News-Info-Alerts

Re: NLF Update Line

From: POW-MIA InterNetwork

Date: September 21, 2003

"Update Line

PRESIDENT RENEWS COMMITMENT: Speaking at the national convention of The American Legion on August 26th, President Bush stated, "For two generations, you have demanded a full accounting of Americans whose fate is undetermined, and my administration will not rest until that accounting is complete."

SECRETARY RUMSFELD PROVIDES ASSURANCE: While addressing the VFW on August 25th, Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld stated, "Today (our troops) continue to search for U.S. and allied POWs from the 1991 Persian Gulf War, including Captain Scott Speicher. We will leave no one behind in Iraq or any of those missing from World War II, Vietnam, Korea, the cold War or other past conflicts."

POW/MIAs - VIETNAM WAR: According to the Department of Defense, there are now 1,882 Americans missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War, 1,432 in Vietnam, 387 in Laos, 55 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.

DASD MEETS IN MOSCOW WITH RUSSIAN OFFICIALS: Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for POW/MIA Affairs Jerry Jennings was in Moscow last week for discussions with Russian members of the U.S.-Russian Commission on POW/MIA Affairs. In addition to visiting military archives and promoting release of additional Korean War records, Jennings was seeking further movement on declassification of Vietnam War archives that may related to US POW/MIAs. This was the principle subject of League Executive Director Ann Mills Griffiths' discussions last December with former Prime Minister and KGB Chief Yevgeny Primakov.

CAMBODIAN OFFICIALS MEET IN HAWAII FOR POW/MIA TALKS: General Pol Saroeun, Chairman of Cambodia's POW/MIA Committee and Deputy Chairman of Cambodia's General Staff, led a small Cambodian delegation to Hawaii FOR MEETINGS With US officials at Camp H.M. Smith, home of PACOM and JTF-FA, and Hickam AFB, home of CILHI, and soon the primary location of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, or JPAC. The merger of CILHI and JTF-FA, both critical to the accounting effort, is nearing the final stages to become one organization. As with all such reorganizations, there have been problems, but it now appears that the League's primary concern - preserving the integrity of the CILHI identification process - is assured. There are likely to be additional adjustments as the new organization assumes command of worldwide field operations. Named to assume command of JPAC on October 1st, replacing Brig Gen Steve Redmann, USAF, is BG W. Montague Winfield, USA, recently nominated for his second star.

POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY: This Friday, September 19th, will be proclaimed by President Bush as National POW/MIA Recognition Day this year. He will again ask all Americans to honor those who returned and those still missing and unaccounted for from all our nation's past wars and their families. The national ceremony will be held at the Pentagon, 10:00 a.m. This year's poster and statistical data are available from the Defense POW/MIA website at www.dtic.mil/dpmo/ and from the League office and web site, as noted below.

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"