News-Info-Alerts

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci

(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Re: NAF Update - Bits 'n' Pieces

Date: December 03, 2000

National Alliance of Families For The Return of America's Missing Servicemen
World War II - Korea - Cold War - Vietnam - Gulf War

December 2, 2000 Bits N Pieces

Another One - Another South Korean Soldier, taken Prisoner by the North Koreans during the Korean War has made his way to freedom. From the Associated Press, Nov. 27th - Seoul, South Korea - "A South Korean soldier who was captured by communist troops during the 1950-53 Korean War has fled North Korea, South Korea's main intelligence agency said Monday."

"The 66-year-old veteran and two family members left North Korea in October and recently arrived in Seoul after traveling through a third country, the National Intelligence Service said. The agency did not disclose the third country. Many North Korean defectors have passed through China on their way to asylum in South Korea."

"The ex-soldier, whose name was not released, was a private in the South Korean army during the war and was seized by North Korean forces in 1951. He worked most of the time since in a coal mine in Onsung, a city on the North's northeast border with China, South Korea said. The veteran was the 17th South Korean POW to flee North Korea since the war, according to Seoul officials...."

"...South Korea believes about 300 South Korean veterans of the Korean War are still alive in the North and that 454 other South Koreans, mostly fishermen, were abducted over the years by the North. Pyongyang has denied the allegations...."

South Koreans survive, Japanese survive, and at lease one Hungarian survived... but they'd like us to believe Americans couldn't survive.

Have the Soviets Finally Come Clean On The Fate of Raoul Wallenberg - The Soviets originally denied any knowledge as to the whereabouts and fate of Raoul Wallenberg. Determined to learn the truth, the Swedish Government pressed the Soviets for answers. Faced with a determined Nation, the Soviets finally admitted, in1957, that Wallenberg died in a Soviet Prison of a heart attack in 1947. The Swedish government did not accept this information as the final determination of Wallenbergs fate. They pressed and perservered.

This past week, the Russian government offered another version as to the fated of Raoul Wallenberg. According to a Reuters story, by Patrick Lannin published Nov. 27th - "A Russian committee on rehabilitating victims of Soviet repression is certain Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg was executed in the notorious Lubyanka prison, Interfax news agency reported Monday."

"The statement contradicted the former Soviet line on Wallenberg, who helped thousands of Jews flee the Holocaust and disappeared in 1945 in Budapest after Soviet troops arrested him. In 1957 the Soviets said they had a doctor's note from 1947 showing Wallenberg had died of a heart attack that year at the age of 34 in the Lubyanka headquarters of the NKVD secret police."

"Russian-Swedish committee has been set up to investigate what exactly happened to Wallenberg after his arrest. "Now we have no doubts he (Wallenberg) was shot in the Lubyanka," Interfax quoted Alexander Yakovlev, head of the Presidential Commission on the Rehabilitation of Victims of Political Repression, as saying."

"He said the panel had asked military prosecutors to investigate the case based on evidence and documents it had gathered. He was sure Russian President Vladimir Putin would soon issue a decree rehabilitating Wallenberg. "(The decree will say that) Wallenberg was a victim of Stalin's repression," Interfax quoted Yakovlev as saying. He said some of Wallenberg's possessions had been handed over to Swedish officials...."

"...A Swedish member of the Russian-Swedish commission said Stockholm had seen no official documents confirming Moscow's intentions to rehabilitate Wallenberg but backed the idea. "Of course this is something that we welcome," Swedish Foreign Ministry official Jan Lundvik told Reuters. "It is an admission of the previous mistake that once was made. The mistake was to arrest him and then also to apparently put him to death since he is now being rehabilitated as a victim of repression," Lundvik said by telephone from Stockholm."

"Wallenberg, from Sweden's most powerful industrial family, was sent to Budapest as a diplomat with a secret mission. The original Soviet version said that Wallenberg, regarded as a hero for his efforts to rescue Jews in Hungary from almost certain death in Nazi camps, was arrested as a spy in 1945 by Red Army counter-intelligence in the Hungarian town of Debrecen."

"He was never heard of again, but suspicions of his execution have always existed. "Sightings" of him were also reported in Soviet gulag prison camps, fueling speculation over his fate. Sweden and Russia agreed in 1997 to cooperate in trying to establish the truth about his disappearance. "We should finally put an end to this story which has gained a serious international character and has poisoned the atmosphere for a long time," Yakovlev said."

"Putin recently gave Yakovlev the go-ahead to carry out deeper inquiries into the fate of millions of people summarily executed or sent to the gulags by Soviet dictator Josef Stalin."

"We should finally put an end to this story which has gained a serious international character and has poisoned the atmosphere for a long time," so says Alexander Yakovlev. We couldn't agree more. However the story of Soviet imprisonment of Foreign Nationals, Americans, British, French, Italian, Japanese, Koreans Hungarians, Swedes, and others, can only end with the truth. We don't know the truth about what happened to servicemen who had the misfortune to cross paths with the Soviets, or their allies. By the tone of the next article, it seems the Swedes aren't buying the latest version of Wallenberg's fate.

From M2 Communications LTD. Nov. 28th - "Sweden is reportedly no closer to knowing how Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat reputed to have saved thousands of Jews during World War II, died. Jan Lundvik, a member of a joint Swedish-Russian committee working to uncover what happened to Wallenberg, told Reuters that the Swedish side had found new evidence on the chain of events which led to the diplomat's imprisonment, but the issue of how and when he died remained unsolved."

"Wallenberg disappeared in 1945 in Budapest after being arrested by Soviet troops. In 1957, the Soviets said that they had a doctor's note from 1947 showing that the diplomat had died of a heart attack, aged 34, in the Lubyanka prison. Lundvik said that there have been various versions of Wallenberg's death, including that it was not natural death but that he had been put to death, that he was shot, that he was poisoned, as well as a version that he died after having been badly treated. The official said that there had been no death certificate issued for Wallenberg, which he claims is another unexplained aspect of the case. Lundvik also cited a testimony that Wallenberg had been sighted in the Gulag labour camps built by Josef Stalin...."

"... Lundvik said that Russia and Sweden would be presenting their findings in January 2001 in separate reports and that if the case had not been solved to Sweden's satisfaction by that time officials would carry on investigating."

Maybe the Swedes could give the folks at DPMO some pointers. It seems that Sweden holds the Russians to a higher burden of proof than the United States does. The Swedes obviously hold the Russians to a higher burden of proof than the U.S. holds, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, China and North Korea.

Dear Santa - Why does Johnnie Webb still have a job?

We Rarely Get A Break... When We Do, We Should Take Advantage of It That is why we are urging all Primary Next of Kin or our POW/MIA's to send your authorization to Roger Hall. This authorization will allow Roger to access information on your loved one, if it exists, as part of his CIA lawsuit.

This opportunity is an early Christmas present from the Courts. According to Roger, it as been revealed that "the CIA had "information on the last known location of (some) POW/MIAs." Unfortunately not everyone has sent in the authorization, once the PNOK authorizations are given to the court the CIA will fight the addition of new names.

Please don't miss this opportunity to be part of the CIA lawsuit. Who knows what information may turn up!

It is important that every family be a part of this. We are reprinting the authorization and urge you to copy, fill out and return to Roger Hall at 8715 First Ave., Apt 827C, Silver Spring, Md. 20910. If you have any questions call Roger at 301-585-3361 or email him at Rhall8715@aol.com

Authorization Follows:

I [ PNOK name ] authorize Roger Hall to research all information regarding [ unreturned POW/MIA family member name ] withheld under the McCain Bill or for any other reason. Please include the full name of the person that is POW, MIA, or detainee, [ date person was captured or went missing ] , [ branch of service or civilian ], [ service number] , and [ social security number.]

End of Authorization

Remember the Authorization MUST BE SIGNED AND NOTARIZED.

Please don't miss this opportunity.

World War II Marine Raiders Identified, Returning Home - from the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) - November 29, 2000 - "The remains of 19 World War II Marine Raiders killed in action on Butaritari Island (Makin Atoll) and listed as missing in action since August 1942 were recently identified, and will be returned to their families for burial. The remains are those of: Capt. Gerald P. Holtom, Palo Alto, Calif., Sgt. Clyde Thomason, Atlanta, Ga., FM1C. Vernon L. Castle, Stillwater, Okla., Cpl. I.B. Earles, Tulare, Calif., Cpl. Daniel A. Gaston, Galveston, Tex., Cpl. Harris J. Johnson, Little Rock, Iowa, Cpl. Kenneth K. Kunkle, Mountain Home, Ark., Cpl. Edward Maciejewski, Chicago, Ill., Cpl. Robert B. Pearson, Lafayette, Calif., Cpl. Mason O. Yarbrough, Sikeston, Mo., Pfc. William A. Gallagher, Wyandotte, Mich., Pfc. Ashley W. Hicks, Waterford, Calif., Pfc. Kenneth M. Montgomery, Eden, Wis., Pfc. Norman W. Mortensen, Camp Douglas, Wis., Pfc. John E. Vandenberg, Kenosha, Wis., Pvt. Carlyle O. Larson, Glenwood, Minn., Pvt. Robert B. Maulding, Vista, Calif., Pvt. Franklin M. Nodland, Marshalltown, Iowa, Pvt. Charles A. Selby, Ontonagon, Mich."

"The Marines were members of the Marine Corps' 2nd Raider Battalion, killed during the August 17-18, 1942, raid on Japanese-held Butaritari Island, during which an estimated 83 Japanese soldiers were killed. Lt. Col. Evans F. Carlson commanded the Raiders during the operation, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt's son, Capt. James Roosevelt, was the operation's second-in-command. Ferried to the island by submarine and landing on and departing Butaritari by rubber boats, the Marines were unable to evacuate the bodies of their fallen comrades."

"With the assistance of island inhabitants, including a man who assisted in the burial of the Marines in 1942, a recovery team from the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii (CILHI) uncovered a mass grave and excavated the remains in November and December 1999. That operation was preceded by an initial investigation in August 1998 and an unsuccessful recovery effort in May 1999. The U.S. Marine Raider Association provided invaluable assistance with firsthand information and documentation about their combat on Butaritari."

"In late 1999, the CILHI began an exhaustive forensic identification process, including the use of mitochondrial DNA, to confirm the identities of the Marines. Marine Corps officials, using historical military records and more modern search techniques, located the next of kin of each of the Marines. Arrangements for the transportation and burial of the Marines are underway, in consultation with the families. The first burial is expected to be that of Cpl. Yarbrough in Sikeston, Mo. in December. Among the remains recovered are those of Sgt. Clyde Thomason, the first enlisted Marine awarded the Medal of Honor during World War II...."

As New Year 2000 dawned, we hoped and prayed that this would be the year our POW/MIAs came home. We prayed 2000 would be the year to celebrate. Now, 2000 is ending.

In the last several years, we've seen South Korean POWs returned home, one returning within the last week. We've seen Japanese POWs returned home and we've even seen an Hungarian returned to freedom. We can only hope and pray that the American POWs are the next men out.

Another year... we are all a little older. We've lost good friends. We're all tired. The fight is getting harder and maybe for some, the flame of hope has dimmed, just a little. But, we are not giving up. As 2001 dawns, we at the National Alliance of Families intend to fan that flame of hope until it is a burning beacon, shining bright, a beacon that will lead us to the truth and bring our Prisoner of War and Missing in Action home... to their families and freedom.

For this holiday season, we would like to share a favorite poem with you.

"Thought we've come a long way, there is much, much more to be done. the deck is stacked against us. Our adversaries are well-entrenched and well-financed and scared of any change in the status quo. In the long run, we will prevail. We hold the trump card, folks and when the dust clears, and the dense morning fog burns off, when we clear our wire of sappers, and the gunships go home, by God, we'll still be there, because what we seek to do is right." --- Author Unknown

In closing, we repeat our standard Christmas greeting. The words are Hallmarks, the sentiment belongs to the POW/MIA families and activists.

IF CHRISTMAS MEANS SHARING, then let us share together our hope for tomorrow...

IF CHRISTMAS MEANS GIVING, then let us give one another strength, encouragement, and faith

IF CHRISTMAS MEANS LOVE, then let us love one another with the hearts of children... in the spirit of peace.

Let us all work together in the New Year to make the words "I'll be home for Christmas" more than just a dream for our POW/MIAs.

"Thus saith the Lord; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears; for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord: and they shall come again from the land of the enemy; and there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to their own border." Jermiah 31:16--17:

We, at the National Alliance of Families thank you all for your support. We wish you and yours a Happy Chanukah, a Merry Christmas and a Healthy and Happy New Year. We pray for strength to carry our fight into 2001 and we pray that 2001 will be the year our POW/MIA's come home.

TRUTH, JOY, AND PEACE TO US ALL IN 2001.

Dolores, Lynn and the Board of Directors of the National Alliance of Families

This is the last "Bits N Pieces" for 2000 - We'll be back on January 13th, 2001

Dolores Alfond - 425-881-1499
Lynn O'Shea --- 718-846-4350
email ----------- lynnpowmia@prodigy.net
web site -------- www.nationalalliance.org