News-Info-Alerts

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci

(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Re: NLF Update Line

Date: June 05, 2000

National League of Families
UPDATE LINE: June 5, 2000

Thank you for calling the National League of Families Update Line. This message is being recorded on Monday, June 5th. The number of Americans still missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War is 2,021.

As the President announced during his Memorial Day Address, Specialist 4th Class John E. Crowley, from Williamson, NY, missing in Laos since August 10, 1970, is now accounted for. In 1998, some remains were turned in to members of a joint field team in Vietnam. Later, a US-Lao team jointly recovered remains, concluding the US effort. The accounting for Spec. Crowley brings the number now accounted for in Laos to 144, with 427 still missing, nearly 85% of them in areas under Vietnamese wartime control. During his remarks, the President also announced that US-North Korea talks on remains recovery efforts would resume June 6th in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in the hope of resuming recovery operations in North Korea this year.

DOD recently announced that the remains of six USMC personnel, previously unaccounted for from the attempted rescue of the Mayaguez crew on May 15, 1975, had been identified. Those identified were 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 were 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. The identifications, made by the US Army's Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii, used extensive mtDNA technology to aid in determining those identified.

A team of 43 US specialists 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 August.

Technical talks, led by BG Harry Axson, JTF-FA Commander, will take place in Vietnam this week. For the first time in years, the DIA representative, COL Rich Villalobos, will take part in these operational discussions, indicating another step to fully re-integrate DIA's Stony Beach team into the accounting process. The League has worked for nearly 7 years to ensure that Stony Beach would be allowed to resume its role as primary collector of POW/MIA information from sources in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, including during the May 1999 League delegation to these countries.

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 reservations was May 30th, and hotel reservations are not accepted by phone. If an exception is required, please immediately call the League office or your Service Casualty Office.

National POW/MIA Recognition Day will be September 15th this year. Start planning now for a ceremony to be held in your area. The League's POW/MIA flag will again fly over nearly all U.S. Government buildings, plus all US Post Office facilities and major military installations. By law, our flag will also be flown before National POW/MIA Recognition Day on Flag Day, June 14th, and Independence Day, July 4th.

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.