News-Info-Alerts

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci

(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Re: NLF Update Line

Date: August 27, 2000

National League of Families
UPDATE LINE: August 25, 2000

Thank you for calling the National League of Families Update Line. This message is being recorded on Friday, August 25th. The number of Americans missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War is now 2,006.

Although the names have not yet been publicly announced, six Americans previously missing in Laos have now been accounted for, bringing the number accounted for from Laos since the end of the war to 148. All were jointly recovered. The remains of two Air Force officers were recovered in October 1996, and identifications were approved on August 15th. The other four, three Marines and one Army, were jointly recovered in February 1999, and approved on August 14th. In addition, though also not yet announced by the Department of Defense, the remains of two Americans previously missing in northern Vietnam have also been identified. The primary next-of-kin requested that the name of LCDR Roger B. Innes, USN, missing since December 27, 1967, be publicly announced as accounted for. His remains, and those of his fellow officer, were identified using mtDNA following a successful underwater recovery in May and June of last year. The names of the others will be provided when they are publicly released; however, the accounting for these eight Americans brings the number still missing and unaccounted for to 2,006, 1512 in Vietnam, 421 in Laos, 65 in Cambodia and 8 in the territorial waters of the PRC. It must be noted that nearly 85% of all Americans lost in Laos and Cambodia were in areas then under the control of the Vietnamese; therefore, it is to Vietnam that we look for archival records and witnesses than can assist in the accounting for them.

During his August 21st address to the Veterans of Foreign Wars 101st National Convention in Wisconsin, Republican candidate for President Governor George W. Bush made the following statement regarding America's POW/MIAs: "To build morale in Today's United States military, we must keep faith with those who have worn the uniform in the past. We must keep faith with America's veterans. This means doing everything in our power to obtain the fullest possible accounting for those who have not yet returned -- those still missing in action in America's Pacific wars. When we send Americans into danger, they will never be abandoned." The League appreciates this commitment from Governor Bush. Vice President Gore's speech to the same gathering on the following day, August 22nd, sadly included no mention of the need to account for America's POW/MIAs.

The Vice Foreign Minister of Laos, Phonsavath Boupha, is now in Washington, DC, for meetings on POW/MIA and other issues of bilateral interest. The Minister spent August 24th in briefings at the Defense POW/MIA Office and a visit to the National Archives. Today, the Minister, the Lao Ambassador to the Untied States and a Lao Foreign Ministry official visited the Armed Forces DNA Laboratory and met over lunch with the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Narcotics and International Law Affairs, the National Security Council Director for Asian Affairs, League Advisor Richard Childress and the League's executive director. The discussions were very helpful in generating further understanding and mutual efforts on the POW/MIA issue. The Minister will also travel to Hawaii for briefings and meetings with officials at CILHI, JTF-FA and CINCPAC en route back to Laos.

A team of 43 US specialists from JTF-FA, CILHI and Stony Beach has now concluded another 30-day period of joint field operations. Remains recoveries were scheduled at 3 sites in 2 separate provinces. Tomorrow, a larger US team will begin monthlong joint operations in Vietnam. This team will work with Vietnamese citizens and specialists in 16 provinces and cities to investigate 32 cases and excavate six or more sites, including both aircraft and ground losses.

National POW/MIA Recognition Day will be September 15th this year. The national ceremony will be held at 11:30 a.m. at the Pentagon, hosted by Deputy Secretary of Defense Rudy de Leon, and the interment for LCDR Roger B. Innes, USN, will be held at Arlington National Cemetery at 1:00 p.m. that same day. Planning is well underway for ceremonies across the nation and around the world at US military installations. Contact your local post office and nearby military installations for information regarding ceremonies to be held in your area. The League's POW/MIA flag will fly over most US Government buildings, all major military installations and Federal cemeteries on National POW/MIA Recognition Day. All offices of the US Postal Service are also required by law to post our POW/MIA flag, and listeners are urged to check with your local postmaster to ensure that your post office is adhering to the law.

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. POW/MIA lapel pins are also available at $3 each or 2/$5. 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.