News-Info-Alerts

Re: NLF Update Line

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci

(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Date: August 08, 2002

"Update Line
STILL MISSING: According to the Department of Defense, there are now 1,907 Americans missing from the Vietnam War, 1,441 in Vietnam, 400 in Laos, 58 in Cambodia and 8 in the territorial waters of the PRC. In Mid-July, CILHI identified the remains of one USAF officer, unilaterally repatriated by Vietnam in June, 1989. In the previous two months, 8 Americans, 4 previously missing in Laos, including 2 civilians, and 2 in N. Vietnam were also identified; but the Defense Department has not yet announced the names of these 9 Americans, plus several others identified over recent months.

DASD IN HANOI FOR POW/MIA TALKS: Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for POW/MIA Affairs Jerry Jennings is now in Hanoi meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister and the Vice Ministers of Defense, Public Security and Foreign Affairs to stress the need for increased unilateral efforts by Vietnam in keeping with the President's March 20th certification to Congress. During these policy-level discussions, the focus is to urge unilateral Vietnamese actions to account for last known alive discrepancy cases, including those lost in areas of Laos and Cambodia controlled during wartime by Vietnamese forces, access to policy-level, POW/MIA-related archival documents and information, and efforts to locate and return remains of US personnel that cannot be jointly recovered in the field. Mr. Jennings also is meeting with senior wartime leaders in an effort to obtain relevant information, as well as leads on additional sources with case-related details.

FIELD OPERATIONS: The 74th joint field operations in Laos recently concluded. A team of 50 US specialists focused on joint investigations and recoveries over a 30-day period. The Lao Minister of National Defense visited the site of an ongoing field excavation, the first such visit by the Defense Minister, though the Foreign Minister and several vice ministers have previously visited such sites. POW/MIA consultations, led by JTF-FA Commander BG Steve Redmann, USAF, will be held in Laos on August 20th .

Vietnamese officials are now conducting the 30-day period set aside for unilateral investigations. Joint operations in Vietnam will resume in October with their 71st Joint Field Activity. At that time, nearly 100 US specialists will work with their counterparts to conduct a variety of operations.

In Cambodia, Stony Beach Team members completed screening over 900 Montagnard refugees from Vietnam and obtained what may be useful POW/MIA-related information. In addition, Cambodian officials are engaged in unilateral investigations to augment ongoing efforts of the Stony Beach linguist, now permanently assigned in Phnom Penh, to locate and interview sources of relevant information.

US-PRC COOPERATE ON COLD WAR ACCOUNTING: US specialists, working with PRC officials in what used to be Manchuria, were successful in locating what they believe to be the site of a 1952 Cold War incident in which two American pilots were lost on a CIA mission to recover US agents. Although remains were not yet located, it is hoped that this intial effort will lead to further bilateral cooperation between the PRC and the US to recover remains of Americans still unaccounted for from the Cold War and World War II. Agreement to work on this case was reached due to interventions by senior State Department officials and the US Ambassador in Beijing.

NATIONAL POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY: This year's commemorative ceremonies will be held September 20th, and the posters are available from the Defense POW/MIA Office by calling Mr. Charlie Brown, 703-602-1619. Patriotism is the theme of this year's poster that also features the League's POW/MIA flag. All major national veterans organizations have also received large quantities for onward distribution.

NOTES: POW/MIA car window decals are $20 per 100 and lapel pins are $3 each or 2/$5, by sending a check to the League office. For added information on any subject, please contact the League's web site at www.pow-miafamilies.org or call the national office at 703-465-7432. Again, thank you for calling.

The National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia
1005 North Glebe Road
Suite 170
Arlington, Virginia 22201
(TEL) 703-465-7432
Federal Tax ID #23-7071242"