POW/MIA Update: July 19, 2007
AMERICAN ANNOUNCED AS ACCOUNTED FOR: There are now 1,779 US personnel listed by the Department of Defense as missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War. The identification of the remains of three Americans previously missing and unaccounted for has not yet been publicly announced; however, the statistics are included here. Tuesday, the identification of Corporal Jim E. Moshier, USMC, CA was announced. CPL Moshier was listed as KIA/BNR on July 11, 1967, in South Vietnam. The accounting for these four US personnel brings to 804 the number of previously missing US personnel returned since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. Over 90% of 1,779 still listed as missing were lost in Vietnam or in areas of Laos and Cambodia under Vietnam’s wartime control.
PRESIDENTS OF VIETNAM & U.S. MEET: On June 22nd, the President of Vietnam met at the White House with President Bush and members of his Cabinet, including Secretary of Defense Bob Gates. According to US officials, the President again raised the need for increased cooperation by Vietnam, including on incidents in Laos and Cambodia, and to allow the US Navy’s hydrographic ship to participate in underwater accounting efforts. The Vietnamese President stated agreement to increase their efforts, as did Deputy Prime Minister Khiem in a separate session, held at Vietnam’s request, with Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for POW/MIA Affairs Ambassador Charles Ray. That meeting was held at the Defense POW/MIA Office in Crystal City, very near the Hilton Crystal City Hotel, location of the League’s 38th Annual Meeting.
Also during President Triet’s visit to Washington, League Executive Director Ann Mills Griffiths and Senior Policy Advisor Richard T. Childress attended a luncheon co-hosted by the US-ASEAN Business Council and the US Chairman of Commerce at the historic Willard Hotel where President Triet was staying with his 200-member, largely economic entourage. Surprisingly, the MC at the luncheon introduced the honored guest with comments about how meaningful it had been to him, as a retired general officer, to be on Secretary of State Warren Christopher’s first visit to Vietnam that focused primarily on the POW/MIA accounting mission. His initial mention of the issue brought significant applause from the audience of prominent US corporate officials. Unsurprisingly, the issue also figured prominently in President Triet’s remarks; the Vietnamese have long acknowledged the central role the issue played in normalizing bilateral ties with the United States, terming the issue their “bridge to normalization” of relations.
UPDATE ON OPERATIONS: The 100th period of Joint Field Activities (JFA) in Laos, the fourth 30-day JFA this year, began June 26th and is expected to conclude July 31st. Again comprised of some 50 US personnel, four teams are focusing on incident excavations. A Change of Command occurred on July 2nd, during which LTC Brandt Deck, USA, replaced LTC Wade Owens, USA, as Detachment 3 Commander. Both are Special Forces officers, as is JPAC’s Detachment Commander in Hanoi, LTC Jim Saenz, USA. The 89th JFA in Vietnam is ongoing and will continue over a 45-day period until July 25th. The roughly 100 US personnel are dispersed among one Research/Investigation Team (RIT), one Investigation Team (IT), one Phase 2 Testing Team (P2TT) and five recovery Teams (RTs). The last JFA, March 8th- April 21st, was extended to include an Underwater Investigation Team (UIT) that included the Navy’s Mobile Diving Salvage Unit #1 (MDSU1), operating along the coast of northern Vietnam, though without the US Navy ship as earlier agreed.
Worldwide, a survey and investigation of a WWII loss on the island of Iwo Jima took place June 17-27th, and an investigation is ongoing in South Korea June 1-30th. While conducting the investigation of a possible burial site identified by an eye witness in the Republic of Korea, the US team recovered possible remains and other material evidence; therefore an immediate recovery operation was undertaken to prevent the possibility of disturbance by nearby South Korean personnel.
A JPAC historian recently returned to Hawaii after a brief visit to the Netherlands to observe salvage operations of a possible US aircraft and conduct interviews related to a WWII incident. Finally, excavations on two WWII sites in Hungary and Austria are ongoing and expected to conclude on August 15th.
ARCHIVAL RESEARCH: There is widespread disappointment – in DPMO, JPAC and the League – in responses to the US Government-funded archival research programs, especially in Vietnam. This program has been ongoing for several years, but archival records known to exist have not yet been provided, thus the continued calls for unilateral actions by Hanoi, including by President Bush last November. It is hoped bilateral technical talks with each of the Indochina governments that will occur over the summer will focus on renewing viable multilateral archival cooperation, among other initiatives that are or should be considered.
WIN A HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER: The League will receive all proceeds from a nationwide drawing to win a beautiful customized 1989 Harley Sportster that is now ongoing. Only 8,000 raffle tickets have been printed and numbered, $10.00 each, obtainable by contacting the League office. With a 1/8,000 chance of winning this Harley Davidson Sportster, the drawing will be held on National POW/MIA Recognition Day, September 21, 2007, in Washington, DC. Tickets can also be obtained through the League’s website, www.POWMIALeague.org, by clicking on Pay Pal, though handling adds an additional $2.00 to the total cost of the ticket(s). Now is your chance to win a Harley AND support the League, a nonprofit 501 [c] 3 tax-exempt organization.
38TH ANNUAL MEETING: The League’s 38th Annual Meeting was held June 21-24th at the Hilton Crystal City Hotel, Arlington, VA. There were two very full days of League and US Government presentations, both policy and operational, on Friday, June 22nd and Saturday, June 23rd, followed by a League business session wrap-up on Sunday morning, June 24th. A complete report on all that transpired will shortly be distributed nationwide and put onto the League’s web site.
FAMILIES OPPOSE ANOTHER SELECT COMMITTEE ON POW/MIA AFFAIRS: Having had many negative results from prior congressional select committees, the League is on record as strongly opposing H. Res. 111. Introduced again this year by Representative Peter King (R-NY), the measure has slowly gained some co-sponsors, usually from Members of the House who have confidence that it will again be allowed to die in committee. Previously disproven claims of conspiracy and cover-up are again being raised, and past investigations have completely tied up assets and resources and the accounting was put on hold to allow time and attention to responding to Congress. The League will continue to fight against another wasteful, time-consuming special committee or commission unless and until there is nothing further that can be done constructively. In that event, the League would then reconsider. That time is NOT now!
COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN (CFC) APPROVES LEAGUE FOR 2007: The League was just notified that all criteria were met, and our newly assigned (five digit) number is 10218, just assigned by the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Washington, DC. The League is the ONLY nonprofit organization representing Vietnam War POW/MIAs and KIA/BNR’s and their families that is eligible for donations through the CFC & United Way structure. Despite the reality that there are many competing charities and much need, especially in a time of war, the League is proud of our CFC eligibility, knowing the tough criteria any organization must meet.
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