News-Info-Alerts

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci

(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Re: NLF Update Line

Date: May 26, 2000

National League of Families
UPDATE LINE: MAY 26, 2000

Thank you for calling the National League of Families Update Line. This message is being recorded on Friday, May 26th. The number of Americans still missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War is 2,022.

The Department of Defense recently announced that the remains of six US Marine Corps personnel, previously unaccounted for from the attempted rescue of the Mayaguez crew on May 15, 1975, had been identified. Those identified are LCpl Gregory S. Copenhaver from MD, LCpl Andres Garcia from NM, PFC Walter Boyd of VA, and PFC Kelton Turner from CA. The names of two Marines are being withheld at the request of their families. Between 1991 and 1999, US, Cambodian and Vietnamese personnel conducted seven joint investigations, and on three occasions, Cambodian officials unilaterally turned over remains believed to be those of Americans associated with this incident. In October and November, 1995, US and Cambodian specialists conducted an underwater recovery operation. The identifications, made by the US Army's Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii, used extensive mtDNA technology to aid in determining those identified.

On May 16th, DOD announced that one American, listed as MIA in North Vietnam on March 7, 1966, had also been identified. The remains of COL Harold V. Smith, USAF, from IL, were jointly recovered and repatriated November 6, 1998. The accounting for these 7 Americans brought the number still missing to 2,022, 1,518 in Vietnam. Nearly 85% of the 428 missing in Laos and the 68 unaccounted for in Cambodia were lost in areas under Vietnamese wartime control. There are also 8 in the territorial waters of the PRC. Several more identifications are expected in the coming weeks.

On April 25th in Hanoi, remains that could be those of six Americans were turned over to US officials, and month-long joint operations resumed. The team of nearly 100 US personnel from JTF-FA, CILHI and DIA's Stony Beach are conducting joint investigations and recovery operations in 17 Vietnamese provinces, focused on 49 incidents. The next technical talks in Vietnam will occur in early June.

A team of 43 US specialists, also from JTF-FA, CILHI and Stony Beach, resumed month-long joint operations in Laos on May 26th. US-Lao consultations regarding a ten-year assessment of bilateral POW/MIA cooperation were postponed until late summer. Previously scheduled to occur May 5-6th in Vientiane, the discussions also will focus on operations initiatives with a goal of trying to make the cooperative effort more effective and efficient to increase the pace of results.

The League's 31st Annual Meeting is June 22-24th in Washington, DC, again at the Washington Marriott Hotel. The deadline for registration and hotel reservation forms is May 30th. All primary next of kin of Americans missing from the Vietnam War should have received these forms from their Service Casualty Office. The Department of Defense is again providing commercial transportation for two family members per missing man.

POW/MIA car-window decals are available at a cost of $20 per 100 by sending a check to the League office at 1001 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 919, Washington, DC 20036. For added information on any subject, please contact the League's web site at www.pow-miafamilies.org or call the national office at 202-223-6846. If no one is available to take your call, please leave a message and your call will be returned. Again, thank you for calling.