Re: NLF Update

Date: March 26, 2004

"Update Line

POW/MIAs - VIETNAM WAR: According to DoD, there are still 1,866 Americans listed as missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War, 1,421 in Vietnam, 382 in Laos, 55 in Cambodia and 8 in PRC territorial waters. On March 2nd, DoD announced that the remains of LCPL Luther E. Ritchey, Jr., USMC, COL Richard S. Schott, USA, SMSgt Phillip J. Stickney, USAF and MAJ Larry A. Thorne, USA, had been recovered and identified. 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.

CONGRESSMAN VISITS HANOI ON POW/MIA ISSUE: Representative Mac Collins (R-GA) recently concluded a trip to Hanoi. On a mission for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Congressman Collins was assisted by well known POW/MIA specialist Garnett "Bill" Bell, the first head of the US POW/MIA Office established in 1991. The Vietnamese refused their very specific document requests, asserting that they have already provided everything relevant to the US. The delegation was given access to two requested wartime sources, one of which had useful information, setting the stage for follow-up by Stony Beach specialists. Importantly, the Deputy Prime Minister, after first repeating as others had that a Vietnamese ship must be used for underwater recovery efforts, stated that his government would consider joint, side-by-side recoveries, as ADM Fargo had proposed, leaving the door open for further negotiations. The League strongly believes that with normal bilateral US-SRV relations, such an agreement should be achievable.

US-SRV MIL-TO-MIL RELATIONSHIP GROWING: As follow-up to the visit to Washington by Vietnam's Minister of Defense, ADM Tom Fargo, Commander of U.S. Pacific Command, visited Vietnam February 8-11th for talks there. In addition to broader topics, ADM Fargo raised the issue of using a U.S. Navy ship for conducting underwater survey and recovery operations along Vietnam's coastline. First raised by the League with senior Vietnamese officials in 1994, the issue has recently been raised again by the League and senior U.S. officials to Vietnam's Ministers of Defense and Foreign Affairs, both of whom appeared willing to consider the prospect. It is the League's hope that the U.S. State Department and Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs will reach agreement for these operations to commence without further delay, certainly by the end of this year.

TALKS IN HANOI: Officials from DPMO, JPAC and US Pacific Command recently held talks in Hanoi to discuss various options for pursuing underwater recovery operations. These exploratory talks were to lay the groundwork required for higher-level decision-making before agreement is reached to proceed.

JOINT FIELD OPERATIONS: JPAC operations are concluding in Vietnam, after a schedule that included seven CIL-led recoveries and several investigations, augmented by DIA's Stony Beach collectors.

JPAC/CIL teams deployed last week to Laos to conduct recovery operations at four sites in two provinces. Field operations recently concluded in Mondolkiri and Kracheh Provinces in Cambodia. US Ambassador Charlie Ray accompanied Cambodian officials and the JPAC Commander to review the work that ended with a repatriation ceremony in Phnom Penh of remains believed to be those of Americans.

JPAC's worldwide operations are fast-paced and varied. Recovery teams have recently concluded work in Palau to recover remains of US personnel killed in World War II, and recovery operations are ongoing in Burma, Australia and Papua New Guinea, also on WWII cases. Excavation of a Korean War F-86 loss in the PRC begins soon, followed by a Cold War recovery operation that will begin in the PRC later in April.

US-DPRK TALKS HELD IN BANGKOK: In February, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for POW/MIA Affairs Jerry Jennings led talks in Bangkok with North Korean officials to work out important new arrangements on POW/MIA operations. For the first time, DPRK officials agreed to discuss establishing a specific point of contact on live sighting reports. They also agreed to overland transport of supplies and equipment for the three joint field operations being conducted in 2004 and to allowing US remains to be transported through Panmunjom, not possible since 1999. These talks were encouraging, but not too surprising, as the DPRK is once again trying to appear cooperative; however, implementation is needed to judge the real level of cooperation, as with Hanoi.

LEAGUE MEETINGS SCHEDULED: A Region IV Meeting (OH, IN, MI, WI, MN) is scheduled for April 3rd at the Defense Dept. Supply Center, Columbus, OH. Registration forms and information are available from the League office. As was the case February 7th in San Antonio, US officials with responsibility for POW/MIA accounting efforts worldwide will participate, as will the League's executive director, and all will be open to questions from family members, veterans and other concerned Americans who attend.

A Region III Meeting (ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, RI) is also scheduled for May 1st at the Naval Education Facility, Newport, RI. Additional information will soon be available.

The League's 35th Annual Meeting will be held June 24-26th in Washington, DC, again at the Hilton Hotel in Crystal City. Start planning now to attend this year's important meeting. Registration and hotel reservation forms have been sent to all League members and are available from the League office and through the League website.

POW/MIA decals for 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"