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To: ALL
From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci
(POW-MIA InterNetwork)
Re: NAF Bits 'N' Pieces
Date: January 13, 2002
"National Alliance of Families
For The Return of America's Missing Servicemen
+ World War II + Korea + Cold War + Vietnam + Gulf War
BITS 'N' PIECES - January 12, 2002
The National Alliance of Families extends its deepest sympathy to the families of our servicemen and woman lost in America's War on Terrorism. To the men and woman on the front lines - you are in our thoughts and prayers.
"It's God's job to forgive Osama Bin Laden
It's the job of America's Military to arrange the meeting."
Another variation of email circulating the internet.
The National Alliance of Families mourns the passing of Charles Macdonald, brother of POW/MIA
Captain George D. Macdonald. Charles passed late in the evening of January 1, 2002, as a result of a fire in his home. To the Macdonald family, we offer our deepest sympathy.
Rocky Versace To Be Awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor - from the Associated Press, Jan. 4, 2002 - Fort Bragg, N.C. "A Special Forces soldier who died more than 36 years ago in Viet Cong captivity has been awarded the nation's highest military award. Legislation that authorized the Medal of Honor for the late Capt. Humbert R. "Rocky" Versace was signed Dec. 28 by President Bush. The medal was awarded for Versace's actions as a prisoner of war between Oct. 29, 1963, and his death on Sept. 26, 1965. Testimony from fellow captives showed Versace was put into leg irons and gagged to keep his protests out of earshot of other American prisoners."
"Despite severe untreated wounds, Versace tried to escape by dragging himself on his hands and knees through dense swamp. Villagers said Versace was led around barefoot, with a rope around his neck, but he continued to smile and talk in fluent Vietnamese about God and America. The last time his fellow prisoners heard from Versace, he was singing "God Bless America" at the top of his lungs in his isolation box."
"Fort Bragg and congressional leaders requested the nation's top military honor for the 5th Special Forces Group soldier. Supporters say Versace inspired his fellow prisoners by his devotion to duty, bravery and self-sacrifice leading to his execution. Survivors describe his defiance and high spirits in the face of torture, solitary confinement, food deprivation and medical neglect. The awarding of the Medal of Honor to Versace would bring to 20 the number of Special Forces soldiers who received the medal in the Vietnam War."
"Fort Bragg is the headquarters for Special Forces, and the place where Green Berets are initially selected and trained. When Versace initially was recommended for the medal the Army downgraded it to the Silver Star.
''Now, some 30 years later, with political passions cooled and additional information available about Capt. Versace's heroism, I believe it is time to re-examine the case of this fine young officer," wrote Maj. Gen. William G. Boykin in requesting the medal. Boykin is commanding officer is commander [sic] of the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School and former commander of U.S. Army Special Forces Command at Fort Bragg."
"Col. James N. "Nick" Rowe, who was held captive with Versace, originally recommended him for the Medal of Honor. Rowe described Versace's resistance in his 1971 book "Five Years to Freedom." Rowe and retired Sgt. Maj. Dan Pitzer, a fellow prisoner, helped establish the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape training program at Fort Bragg to aid other soldiers who might find themselves in similar conditions."
"Rowe died in 1989 when assassins sprayed his vehicle with bullets while he was on his way to work in the Philippines. Pitzer died of illness in 1995."
Congratulations - to all who worked so hard to make sure Capt. Versace received the recognition and honor due him.
To the Vietnamese and U.S. Governments - Isn't it about time Capt. Versace got to come home. Listed as Died in Captivity by the Viet Cong, the Vietnamese have yet to return Capt. Versace's remains.
It's long past time for Rocky Versace to come home.
Where Is Michael Scott Speicher - January 17th, marks the 11th year since his shoot down. Within hours of the event, then Secretary of Defense, and now Vice President, Dick Cheney declared Scott Speicher dead. Some 10 years later, in a stunning reversal of policy, the Dept. of Navy resurrected Scott Speicher, changing his status from Killed in Action (KIA) to Missing In Action (MIA). For an excellent summary of fact supporting this status change, we suggest you read the "Intelligence Community Assessment of the Lt. Commander Speicher Case." It can be found on our web site at http://www.nationalalliance.org/gulf/intel.htm
As you read this summary, ask yourself why the very same evidence and reasoning used to change Scott Speicher's status from KIA to MIA was used to change our Vietnam POW/MIAs status from POW and MIA to KIA?
What really happened to Scott Speicher, and where is he today?
Help Needed - Can anyone tell us what an AR 635-212? Specifically, what infraction a discharge from the Army under AR 635-212 would mean?
Done Deal - From Agence France-Presse - "Washington, Dec 10 (AFP) - Former foes the United States and Vietnam on Monday activated their historic trade deal, at a stroke slashing tariffs on Vietnamese exports and throwing open one of Southeast Asia's most dynamic emerging markets to US firms."
"Vietnamese First Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick exchanged instruments of implementation of an deal seen as the culmination of a decade-long drive to soothe the scars of the Vietnam War."
"The bilateral trade accord (BTA), which institutes a new trading relationship between the world's most powerful economy and one of its last communist governments, was signed after many delays in 2000 under former president Bill Clinton. But it had to be ratified by legislatures in both countries and by President George W. Bush and President Tran Duc Luong of Vietnam."
"Immediately consummating the deal, Vietnam Airlines signed an agreement to buy four Boeing 777-200 planes, in a deal worth more than 400 million dollars."
"Former US ambassador to Vietnam Douglas "Pete" Peterson a former combat pilot and prisoner of war in Hanoi, who turned himself into an eloquent emblem for the US-Vietnam rapprochement, was in effusive mood. "This is something I have been looking forward to for years, and now it is coming to fruition. Vietnam is going to be an Asian tiger," said Peterson, newly named chairman of the US-Vietnam Trade Council."
"Dung said he was also delighted the trade deal had come into force. "The BTA between the US and Vietnam completes the full normalization of relations between the two countries," he said."
"Dung was brought into a trade forum at a central Washington hotel through a side route, after groups of human rights protestors totaling around 300 massed outside main entrances. "Free all religious prisoners," read one placard, held by chanting protestors, many draped in US flags."
"Although the trade deal is considered a watershed in US-Vietnam ties, relations have soured markedly in recent months, following several high profile rows over human rights. Subject to annual review, the trade agreement grants Vietnam the same low-tariff access to US markets as most other nations -- punitive tariffs on some goods previously stood at up to 40 percent."
"But in return, Vietnam must open its state-controlled markets to foreign competition, and institute new intellectual property and investment regulations : many advocates of the deal believe those provisions could loosen the grip of the communist leadership. The agreement covers six major areas: market access for industrial and agricultural goods, protection of intellectual property, market access for services, investment protection, business facilitation, and transparency."
"US and Vietnamese officials first started discussing a thaw in their relationship in 1990 which had been frozen since the end of US involvement in the Vietnam war in 1975. Clinton lifted a trade embargo in 1994 and established full diplomatic relations with Hanoi in 1995. He made his own highly symbolic visit to the country last year."
"The first plane under the Boeing deal will be delivered and in 2003, Boeing said in a statement. An agreement in principle for the purchase of the four Boeing jetliners was signed during Clinton's visit to Vietnam in November 2000."
"Dung's schedule on Monday included a call on National Security Advisor Condeleezza Rice, and he is due to meet Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage. On Wednesday, he moves onto New York to meet the heads of several large corporations. He ends his trip to the United States in San Francisco on Thursday."
The Lesson - Profits before the truth about America's POWs and MIAs.
Thanks To PAX and Grizzly Adams Productions - whenever we are asked to participate in an interview for future airing, we approach the opportunity with some hesitation. In the past stories and interviews have been edited, and the end result was more harm than good done to a specific case (notable example: NBC's "Mystery on the Mountain - The Site 85 Story") or the issue in general.
Not so with Grizzly Adams Production and PAX. Interviews with both Dolores Alfond, discussing Korean War POWs and Lynn O'Shea commenting on the "creative accounting" process and the rush to identify remains represented our opinion and information was presented as offered. We only hope the other participants in the program, Bob Dumas, brother of Korean War POW Roger Dumas, Dr. Garth Fisher, son of Vietnam POW/MIA Donald G. Fisher and Patricia Rowley Sayles, daughter of Vietnam POW/MIA Charles Rowley, were as happy with the outcome as we were. If you missed this program, watch for it in reruns.
Remains Misidentifications - Today, we know that during the period August 1967 - November 2, 1967, the following remains were mis-identified by the military mortuaries at Da Nang and Tan Son Nhut, - Jerry Degnan, Mark Judge, William Berry, James McGarvey, and the Unknown Remains exhumed from the grave in Yreka Ca, originally thought to be William Berry. We also know that by April 1968 the mortuaries had also mis-identified Ronald Ridgeway. These are all cases, previously discussed in "Bits." Only God knows how many more there are ...."
Remember, in the Degnan Case - the identification of the 5th passenger, aboard the August 9th 1967 helicopter crash, as Jerry Degnan (For full details on that case see Bits May 19th, June 2nd, and June 30th, 2001), was based on the "General Agreement" - to age, race and hair color of the fifth passenger and an "inconclusive" dental match." In other words it was an identification based on process of elimination. Four crewmen were positively identified based on dog tags, ID card and official records, therefore the 5th man known to be on board, could be no one other than the manifested passenger.
As we've learned, a 6th man was on board that helicopter as an un-manifested passenger. Since 5 sets of remains were initially recovered, five men were "identified" and the remains of Jerry Degnan were buried as the manifested passenger in 1967.
Process of elimination identifications are not new.
In the June 2nd 2000 Bits we said we would be addressing a process of elimination identification and left our readers with this comment: "Hint to the government - when the Vietnamese admit to capturing someone, maybe you should pay attention."
After the signing of the Paris Peace Accords on January 27, 1973, the North Vietnamese and the Provisional Revolutionary Government (PRG) or Viet Cong presented their lists of Prisoners of War and those who Died in Captivity. Both lists sent shock waves from Paris to Washington D.C. The POW list contained one very unexpected name. That name was Ronald Ridgeway. Ridgeway had already been buried in a Mass Grave at the National Cemetery at Jefferson Barracks. Many names expected to appear on the POW list were missing. Just as shocking was the Died In Captivity list. That list contained the names of two Army enlisted men whose families has already received and buried remains.
We came across documents relating to the two Army enlisted men, many years ago, while looking for evidence of remains misidentifications outside the Plumadore case. At that time, we filed these documents away, as they did not advance our remains misidentifications investigations.
That changed when we became aware of the story of Jerry Degnan. The similarities between the identification process for a UH1B crew lost on November 16th, 1965 and the Degnan crash in August 1967 has us asking ourselves: Could there have been an un-manifested passenger, military or civilian, on board the UH1B that crashed November 16th, 1965? Could some serviceman be erroneously listed as a deserter, when he was actually on board the UH1B?
When the Died In Captivity list was presented, in Paris, two names stood out. One was Billy M. Knight, alternately referred to in documents as either a Sargent or Spec 5. The other was PFC James Scuitier. The PRG stated that both had died in captivity, Knight in December 1965, and Scuitier in October 1968.
The identification of PFC Scuitier seemed straightforward. According to a "Memorandum For Record" dated 30 January 1973, two members of his unit viewed the remains and signed "Statements of Recognition." Both hands were fingerprinted. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) compared the prints and confirmed the identification. The only questions remaining is how did the Vietnamese got James Scuitier's name and why did they think he died in captivity?
The case of Sgt/Spec5 Billy Knight is not as clear cut and bares chilling similarities to the Degnan case and mis-identification the 5th man on board the August 1967 helicopter. A "Memorandum For Record" prepared 30 January 1973, stated; "At approximately 1527 hours (3:27 PM) on 16 November 1965, a UH1B armed helicopter on a combat assult [sic] mission crashed and burned in the vicinity of coordinates: BR 837 005. All four crew members aboard perished."
On board the aircraft were WO1 Benedicto P. Bayron, WO1 Billy J. Talley, Sgt. James L. Riley and Sgt or SP5 Billy M. Knight, crew chief.
According to the memo: "On 15 January 1966 a recovery team recovered four remains from the crash site and delivered them to the USAF mortuary at Tan Son Nhut, for verification of identification processing."
A description of the remains follows, ending with "Identification processing resulted in the following:"
"BAYRON, Benedicto P. - Fatigue jacket with name "BAYRON"; boots with name "BENEDICTO BAYRON, [redacted]; upper and lower dentures with name "B. BAYRON" imbedded in acrylic portion. In addition there was excellent comparison of race, hair color, sex, height and body build with physical characteristics indicated on SF88, for WO1 Benedicto Bayron."
TALLEY, Billy J. - Fatigue jacket with Warrant Officer insignia and name tag "TA____?"; excellent agreement of post-mortem dental chart with dental characteristics recorded on SF 88 for WO1 Talley; and excellent agreement on race, age height with physical characteristics recorded on SF 88 for WO1 Talley."
"RILEY, James L. - Fatigue jacket with name tag "Riley" US Army and Sgt (E5) stripes attached thereto; excellent agreement to post-mortem dental chart with dental characteristics recorded onr SF 603 for Sgt. Riley; and excellent agreement on race, age and height with physical characteristics recorded on SF 88 on SGT. Riley."
"KNIGHT, Billy M. - No clothing and/or personal effects found on remains. Partial skeletal remains represent a tall slender male measuring approximately 72" in height, and pubic symphysical skeletal age of 27 - 30 years. The physical characteristics are in excellent agreement with the sex, age and height characteristics recorded for SP5 Knight."
The conclusion: "Based on the recovery circumstances and the fact that the other crew members recovered from the crash site have been individually identified, and the excellent agreement of post-morten physical characteristics pertaining to SP5 Billy M. Knight, [redacted], it is concluded that the remains returned to the next of kin for internment are in fact the remains of SP5 Knight".
The process of elimination identification of Billy Knight is remarkably similar to the process of elimination identification of the 5th man on board the helicopter that crashed, August 9th, 1967.
As stated in Bits on June 2nd 2001, "Shortly after the incident five sets of remains were recovered. Four of the remains carried identification media, dog tags, military identification cards and name tags on their fatigues. The fifth set of remains bore no identification media, no tags, no id card and his fatigues carried no name. Dental identification for the fifth set of remains was "inconclusive." However, age, race and hair color were in "general agreement" with the fifth set of remains."
As a result of the August 1967 "process of elimination identification" Jerry Degnan was buried in Massachusetts, as an Army enlisted man
Based on the mounting evidence of mis-identification at DaNang and Tan Son Nhut, questions must be asked. Could there have been an un-manifested passenger on board that helicopter on November 16th 1965? Why would the Vietnamese state that Billy Knight had died in captivity in December 1965? How did they get his name? What made them think he died in their custody? Are any servicemen listed as deserters, in Vietnam, at the time this helicopter crashed?
We've learned over the years that the deserter label did not always apply to men who disappeared. In recent years, it has been proven that three men listed as deserters had actually died as a result of accident or murder. One such story, regarding Ensign Andrew Muns, was recently outlined on 20/20.
So what happened to Billy M. Knight? Did he die in that helicopter, on November 16th, 1965 or did he die as a Prisoner of War in December 1965, as the Vietnamese stated? What did the Vietnamese have to say about Billy Knight and James Scuitier? Did we ever ask?
Think About This - from August 9, 1967 to November 2, 1967, a period of three months, FIVE sets of remains were misidentified. Mathematically, that is an average of 1.6666 remains mis-identifications per month. Remember, these are only the ones we have confirmed, to date.
From Ground Zero - Remains of one of the victims of the Queens, NY air crash were incorrectly shipped to the wrong family and buried. When the clerical error was discovered the remains were exhumed and turned over to the correct family.
In our last "Bit's" we reported on the misidentification of remains of one of New York's Firefighters. On January 3rd 2002, the wife of Firefighter Jose Guadalupe filed notice of intent to sue in the mis-identification of her husband. Remains originally identified as Guadalupe were exhumed when DNA testing showed the remains were actually Firefighter Christopher Santora. Specifically, Mrs. Guadalupe sought Court assistance in preventing the Medical Examiners Office from destroying records related to the mis-identification.
Mrs. Guadalupe seeks independent examination of the records in an attempt to understand how the 5'5" Santora was identified as the 6'1" Guadalupe.
How could a 5'5" man be identified as a 6'1" man? That's the kind of question some POW/MIA families have been asking for years.
Is anyone from CIL-HI volunteering in the NYC Medical Examiners Office?
Why Does Johnnie Webb still have a job?
8,000 Pages of Reagan Papers To Be Released - from the Washington Post, Dec. 21, 2001 - "The White House announced yesterday that it will make public next month some 8,000 pages of former president Ronald Reagan's confidential papers under the provisions of a hotly debated executive order that President Bush issued last month. White House counsel Alberto R. Gonzales said the action shows "President Bush intended the order to facilitate the expeditious release of the records." Critics of the decree, which is being contested in federal court here, said a much bigger batch should have been released last January under the provisions of the 1978 Presidential Records Act and that Bush's order is an illegitimate attempt to amend that law by executive fiat..."
"....Gonzales said in an opinion column in yesterday's Washington Post that the release is "only one of what will be many routine releases of records belonging to former presidents, including otherwise privileged records."
"White House spokeswoman Anne Womack said another installment was received from Reagan's representatives Wednesday and is being reviewed by Gonzales's office. She said "a significant amount" of the entire 68,000-page collection should be available by late January. Under Bush's Nov. 1 order, a former president or a sitting president -- or in some cases the family of a deceased president -- can block the release of records requested by journalists, scholars or others and force them to go to court to challenge such decisions...."
"...Although Reagan's representatives had reviewed the collection in 2000 and voiced no objection to the release last January, as Archives officials had proposed, Gonzales blocked disclosure so Bush could decide whether to invoke "a constitutionally based privilege or take other appropriate action."
"Historian Hugh Graham, who had asked for the confidential Reagan records, said he was "underwhelmed" by the forthcoming release and "the main problem remains with the executive order which gives [past and present presidents] the authority to withhold any document without explanation and without time limits."
The National Alliance Of Families Thirteenth Annual Forum is scheduled for June 20th - 22nd, 2002. Our forum is conducted to coincide with the Governments annual POW/MIA Family Briefings. We urge all family members to attend this years government briefings, for Vietnam family members. Remember the government will provide free airfare to two family members to attend the briefings. There is no charge or registration fee to attend the government briefings.
Remember, the Alliance is an all volunteer organization. Our meetings are open to all, without charge. At this time of year, we actively seek contributions to finance our forum. If you wish to contribute, donations may be mailed to:
National Alliance Of Families
P.O. Box 40327
Bellevue, Wa. 98015.
Remember all contributions are tax deductible.
Dolores Apodaca Alfond
National Chairperson - (dolores@nationalalliance.org)
Voice/Fax 425-881-1499
Lynn O'Shea
Director of Research - (lynn@nationalalliance.org)
Voice/Fax 718-846-4350"
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