JOINT POW/MIA ACCOUNTING COMMAND (JPAC)
RELEASE NO. #06-18
May 22, 2006
JPAC TEAMS RETURN FROM VIETNAM MISSION
HICKAM AFB, HAWAII - Four Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command teams returned from a 30-day deployment to Vietnam May 20. The mission of the teams was to search for and recover evidence associated with military personnel missing from the Vietnam War.
JPAC deployed three Recovery Teams, a Research Investigation Team, and one Investigation Team in mid-April. One recovery team, designated RT One, will remain in Vietnam until mid-June.
RT One is excavating a site associated with an F-8E Crusader crash in 1966 that left one pilot unaccounted-for. The crew member was part of a mission to provide low-altitude machinegun suppression. During the raid, the pilot's plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire, crashed, and exploded. RT One extended their mission in hopes of completing the excavation of this site.
The second recovery team, RT Two, excavated a site associated with a ground battle in 1968. Eleven service members are unaccounted for from this incident.
RT Three searched for the location of an A1-G Skyraider crew member who disappeared in Southern Vietnam in 1968. The service member vanished after successfully destroying three enemy tanks. According to witness reports, the aircraft was struck by ground fire and crashed.
This JPAC deployment also included a Research Investigation Team [RIT] and an Investigation Team [IT]. The RIT was charged with researching host nation archives to gather bits and pieces of information to generate leads. The ITs use this information to locate sites where missing military members may be located. IT members also help prepare for future recoveries by surveying recovery sites, interviewing witnesses, and noting logistical concerns about potential recovery locations.
This deployment was part of the 85th Joint Field Activity in Vietnam.
Today 8,100 American service members are still missing from the Korean War. JPAC conducts investigation operations worldwide before recovery missions take place. Investigative teams deploy to places as diverse as Southeast Asia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Germany and France.
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"Until they are home"