POW/MIA Update: May 24, 2007

[boardman]

POW/MIA Update:  May 24, 2007  
 
 
AMERICANs ANNOUNCED AS ACCOUNTED FOR:  There are now 1,784 US personnel listed by the Department of Defense as missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.  The identification of the remains of two American previously listed as MIA in Laos was recently announced.  Those identified are Major Donald E. Westbrook, USAF, from Texas, listed MIA March 13, 1968, remains repatriated September 3, 1998 and identified February 14, 2007.  The second person was Sergeant First Class John T. Gallagher, USA, from Connecticut, listed MIA January 5, 1968, remains repatriated March 15, 2002 and identified November 13, 2006.  The accounting for these two Americans brings to 799 the number of US personnel accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975.  Over 90% of the 1,784 still listed as missing were lost in Vietnam or in areas of Laos and Cambodia under Vietnam’s wartime control.  
 
UPDATE ON OPERATIONS:  The 99th period of Joint Field Activities (JFA) in Laos, the third 30-day JFA this year, began April 30th when a team of approximately 50 US personnel departed Hickam AFB.  One of the four teams plans to pursue information on ten cases, and the three other teams will focus on excavating incident sites related to a burial site, a ground loss and three aircraft losses.  The 98th JFA took place March 6th to April 8th.  Two members from the League-organized POW/MIA family delegation visited incident sites in Northeastern Laos on March 23rd. 
 

On March 21st, two family members visited one area of the 88th Joint Field Activity (JFA) in Vietnam that began March 8th, concluding ground operations on April 21st, a longer period of time (45 days) and with a larger team than in Laos or Cambodia.  The JFA continued with an underwater survey and investigation team, comprised of US members from JPAC and the Navy’s Mobile Diving Salvage Unit #1 (MDSU1) that was completed on May 4th.  That work was conducted in two provinces along the coast of North Vietnam, though without participation by the USN ship as earlier agreed.  Reportedly, bureaucratic obstacles impeded agreements required by Vietnam for using the US Navy’s hydrographic ship on the POW/MIA accounting effort.   
 

US PACIFIC COMMAND (PACOM) VISIT:  League Executive Director Ann Mills Griffiths visited Hawaii May 6-9th, during which time she received a comprehensive briefing by Mobile Diving Salvage Unit #! (MDSU1) on their just-concluded operations in Vietnam.  The primary purpose of the trip to Honolulu was to attend the Change of Command for US Pacific Fleet from ADM Roughead to ADM Willard and meet with ADM Keating, Commander of US Pacific Command (PACOM), and his Chief of Staff, VADM Alford.  The focus was to reinforce the importance of retaining JPAC as a cohesive organization that includes the Central Identification Laboratory (CIL), NOT again separating it as long existed.  Also important was to reinforce JPAC’s role in the issue, to urge PACOM support for full funding and to make construction of the new JPAC facility a high priority for PACOM. Significant time was also spent at JPAC, including discussions with current JPAC Commander Mike Flowers, USA, due to be replaced this summer. 
 

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 raffle of 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 <http://www.powmialeague.org/> , by clicking on Pay Pal, though handling adds an additional $2.00 per raffle ticket.  Now is your chance to win a Harley AND support the League, a nonprofit 501 [c] 3 tax-exempt organization.
 

38TH ANNUAL MEETING DATE & LOCATION:  The League’s 38th Annual Meeting will be held June 22-24th at the Hilton Crystal City Hotel, Arlington, VA.  There will be 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 Candlelight Service and League business session wrap-up on Sunday morning, June 24th.
 

Registration & Hotel Reservations:  The two forms have been distributed to all League members and are also available to download on the League’s web site, www.POWMIALeague.org <http://www.powmialeague.org/> .
 

Special Events:  The 38th Annual Dinner will be on Friday, June 22nd, an event that is always inspirational; cost is $40 per person.  A combined Casino and BINGO Night will take place on Saturday, June 23rd.   On Thursday a concert  and special tours are planned at the new USAF Memorial.   We urge visits to Capitol Hill on Wednesday or Thursday before the meeting convenes, and registration will also take place on Thursday, June 21st.
 

Transportation:  As authorized by Congress, DoD is again implementing, through the Service Casualty Offices, transportation for two family members of each missing and unaccounted for US serviceman and certain civilians to attend the annual meeting and hear official presentations.  All should have received the required forms to complete as the deadline is June 1st.  
 

Silent Auction: There will again be a Silent Auction, though smaller in scope.  Sorely as are needed the funds generated by this highly successful event spread over three days, it is very labor-intensive and demanding.  Hopefully, more League members will volunteer to help on this project.  There was serious consideration given to not holding this event in 2007; however, the board again decided that due to the event’s popularity and the need for funds, it should be included in the planning.
 

Program Ad Rates:  Each year, the League publishes a beautiful program that includes individual ads honoring missing US personnel, organizational ads sending best wishes to the families gathered for the events, ads promoting POW/MIA-related and other products, etc.  The deadline for receipt of ads is June 1, 2007.  Please send your ads by email to powmiafam@aol.com <mailto:powmiafam@aol.com> or send them camera-ready to the League office at the address on the letterhead.
 

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.