League was formed May 28, 1970. Governmental transitions are taking place, and there will be much to discuss and decide in terms of the League’s and the issue’s future. Importantly, it will also be the first year of a new administration. Any such political turmoil brings with it many changes in leadership and focus that, hopefully, will benefit the issue, but require close attention and actions by all members and supporters, especially our major national veterans organizations. Please do your part and start planning now to participate, arriving early if possible to call on Members of Congress and visit meaningful sites in our nation’s capital BEFORE the important sessions start on Thursday, July 23rd. The Secretary of Defense is again expected to authorize COIN Assist transportation.

COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN (CFC): The League (a 501[c]3 nonprofit) has again met the stringent criteria for eligibility in the 2008 campaign, and our official number is the same, CFC #10218, assigned by the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Washington, DC. The League is the ONLY nonprofit organization representing American POW/MIAs, KIA/BNRs and their families eligible for donations through CFC & United Way. Despite the reality of many competing charities and much need, especially in a time of war, the League is proud of our eligibility, due to tough requirements that must be met and is in urgent need of tax-deductible donations, FEIN #23-7071242.

CHECK THE LEAGUE’S UPDATED WEB SITE

www.POWMIALeague.org
www.POWMIALeague.com
www.pow-miafamilies.org