News-Info-Alerts

Re: NLF Update Line

From: POW-MIA InterNetwork

Date: August 15, 2003

"Update Line

POW/MIAs - VIETNAM WAR: According to CILHI, there are still 1,874 Americans missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War, 1,433 in Vietnam, 377 in Laos, 56 in Cambodia and 8 in the territorial waters of the PRC. Over 90% of all Americans missing from the Vietnam War were lost in Vietnam or in areas of Laos and Cambodia under Hanoi's wartime control.

HIGH LEVEL SUPPORT: Though disappointed that President Bush was unable to meet with the families during our 34th Annual Meeting, June 26-28th, the League appreciates the President's consistently strong support, especially his recent letter to Executive Director Ann Mills Griffiths commending her 25 years of service as executive director. The President's letter was read aloud at the 34th Annual Meeting dinner, June 26th, by Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Paul Wolfowitz who also spoke of his 20-years of support and active involvement in the issue. PACOM Commander Admiral Tom Fargo, USN, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Peter Rodman, Deputy Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency Mark Ewing, Deputy Asst. Secretary of Defense for POW/MIA Affairs Jerry Jennings and many other senior officials addressed the families and veterans gathered. More will be reported in the upcoming League
Newsletter.

SRV DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH LEAGUE AND SENIOR U.S. OFFICIALS: The League's Executive Director and Board Member Karen McManus met on June 6th with Vietnam's Deputy Foreign Minister. Focus was on the need for Vietnam to respond to the President's criteria on unilateral action, and Minister Nguyen Dinh Bin was quite clear about his government's understanding of the need for improved SRV efforts to provide access to relevant archival records and sources of information and remains of missing US personnel that can't be recovered in the field.

SENIOR U.S. POW/MIA OFFICIAL IN VIETNAM: In mid-June meetings with senior Vietnamese officials, DASD Jennings was reportedly successful in obtaining agreement for four-party talks, to be held in Bangkok in October, between US, Lao, Cambodian and Vietnamese officials. He also received renewed commitments for unilateral actions on archival research and resolving discrepancy cases, but despite assurances, received no access to requested senior wartime leaders with relevant information. As he noted, implementation will reveal whether Hanoi finally has made the decision to stop manipulating the issue and be fully cooperative.

LAO VICE FOREIGN MINISTER TO MEET WITH US OFFICIALS AND LEAGUE: The senior Vice Foreign Minister of Laos will travel to Hawaii to observe JTF-FA-led POW/MIA consultations before arriving in Washington, DC, on August 7th. During his time in Washington, the Vice Foreign Minister will meet with senior State Department officials, DASD Jennings and with the League's Executive Director who will also host an interagency luncheon in his honor. In Hawaii, JTF Commander BG Steve Redmann will lead technical talks with his Lao counterparts, observed by the Vice Foreign Minister. These talks will focus on operational matters to improve the in-country investigation and excavation processes. Thirty-day joint field operations in Laos resume August 28th.

MERGER OF CILHI/JTF-FA: CILHI and JTF-FA, both critical to the accounting effort, are slated to merge operations on October 1st into the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, or JPAC. As with all such reorganizations, there have been problems, but final approval by DoD and PACOM Commander ADM Thomas Fargo will help ensure the plan's viability, including independence and integrity of the CILHI identification process. Set to assume command of JPAC, replacing Brig Gen Steve Redmann, USAF, is BG W. Montague Winfield, USA, recently nominated for his second star.

POW/MIA decals for car windows are $20 per 100, and POW/MIA lapel pins are $3 each or 2/$5, by sending a check to the League office. For added information on any subject, please log onto the League's web site, 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"