March 1997

Summary of news for the entire month.
For recent and daily news, please go to: InterNetwork

00 MAR 97: The month began with a flurry of activity as the US and the SRV scrambled to tie up loose ends, in the rush to formal, final normalization. According to the DOD, the 'official' list of unaccounted for is 2,128. Persian Gulf War - unsatisfactory accounting. Korean War - 8,139 remain unaccounted-for, 42 possible remains returned, 4 identifications. World War II - Over 78,000 remain unaccounted-for.

01 MAR 97: Because of US Postal regulation, the POW-MIA flag is not permitted to fly over any US Post Office facility. However, Councilman Dave Albert of Lomita, CA, isn't letting that stop him. Albert, upon discovering that his district was home to men who have yet to come home from the war in SEA, started a campaign to fly the POW-MIA flag over the local Post Office. His campaign has spread across all of California, and it is hoped that the US Postal Service will rethink its position.

02 MAR 97: News reports are turning up a number of Congress Critters who also received money from the incredibly generous John Huang, Riady family and The Lippo Group. Amazingly, three members of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee were recipients... the very same Governemental Affairs Committee that is tasked with investigating this scandal. John Glenn (of McCain/Keating Five fame), and Senator Carl Levin, both received a little present from Lippo. Immediate responses to the press were that these contributions would not influence their thinking during the investigation.

03 MAR 97: Senator Bob Smith of NH spoke before the American Legion today. With mounting concern over the influence of Lippo/Huang and US Policy, especially wit respect to Vietnam, Senator Smith provided a concise chronology of events which is a compelling argument to delve deeply into this affair. Smith was most concerned over the rapid rush to confirm an ambassador to Vietnam, thus cementing the diplomatic part of normalization. Smith's thrust was that any possibility that US Policy was influenced by foreign entities should be investigated fully, and any movement towards furthering normalized relations be put on hold until all the answers are in. At the conclusion of his remarks, Smith noted that all parties had refused to respect subpoenas issued and provided neither documents nor testimony. His final words... 'No Testimony, No Ambassador... It's That Simple.' Works for us.

04 MAR 97: Senator Jesse Helms' committee confirmed the nomination of Pete Peterson to be the first US ambassador to Vietnam. The committee met at 4:45 PM to rush through the confirmation, which was approved without dissent. The next step inthe process is to present the confirmation for a vote before the full Senate. Senator Bob Smith has promised to use his legal power to put the vote on 'hold', until investigations into foreign contributions and US Policy are completed. Should the Senate decide to vote before the investigation is completed, Smith has promised to filibuster. Should Trent Lott care to throw his two cents into the arena by supporting Smith, the confirmation vote will be put on hold indefinitely.

05 MAR 97: Hanoi news reports that the Pentagon has told them {not the families mind you, but Vietnam} that they are considering using 'circumstantial evidence' to close out MIA cases. Vietnam complained about the long, expensive process of identifying remains and personal effects, and apparently DOD has taken the bait. Should DOD use a much lower scale to determine POW-MIA cases, they could 'scrub' {in their words} approximately 600 names from the list of 2,128.

Hanoi is also reporting that Desaix Anderson, charges d'affaires, in Hanoi, held a luncheon for US businessmen. During the little tete-a-tete, Anderson was quoted as telling the gathering that he had spoken with US ambassador nominee, Pete Peterson, and that Peterson told him he would be in Hanoi, ready to work, April 1st. Vietnam reported Peterson's arrival as 'official.' Interesting how the SRV gets news before the families, veterans and taxpayers.

06 MAR 97: Cambodia reports that as a result of joint US-CB field activities, the remains of what is believed to be a US serviceman, lost in the early '70's, have been recovered. There are still 76 POW-MIAs listed as unaccounted for in Cambodia, with only 5 recoveries since bilateral searches began in 1991.

Come from the shadows: Yuri Rastvorov, a formerly of the KGB and Soviet intelligence, turned up in the US under the care and protection of the CIA one day in 1955. 42 years later, he is STILL under their protection. Why? Well, maybe because Rastvorov stated during his debriefing way back then, that he knew of Korean War US POWs being sent to the Soviet Union. Although Rastvorov is denying all of it, countless respected men like Corso and Sejna, are saying otherwise. What is interesting is that all of the Rastvorov documents and files remain classified... 42 years later. If Rastvorov saw and knew nothing, then why are these records still classified 42 years later? Think about it.

06 MAR 97: As if we could expect anything else, DOD announced that it's audit of the POW-MIA offices was completed, and that everyone done a great job, and there is no reason to be concerned, and my, my, what great folks they all are. Gee, sounds identical to the myths they've been using about the SRV... superb, cooperative, forthcoming, ad nauseum. These guys need a new script. Maybe they should find Ms. Conmrade Francis Zwenig to work on new 'script' for them. Now,that's something we all know she's good at.

07 MAR 97: Unlike the fanfare of 5 years ago, the 15th anniversary of The Wall in Washington, DC, passed quietly. Let us not forget that for too many families, The Wall, is all they have until their loved ones are found and returned home. May the men and women who gave their lives, the veterans who returned, our Prisoner, Missing and their families be blessed.

In the race to dot the i's and cross the t's for full normalization, the SRV announced that a debt repayment agreement between the US and SRV had been initialed. The US had been the biggest benefactor of South Vietnam during the war, and when North Vietnam invaded the South, the debts were left unpaid. Now, 20 years later, in order to progress onward for a trade agreement and Most Favored Nation status, the SRV must make good on the $100-$150 million debt. We wonder who is going to lend them all that money. Maybe Lippo?

Obviously feeling their oats with such smooth sailing this past month, the SRV publicly blasted the US and Senator Smith for the lack of momentum on getting an ambassador to the SRV on a red-eye flight. Seems the SRV is piqued that the US allows its MOCs to publicly affirm they will try and hold off the Senate confirmation vote on nominee Pete Peterson. Well, Lippo - Huang, et al MAY have bought the Whitewash House, but they've haven't bought all of Congress.

08 MAR 97: In the ensuing whirlwind, the US PACCOM chief announced that he would arrive in Hanoi 20-22 MAR. Right now we can count DOD, State, Badministration officials and a slew of others, all in Hanoi right now. Seems no matter who or what agency you name, they're in the SRV... EXCEPT, of course, our POWs and MIAs.

10 MAR 97: Four months after the elections, the hotly contested race between Robert Dornan and Loretta Sanchez continues. Sanchez has now requested that the election challenge filed by Dornan with the House of Representatives, be dropped. In question are more than 1,00 ballots. The House plans a public Hearing in California on April 19th.

Remains recivered in Cambodia during the most recent joint field activity, were turned over to US authorities. They will now travel, presumably, to CILHI for identification. 76 US POW-MIAs remain unaccounted for in Cambodia.

11 MAR 97: Continued discussions between the US and North Korea, have brought up the issue of Americans unaccounted for from the 'Forgotten War.' The communist country wants money and a truce. If North Korea is hungry enough, the US should push them to resolve some of the 8,177 POW-MIA cases. Rumors continue to waft out of the east about American POWs still alivein North Korea, and countless remains could be turned over to the US for identification. 40 years for a family to wait is 40 years too long.

12 MAR 97: Blast From The Past: Pro-Communist Activist Tom Hayden has turned up in the running for mayor of Los Angeles. Hayden, was famous for his overwhelming support, aid and comfort to North Vietnam during the war, and along with Hanoi Jane Fonda, used their prominence to do whatever they could to hurt POWs. Hayden publicly labled returning POWs as liars when they spoke of their torture during confinement. He stated to the world that stories of the inhumane conditions and torture that POWs endured was propaganda.

13 MAR 97: With roughly 300,000 MIAs from the war in SEA, VN nnounced that a mass grave was discovered, spurring hopes that some Vietnamese families will finally get answers. While digging a well, the grave was unearthed. It was estimated that 30 or more Vietnamese soldiers had been buried there following the Tet Offensive.

16 MAR 97: A North Carolina woman bought a POW bracelet in 1970... after 27 years, she has finally taken off the bracelet and returned it to the man whose name was etched into its surface. Kathy Moore searched for years, and recently found a listing for the Ex-POW in an internet phone book. After contacting him, they set up a meeting. Moore kept the promise made when she put on the POW bracelet... not to take it off until the man came home or his remains did.

17 MAR 97: Human Rights Watch fired off a letter to Vo Van Kiet over the SRV's stated plans to profoundly limit and censor Internet access in Vietnam. According to HRW, Vietnam is a party to the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights. As such, HRW called upon the SRV to respect the basic rights of its citizens in allowing freedom of speech and exchange of ideas. Being that the SRV has ignored every basic human right of Prisoners and Missing, never allowed the ICRC access to camps, and has been totally intolerant of those who counter its repressive policies, it's hard to imagine them allowing anyone free access to the internet.

18 MAR 97: Not many are aware that during WW II, German POWs were held in the US. Fifty odd years later, Wright-Patterson AFB has announced that POW grafitti will be preserved. It seems that a 120 foot hallway at the AFB features caricatures and a mural among other things, painted by the German POWs who were held there. It should never be forgotten that men were and are held captiveas the result of war, and that during their confinement the words and images they create are significant. Whether the images and words are created by Americans, Germans... any one, they must be preserved.

20 MAR 97: During a high-level visit to Hanoi by the CINCPAC, Admiral Joseph Prueher stated that although the Vietnamese were fully cooperating, 'they could do better' on the POW-MIA issue. Prueher's visit follows a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation visit to the US earlier. He alluded that the US and the SRV might wish to train one another's troops, especially in jungle warfare. Prueher was slated to visit a B-52 excavation site as Commander of JTF-FA.

21 MAR 97: Senator Trent Lott announced that confirmation hearings for the ambassador to Vietnam will take place on April 8th or 9th. Lott was quoted, "I do not think it would be appropriate to hold it up beyond that," when discussing the vote before the full Senate. Senator Bob Smith had announced he would do everything in his power to hold-up the vote, and would filibuster if necessary. Smith's concerns, like those of so many in the POW-MIA Community, is the question of big bucks from overseas and its influence on US policy, specifically with respect to the SRV.

23 MAR 97: After 50 years, the USG has finally found its conscience. Approximately 17 additional personnel form the notorious Japanese Army Unit 731, have been barred from entering the US. Unit 731 murdered tens of thousands of people in an unspeakable terminal medical experimentation program. This is the second group of participants to be identified and subsequently barred.

24 MAR 97: Highest National Priority? On May 12, 1970, Bobby Preiss became a casualty of war. Because he was lost in Laos, his family was told he was MIA in Vietnam, and they were told, as usual, to get on with their lives. Now we hear that Preiss's remains were known by the USG for at least two years! Testing on portions of recovered remains indicate conclusively that Preiss lies somewhere in Laos right now... and the DOD declares that it will be AFTER October 1998, before they can effect a recovery. This family has waited over 25 years for an answer, with both of Bobby Preiss's parents going to their grave not knowing what happened. Now, the USG says the family will have to wait almost another 2 years for him to come home. Highest National Priority? No. More Lip Service.

25 MAR 97: In long forgotten tapes released last month, the voices of former President Johnson and cabinet members, eerily haunt us 30 years later. Conversations record their thoughts about being in an unwinnable war, the strong public opinions, the fear of Congress impeaching a President for pulling out and threat of Communism. Ultimately increasing US commitment, it would be another 11 years after these conversations that the US would finally end its 16 year long war in SEA... at the untold expense of so many who would be casualties, go missing or become prisoner.

26 MAR 97: In a PEOPLE magazine interview, Ambassador nominee to Vietnam, Pete Peterson, briefly touched on POWs and MIAs. "Being a POW is not my thing." "I finished with that when I came home. I want to be judged on the future." Interesting quote for a man who is to be tasked with accounting for American POWs and MIAs.

Let's put questions of John Huang and Lippo aside, and questions of Mr. Peterson's unquestionable dedication and sacrifice to his country aside. Is Peterson REALLY the best man for this job, or is the Clinton Badministration simply using this man and his wartime experience to shove through an Ambassador? Very few in Congress would vote against an Ex-POW... afterall, look at John McCain.

26 MAR 97: In Memorandum No. 043-M, DOD announced that another MIA serviceman is coming home. The airman was lost October 1, 1965. Three separate excavation missions were required to recover the remains. With this identification, the 'official' list stands at 2,127.

28 MAR 97: Reminiscent of the battle between US families and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and Communist North Korea, Iraqi women and children begged for Iran to relase their men, captured during the 1980-1988 Gulf War. Iraq claims of as many as 18,000 POWs are held, nearly 9,000 of them registered with the ICRC. Iran claims all the men were released.

29 MAR 97: In light of the Preiss identification, we now hear that DOD has identified through DNA at least SIX other men who they have not bothered to recover and repatriate to their families. DOD claims the Lao government will not allow them to go and get these men, and that it will take up to two years before recovery can be scheduled. As Bob Dornan said to these people so eloquently during his POW-MIA Hearings..."Then Why Do You People Exist?"

31 MAR 97: REMINDER: 04/26/97 - Family Update - San Antonio, TX

POW-MIA Issue Update April 1997