News-Info-Alerts

Re: NLF Update Line

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci

(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Date: December 11, 2002

"Update Line
STILL MISSING: According to the Department of Defense, there are now 1,891 Americans still missing from the Vietnam War, 1,444 in Vietnam, 382 in Laos, 57 in Cambodia and 8 in the territorial waters of the PRC. The names of the most recent Americans accounted for have not yet been released. Their remains were recovered during several US-Lao joint operations, the latest in February of this year, and they were officially identified on December 11th.

PRESIDENT RENEWS PLEDGE: On Veterans Day, at Arlington National Cemetery, President George W. Bush reaffirmed his commitment to accounting for America's POW/MIAs, stating, "America must, and will, keep its word to those men and women who have given us so much. Veterans have been promised good health care when they are sick and disabled; they must be treated with fairness and respect. And to families across this land with loved ones whose fate is still undetermined, America owes the fullest possible accounting of our prisoners of war and those missing in action." He received resounding applause for both commitments from the hundreds gathered in the amphitheater.

LEAGUE OFFICIAL MEETS WITH RUSSIAN LEADERS: League Executive Director Ann Mills Griffiths just returned from Moscow where she met with the Russian Co-Chairman of the US-Russia Commission on POW/MIA Affairs, the Commission's Chairman of the Vietnam War Working Group, and with former Prime Minister and former KGB Chief Yevgeny Primakov. In each instance, the primary focus was on gaining greater access by US specialists to archival records and sources of information.

JOINT FIELD OPERATIONS: Cambodian officials are conducting interviews of sources with useful information to augment efforts of the DIA Stony Beach specialist, now assigned in Phnom Penh. On December 5th, JTF-FA Commander BG Steve Redmann conducted technical talks and December 6th, he hosted a POW/MIA Seminar for province-level Cambodian officials to increase their understanding about US efforts and objectives.

Large-scale field operations will be conducted in Cambodia and Laos beginning January 16th and continuing over the next 30 days, and joint operations in Vietnam will commence on February 18th, again for about one month.

BG Redmann also held technical talks in Vietnam on December 10th. Between now and the February joint operations, Vietnamese specialists are reportedly conducting unilateral investigations.

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"