News-Info-Alerts

Re: NLF Update Line

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci

(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Date: October 29, 2002

"Update Line
STILL MISSING: According to the Department of Defense, there are 1,904 Americans missing from the Vietnam War, 1,447 in Vietnam, 391 in Laos, 58 in Cambodia and 8 in the territorial waters of the PRC. The name of the most recent American accounted for has not yet been released, but the Navy officer was listed as missing in northern Vietnam in August, 1967. His remains were recovered in November, 1998.

INTERNATIONAL LEADERS MEET: President George W. Bush, Secretary of State Colin Powell and other senior US officials attending this week's APEC conference in Mexico had an opportunity to ask their Vietnamese and Chinese counterparts for increased efforts on POW/MIA. Hopefully, the issue was raised and relevant requests were made.

US DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE VISITS LAOS: On October 21-24th, Mr. Jennings met in Vientiane, Laos, with former Lao President Nouhak, Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat and Minister of Defense Phicit to advocate greater POW/MIA cooperation in an effort to increase accounting results. The resultant media coverage confirmed the meetings and stated that these senior Lao officials reaffirmed their commitments to working with the US on the issue. The 76th joint field operations will begin next week and continue for about a month.

US/RUSSIAN COOPERATION: Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for POW/MIA Affairs Jerry Jennings returned recently from Moscow after holding discussions with Russian officials to reinforce the need for improved cooperation on POW/MIA matters.

US/CAMBODIA ACTIVITIES: A limited joint field operation began last week in Cambodia and will also last about 30 days. Larger-scale operations will be conducted after the first of next year, so this activity expands the usual schedule. Cambodian officials are also engaged in ongoing unilateral investigations to augment efforts of the DIA linguist, now permanently assigned in Phnom Penh, to locate and interview sources with relevant information.

US/VIETNAM EFFORTS: The JTF-FA Commander, BG Steve Redmann, USAF, recently returned from a brief trip to Vietnam to meet with his staff in Detachment II and Vietnamese counterpart officials. The 71st joint field operations in Vietnam are concluding now.

STATUS OF GULF WAR PILOT RECLASSIFIED: Secretary of the Navy Gordon England acted on October 11th to again change the status of Navy Captain Michael "Scott" Speicher from MIA to "Missing/Captured" during the Gulf War. According to the Navy spokesman, the change means that the Navy believes it likely that CAPT Speicher, shot down over Iraq on the opening night of the Gulf War, was held at some point by Iraqi forces. On October 15th, Congress passed the Senate's version of what is referred to as the "Speicher Bill," to reinforce their hope that he will be accounted for soon.

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.

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"