US Federal News
March 9, 2005
REP. MCHUGH LEADS DELEGATION TO VIETNAM, LAOS INVESTIGATING POW/MIAs
WASHINGTON, March 9 -- Rep. John M. McHugh, R-N.Y. (23rd CD), issued the following press release:
Rep. John M. McHugh (R-NY) returned recently from travels to Southeast Asia, where he led the first Congressional Delegation in more than a decade to focus exclusively on POW/MIA accounting in the region. In his position as Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee's (HASC) Subcommittee on Military Personnel, McHugh used the visit to review U.S. efforts to account for missing personnel from the Vietnam War and assess the levels of cooperation in the effort by the governments of Vietnam and Laos.
"In making this trip, our objective was to understand better the ability of these countries to assist in POW/MIA accounting," McHugh said. "We found they are cooperating. However, there is still much more that these governments can and should do. Even though nearly three decades have passed, so many American families are still dealing with the unknown when it comes to their lost loved ones. The fact that the remains of six military personnel have been returned to the U.S. within the past two weeks is evidence enough that there is still much work to be done."
A key element of the U.S. POW/MIA recovery effort is the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), which has detachments in Hanoi, Vientiane, and Bangkok. The mission of these JPAC teams is significant - not only in terms of both physical challenges and safety concerns, but in the complex nature of the recoveries.
"Simply put, there are no easy cases remaining," said McHugh. "The truly amazing thing is - you think a television show like 'CSI' involves forensics, but these teams are finding and identifying remains that have been buried for 35-40 years in remote and dangerous locations. JPAC teams are staffed not only by military personnel but also by forensic scientists, archaeologists, and are made up of men and women who are incredibly dedicated, and extremely competent. America owes them a debt of thanks."
During the week-long trip, the Congressional Delegation met both with U.S. diplomatic and military personnel in Thailand, Vietnam and Laos, and with top officials of the Vietnamese and Laotian governments. McHugh noted that while the group expressed appreciation on behalf of the American people for recovery efforts, they also requested that the governments of Vietnam and Laos do everything possible to resolve 'last-known alive cases,' including some specific state-related cases. The delegation also urged the Vietnamese to open the Central Highlands to POW/MIA operations, and both governments to expand access to critical archives.
"By and large, this was a fascinating and productive trip. We received positive feedback regarding the ongoing POW/MIA accounting efforts and during each part of the visit, we were met with an unbelievably warm reception at every level - from the Deputy Prime Minister's office to passers-by on the street.
"Overall, it is clear that the degree of cooperation being displayed by the Vietnamese and Laotian governments is better than it's been in the past. The governments of Vietnam and Laos are involved in and committed to POW/MIA recovery efforts - and seem also to well understand that because the support of the U.S. is necessary for their economies, they must continue to cooperate with such efforts," McHugh concluded. McHugh was joined on the trip by two other HASC members, Congressmen Ken Calvert (R-CA) and Jim Marshall (D-GA).