No longer in existence. Has merged with CILHI to become JPAC.
"POW MIA History - JTF-FA Fact Sheet"
FACT SHEET JOINT TASK FORCE-FULL ACCOUNTING
The mission of Joint Task Force-Full Accounting (JTF-FA) is to achieve the fullest possible accounting of Americans still unaccounted-for as a result of the war in Southeast Asia. JTF-FA operations include case investigations, archival research, an Oral History Program, and remains recovery operations.
The task force was created in response to Presidential, Congressional and public interest, as well as increased opportunities for case resolution. The opportunities included an increased willingness by the governments of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia to share information they have regarding unaccounted-for Americans, as well as increased access to files, records and witnesses in their countries.
The task force grew out of the previously established Joint Casualty Resolution Center, an organization that began spearheading US Government accounting efforts in 1973. As cooperation on the part of the Southeast Asian nations and opportunities for issue resolution increased, the Commander in Chief, US Pacific Command, established Joint Task Force-Full Accounting on Jan. 23, 1992.
JTF-FA is composed of approximately 160 investigators, analysts, linguists, and other specialists representing all four military services and Department of Defense civilian employees. The task force's operations are supported by casualty resolution specialists, archeologists and anthropologists from the US Army Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii (CILHI); representatives of the Defense POW/MIA Office; and augmentees from US Pacific Command component commands. JTF-FA is headquartered at Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii, with three detachments located in Bangkok, Thailand; Hanoi, Vietnam; and Vientiane, Laos. The detachment in Thailand also supports operations in Cambodia.
As of 1973, there were approximately 1,500 Americans unaccounted for in Vietnam, more than 500 in Laos, and about 80 in Cambodia. Another 425 were lost over water off the Vietnamese coast.
Not since the release of 591 American prisoners of war during "Operation Homecoming" in 1973 has an American -- whose fate was unknown to the US -- returned alive from Southeast Asia. Over the years, however, numerous firsthand reports have surfaced concerning Americans alleged to be alive in Southeast Asia. Intelligence organizations have resolved most of those reports through correlation with accounted-for personnel; others have proven to be fabrications.
Support of Defense Intelligence Agency investigation and resolution of these live sightings is JTF-FA's first priority. Although the US Government has thus been unable to obtain definitive evidence that Americans are still being detained against their will in Southeast Asia, the information available precludes ruling out that possibility. Therefore, actions to investigate live-sighting reports have and will continue to receive the highest priority. Should any report prove true, the US Government will take decisive action to ensure the return of those involved.
Archival research is conducted by JTF-FA analysts to determine if any of the materials contained in host-nation files can be correlated to unaccounted-for Americans. Another aspect of JTF-FA's responsibility is investigating incident-of-loss sites. JTF-FA investigators and linguists examine areas determined to be the position unaccounted-for Americans were known to be lost or last known to be alive. They also interview local villagers and provincial officials to determine if witnesses are available to support the investigation. The Oral History Program was established to identify and interview higher-ranking individuals who may possess information related to specific cases. Often these individuals provide names of other individuals who have knowledge of incidents involving Americans. Information obtained through this program has sometimes led investigators to unresolved crash or burial sites.
Task force specialists also locate and examine crash sites. Many of the unaccounted-for Americans were pilots or other aircrew members who were lost when their aircraft crashed or was shot down. These excavations are much like archeological digs; their aim is to recover remains and material evidence which could help confirm the fate of the aircraft occupants.
If a loss site investigation, witness interview, or crash site survey results in the discovery of remains, a recovery operation will be conducted by JTF-FA and CILHI casualty resolution and other operations specialists. The remains are then transported to CILHI, located at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, where they undergo forensic examination. Positive identification of the remains through anthropological and pathological analysis are made whenever possible.
Since its inception in 1992, Joint Task Force-Full Accounting has conducted almost 2,800 case investigations and 470 recovery operations, which have led to the repatriation of more than 450 sets of remains believed to be unaccounted-for Americans. JTF-FA investigators and analysts have also answered countless questions about what happened to many of those whose fate was previously unknown. Many questions remain, some of which may never be fully answered, but Joint Task Force-Full Accounting is resolved to continue the investigation and recovery efforts until the fullest possible accounting is achieved.
Detachment Two - Joint Task Force Full Accounting
Detachment Two, Joint Task Force-Full Accounting (D2) is a selectively manned, joint duty, geographically separated, forward operating detachment. Our mission is to plan, coordinate, and execute humanitarian efforts to account for and resolve the fates of unaccounted-for American citizens from the Vietnam Conflict-era, primarily in Vietnam, but we also assist with similar efforts in Laos and Cambodia. Within Vietnam, we sustain five 740-member teams per year to investigate the fates of unaccounted-for American citizens, and to locate and recover their remains. Each team is composed of about 120 American military members and United States Department of Defense civilian employees, about 20 representatives of the Government of Vietnam, and about 600 local laborers. We are the United States Government's resident experts in Vietnam on Prisoner of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) issues in Vietnam.
D2 is manned by only six people full-time. There are two officers, two enlisted members, and two civilians. Additionally, we are augmented with two long-term, temporary duty personnel: a supply sergeant from the United States Army Central Identification Laboratory Hawaii (CILHI), and a Vietnamese linguist from Headquarters, Joint Task Force-Full Accounting (JTF-FA). About 20 foreign service nationals fill jobs like administration and logistics assistants, security guards, drivers, and housekeepers.
Headquarters, JTF-FA, is co-located with United States Pacific Command (PACOM), Camp H. M. Smith, Honolulu, Hawaii. Our headquarters provides us policy, guidance, and the results of research.
JTF-FA has detachments in Bangkok, Thailand; Vientiane, Laos; and Hanoi, Vietnam. The detachment in Bangkok is our logistics base and staging area. The detachments in Hanoi and Vientiane use the research results the headquarters gives us to resolve the fates of the unaccounted-for using current policy and guidance.
Visit them at: http://www.jpac.pacom.mil/
Artwork: AII POW-MIA