News-Info-Alerts

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci

(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Re: USAF Seeks Family Members

Date: April 12, 1999

Air Force Seeks Families of Korean War Unaccounted-For

Source: Thomas R. Perry, Chief, Missing Persons Branch

Department of the Air Force
HQ AFPC/DPWCM, 550 C St. West St 15
Randolph AFB TX 78150-4717

The Department of Defense and the four military services are mounting an intense public outreach effort to locate family members of servicemen who remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. According to Tom Perry, Chief of the Air Force Missing Persons Branch, "We have begun to open some doors in North Korea, and we need to reestablish contact with the families of our unaccounted-for servicemen."

As a result of two negotiated agreements, the US has conducted four joint operations inside North Korea during 1996 and 1997 to seek answers and to locate and recover the remains of US servicemen lost during the Korean War.

In the four operations, the remains of what are believed to be seven American soldiers have been recovered. One has already been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Perry added, "As we're able to obtain additional circumstance of loss information or recover remains from North Korea, we'll need to inform the families. Unfortunately, in some cases nearly 45 years elapsed since the Air Force has had contact with many of our families. We need to know who the primary next-of-kin is to aid in future identifications. We'd welcome any lead family members can give us."

Family members of any unaccounted for Korea-era servicemen are asked to provide their name, address and relationship of their loved one as soon as possible to the appropriate service casualty office.

Air Force families can call toll-free (800)531-5501 or write by electronic mail via the Internet pow-mia@hq.afpc.af.mil.

The Army's toll free number is (800)892-2490

The Navy number is (800)443-9298

The Marine Corps's number is (800)847-1597

Each of the services has compiled a partial list of Korean War family contacts, but with more than 8,100 unaccounted-for servicemen from the war (more than 900 Air Force servicemen), the task is extremely difficult considering the time elapsed since the cease-fire in Korea.

"We've been using the Internet and any other technology we could acquire," Perry said. "But we believe the most effective way to find these families is by word-of-mouth through veterans, family, active duty and retired military organizations. That's why we're pushing hard to 'get the word out' in many different ways. We hope our ongoing efforts in North Korea will result in bringing closure to families who have sacrificed so much for so long."