News-Info-Alerts

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci
(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Re: JTF-FA Fact Sheet

Date: July 28, 1998

HEADQUARTERS
Joint Task Force - Full Accounting
CAMP H. M. SMITH, HAWAII 96861

FACT SHEET

Joint Task Force Full Accounting (JTF-FA) was established on January 23, 1992. Its mission is to resolve the cases of Americans still unaccounted-for as a result of the Southeast Asian conflict. JTF-FA operations include investigations, archival research, 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 of 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 these countries. The task force grew out of the previously established Joint Casualty Resolution Center. That organization had spearheaded the US Government's accounting effort since 1973. As cooperation on the part of the Southeast Asian nations and opportunities for issue resolution increased, the Commander, US Pacific Command established the Joint Task Force.

JTF-FA consists of more than 160 investigators, analysts, linguists and other specialists representing all four services and Department of Defense civilian employees. The task force's operations are supported by casualty resolution specialists 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. Detachments are located in Bangkok, Thailand, Vietnam's capital of Hanoi, Vientiane in Laos, and Cambodia's capital of Phnom Penh.

As of 1973, there were roughly 1500 Americans unaccounted for in Vietnam, more than 500 in Laos, and about another 80 in Cambodia. Another 425 were lost over water off the Vietnamese coast.

Not since the release of American prisoners of war during "Operation Homecoming" in 1973 has an American whose fate was unknown to the US returned alive. Over the years, however, numerous firsthand reports have surfaced concerning Americans alleged to be alive in Southeast Asia. Intelligence organizations have resolved most of these 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 we have thus been unable to obtain definitive evidence that Americans are still detained against their will in Southeast Asia, the information available precludes ruling out that possibility. Actions to investigate live-sighting reports receive, and will continue to receive, necessary priority and resources based on the assumption that at least some Americans could still be alive. Should any report prove true, the US government will take decisive action to ensure the return of those involved.

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 area residents and village or provincial officials to determine if witnesses are available. They scour available records and files in search of any documentation which could be correlated to the incident.

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 any material evidence which might help confirm the fate of the aircraft occupants.

If a loss site investigation, witness interview, or crash site surveys results in the discovery of remains, recoveries are conducted by JTF-FA and CILHI casualty resolution and other operations specialists. The remains are then transported to the CILHI where they are examined. 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 more than 2,500 case investigations and more than 400 remains recovery operations. These operations have led to the recovery of remains of more than 440 individuals 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. Joint Task Force-Full Accounting is resolved to continue the investigation and recovery efforts until the fullest possible accounting is achieved.