Re: NLF Update Line

Date: January 05, 2004

"Update Line
POW/MIAs - VIETNAM WAR: According to the Department of Defense, there are now 1,872 Americans missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War, 1,426 in Vietnam, 383 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. It is also believed that the remains of an additional nine previously unaccounted for US personnel have been identified, but not yet formally announced by DoD. When confirmed, that will bring the number missing from the Vietnam War down to 1,863, of which 1,417 are unaccounted for in Vietnam.

US-SRV RELATIONSHIP GROWING: Vietnam's Minister of Defense General Pham Van Tra, visited Washington in mid-November for talks with the US Secretaries of State and Defense, Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz, the Deputy National Security Adviser, and many other US officials, including Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for POW/MIA Affairs Jerry Jennings. The Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO) hosted the SRV delegation for an official briefing and short presentations by The American Legion's National Commander and other veteran leaders from VFW and AMVETS.

During his visit, the Minister met privately with DASD Jennings and League Executive Director Ann Mills Griffiths. POW/MIA accounting efforts, especially President Bush's criteria urging unilateral Vietnamese actions and improved archival research, were high on the discussion list, as was use of a US Navy vessel for POW/MIA accounting efforts. The Minister pledged full support for increased cooperation. Very importantly, he stated support for use of a US Navy salvage ship in accounting efforts, indicating that bilateral agreement should be reached between the US Secretary of State and the SRV Foreign Minister and that the Ministry of Defense would support it. The League has long advocated use of a US Navy vessel to map and excavate aircraft crash sites, especially along the coast of northern Vietnam. This positive development must be followed up immediately, and the League intends to work toward that objective.

As a follow-up to Vietnamese Defense Minister Tra's visit, a US Navy warship visited Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, for an official port call. This further expands the military-to-military ties and is a useful development on the heels of an early October visit by Vietnamese Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien who met in DC with Secretary of State Colin Powell. In HI, he met with Commander of US Pacific Command Admiral Tom Fargo, DASD Jennings, BG (P) Que Winfield, USA, Commander of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and the League's Executive Director.

While meeting with JPAC and the League, Foreign Minister Nien pledged full cooperation on the Jennings-proposed archival research initiative, suggested expediting interviews to obtain intelligence information from knowledgeable sources due to their advancing age, and offered support for resolving cases along Vietnam's coastline. Vietnam's Ambassador to the US, accompanying the Foreign Minister, raised potential use of a US salvage vessel for this purpose. If implemented, these pledges offer great potential.

DASD MET NORTH KOREAN OFFICIALS IN BANGKOK: DASD Jennings recently visited Bangkok for discussions with North Korean officials on bilateral POW/MIA accounting efforts. The talks were successful in reaching agreement for several joint field recovery operations next year, but North Korea is still reluctant to overtly pursue investigations on sighting reports and other POW-related matters. Jennings was joined at the talks by JPAC Commander BG Winfield and US officials from the State Department and UN Military Assistance Command, South Korea.

FIELD OPERATIONS: Approximately 150 JPAC personnel, including CILHI recovery specialists, plus Stony Beach interviewers, recently concluded joint field operations in Laos and Vietnam. A recovery team in Vietnam extended through the Thanksgiving holiday to complete a site excavation, a commendable demonstration of mission support. The JPAC Detachment Commanders are all in Hawaii meeting with their headquarters counterparts for a conference focused on continued improvements of the operational process.

LEAGUE MEETINGS SCHEDULED: A Region VI Meeting (TX, LA, AR, OK, NM, CO) is scheduled for February 7th at Brooks City-Base, San Antonio, TX. Registration forms and a draft agenda are now being distributed to all League members - family and associate - and veteran leaders in the region inviting them to hear briefings from US Government and League officials about efforts to account for Americans still missing from the Vietnam War.

A Region IV Meeting (OH, IN, MI, WI, MN) is now scheduled for April 3rd at the Defense Supply Center, Columbus, OH. Additional information will be distributed after the first of the year. This is a date change made to accommodate a DPMO Family Update that was in conflict.

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

35th ANNUAL MEETING SCHEDULED: 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 will be available after the first of the year, as will additional information.

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"