News-Info-Alerts

Re: NAF Bits 'N' Pieces

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci

(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Date: December 07, 2002

"BITS 'N' PIECES
THE NEWSLETTER OF THE
NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF FAMILIES
FOR THE RETURN OF AMERICA'S MISSING SERVICEMEN
+ WORLD WAR II + KOREA + COLD WAR + VIETNAM + GULF WAR +

December 7, 2002

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win"

Gahandi

18 Shopping Days Till Christmas - We're making our lists and checking them twice and we already know whose naughty and nice.



Plumadore Update - On Monday afternoon, December 2nd, Pat Plumadore contacted Marine Casualty to find out when they planned on telling her. They had identified remains as her brother as L/Cpl. Kenneth L. Plumadore.

In summary, on October 23 of this year remains of Kenneth Plumadore were identified by the U.S. Government.

By November 10th, enough information on that remains identification was supplied to another POW/MIA family organization to allow them to including the following, in their weekly update: "The name of the most recent American accounted for has not yet been released, but the Marine was listed as KIA/BNR in South Vietnam in September 1967. His remains were jointly recovered in June 1996."

On November 29th the listing of Servicemen Accounted for was updated on the DPMO web site. Among those listed was L/Cpl. Kenneth Plumadore. As Primary Next of Kin, Patricia Plumadore was never notified of the identification.

So, when she contacted Marine Casualty, on Monday afternoon, she was understandably upset. She was told that the "United States Marine Corps had nothing to do with this." However, by some strange turn of events she was told that the identification packet, which should have been presented to her prior to any announcements, had just arrived at Marine Casualty.

Pat asked when she might be getting the identification packet and was told, that it had to be reviewed by the Marine Casualty to see if they concurred with the identification.

FLASH - it doesn't matter if Marine Casualty or any Casualty office concurs with an identification. They have no say in the matter. CIL-HI recommends an identification and the Armed Forces Identification Review Board (AFIRB) rubber stamps it. Done Deal!!!



So, now Pat waits......



Wouldn't You Think - With all the problems and lies associated with this case, it would have been red flagged for special attention, so that no more problems or lies would occur?



A Gift For Our POWs and MIAs - At this special time of year we're asking our readers to make an addition to their Christmas Gift List and consider a donation to the POW/MIA FOIA Litigation Fund.

Our regular readers are well acquainted with the lawsuit against the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) initiated by Roger Hall on behalf of many of our POW/MIA families. This lawsuit has the full support of the National Alliance of Families. Recent judgements required the Fund to make large payments.

It is extremely important that we gain access to documents held by the CIA. Progress has been made but more is needed. Funding keeps the lawsuit going. That means your donations. Please consider spending a little less on Christmas gifts this year, and make a donation to the POW/MIA FOIA Litigation Fund. Remember contributions are tax deductible.

We urge to you to donate whatever you can spare, to the:

POW/MIA FOIA Litigation Account
P.O. # 8044
Silver Spring, MD 20907-8044

Folks, this is important. Please whatever you can spare.



Why do we need the lawsuit against the CIA?

One reason is Army Capt. John T. McDonnell - "Referenced report provided information of urgent political sensitivity," so reads a Defense Intelligence Agency message sent to USDAO Saigon Vietnam on June 15, 1973. Only evidence of American POWs left behind in Vietnam would warrant a message of "Urgent Political Sensitivity." That was the situation facing DIA in June of 1973.

On April 10th, 1973, two days before Assistant Secretary of State Dr. Roger Shields declared all the POWs home or dead, a North Vietnamese soldier defected to the south. The defector, who held the rank of "aspirant and was commanding officer for the 157 Co. 21st Bn, 2nd Div," provided stunning information that six (6) American POWs remained in a POW camp in Quang Ngai Province. He had seen the six (6) Americans as recently as late February 1973.

The source, interviewed by U.S. investigators on May 22nd, described the six (6), as an American "Captain" and 5 NCOs The source never got a good look at the NCOs and could provide no descriptions. However, the source did provide a detailed description of the "Captain." The source said he saw and conversed with the Captain, on four (4) separate occasions between August 1972 and February 1973.

The description provided strongly indicates that the "Captain" left behind, in February 1973, was John T. McDonnell. Based on a document in our possession, we believe "Codeword" classified documents exist relating to Capt. McDonnell. It is not a great leap of logic to conclude that the CIA may hold documents on Capt. McDonnell. That is why we need to support Roger Hall and his lawsuit, on behalf of POW/MIA families against CIA.



Reminder - Tune into the History Channel on Tuesday December 10th for their program "MIAs: Dead or Alive?" - The following is a description of the program, provided by the History Channel "The United States spends more time and money than any other nation in trying to find its missing warriors . . . searching for any clue that could remove one name from the ranks of those still missing. We chronicle 4 "Missing in Action" cases, from Vietnam to the Gulf War, revealing not only the herculean efforts to account for MIAs, but the unending pain suffered by their families."

One of the cases profiled is that of Army Capt. John T. McDonnell. View the documents and information on Capt. McDonnell visit http://www.nationalalliance.org/mcd/index.htm This is truly a compelling case.



Speicher Case Plan Hinted White House Not Talking – that's headline in a Jacksonville Time Union article by Paul Pinkham, published today. The following is excerpted from that article.

"The White House is forming new plans to resolve the fate of a Jacksonville Navy pilot missing in Iraq since the Persian Gulf War, but two key senators said yesterday they have had no luck getting the administration to elaborate about that or a recent communique to Baghdad. "

"U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., told reporters at his Jacksonville office that he and U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., are urging the administration to act quickly because war will complicate efforts to find answers about what happened to Capt. Scott Speicher, who was shot down over Iraq in 1991. Nelson said the plans involve the Navy, Central Intelligence Agency and State Department."

"We're told there has been some communication from the administration to the Iraqi government about Capt. Speicher, but that information has not been shared with us," Nelson said."

"Nelson, who serves on the Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees, and Roberts, incoming chairman of the Intelligence Committee, offered to lead a U.S. delegation to meet with Iraqi officials in Baghdad, the United States or a neutral country. Both have asked the administration to send missing persons experts to Baghdad, with Roberts reiterating the request in a meeting Thursday with top Pentagon officials...."

"The clock is ticking," he said. "Once the balloon goes up in a hot war, it's going to be a lot more difficult to get information. For the Defense Department to keep dragging their feet, as they have in the past, that time is over."

"In a Nov. 25 letter to the senators, a White House staffer wrote that details on "policy recommendations" regarding Speicher would be provided "in the near future." "We're going to expect that the administration produces a plan for resolving Speicher's fate that is detailed, resourced and executable," Nelson said."


"For the Defense Department to keep dragging their feet, as they have in the past, that time is over." The Defense Department dragging their feet on POW/MIAs...... what else is new! Now what agency within DOD would that be....



Servicemen Accounted For - The following servicemen, lost February 6, 1969, have been accounted for: CW2 Charles I. Stanley; 1lt. David E. Padgett; Lt. Ronald Briggs, SP5 Robert C. O'Hara; PFC Eugene F. Christiansen; Lt. Col. Donald E. Parsons, and ARVN Maj. Vu Vanh Phao Individual remains were identified for Lt. Col. Parson, CW2 Stanley and PFC Christiansen. Considered identified without remains were SP5 O'Hara, Lt. Briggs, and 1Lt. Padgett.

Also accounted for was Lt. Francis W. Townsend, lost August 13, 1972, over North Vietnam.



POW/MIA Flag - It's the law. On December 4th, President Bush signed the POW/MIA Flag Bill into law. The bill requires the POW/MIA Flag to be flown, on any day the United States flag is flown, at the Korean War Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and when completed the World War II Memorial.

It is fitting that this Flag, which universally represents America's Prisoners of War and Missing In Action, from all wars, flies at these Memorials.

We thank Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, along with his dedicated staff, especially Larry Vigil, for their efforts on behalf of this legislation.



Why Does Johnnie Webb still have a job??????



Join Operation Dear Abby -- This Christmas season, send a message of support to our men and women serving around the world. To send a message visit http://anyservicemember.navy.mil/ Messages can be sent to members of any branch of service. Take a moment to show your appreciation to our service personnel.



It's Christmas, Once Again - Another year is ending. Another year we thought... this would be the one. As the days of 2002 winds down we must prepare to take our battle into 2003. We are all a little older, a little grayer, some of us a lot grayer, and maybe for some, the flame of hope has dimmed. The fight is getting harder. There is no question about that. We are all tired, but we are not giving up. For this holiday season we, once again, share our favorite poem with you.

"Though 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.



To these words we add

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 thank you, for all your support and extend our best wishes for a very Merry Christmas and a healthy and successful New Year.

TRUTH, JOY, AND PEACE TO US ALL IN 2003.

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



The next editions of Bits will be January 18th 2003.


Contact us here!


DOLORES ALFOND - National Chairperson (dolores@nationalalliance.org)
425-881-1499
LYNN O'SHEA - Director of Research (lynn@nationalalliance.org)
718-846-4350"