POW/MIA Update: June 26, 2007

[boardman]

POW/MIA Update:  June 26, 2007
 
AMERICAN ANNOUNCED AS ACCOUNTED FOR:  There are now 1,783 US personnel listed by the Department of Defense as missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.  The identification of the remains of an American as MIA in North Vietnam on June 2, 1967, was recently announced.  The accounting for LtCol Alton C. Rockett, Jr., USAF, brings to 800 the number of US personnel accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975.  Over 90% of 1,783 still listed as missing were lost in Vietnam or in areas of Laos and Cambodia under Vietnam’s wartime control.  
 
UPDATE ON OPERATIONS:  The 100th period of Joint Field Activities (JFA) in Laos, the fourth 30-day JFA this year, began today and is expected to conclude July 31st.  Again comprised of some 50 US personnel, four teams are focusing on excavating incidents.  A Change of Command will occur on July 3rd, during which LTC Brandt Deck, USA, will replace current Detachment 3 Commander LTC Wade Owens, USA.  Both are Special Forces officers, as is the 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 approximately 100 US personnel will break into 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), comprised of US personnel from JPAC and the Navy’s Mobile Diving Salvage Unit #1 (MDSU1) that completed work on May 4th.  The underwater survey was conducted in two provinces along the coast of northern Vietnam, though without participation by the USN ship as earlier agreed.  Reportedly, bureaucratic obstacles impeded inter-ministerial coordination required by Vietnam for using the US Navy’s hydrographic ship on the POW/MIA accounting effort.   
 

On worldwide operations, a survey and investigation of a WWII loss on the island of Iwo Jima began on June 17th and will conclude tomorrow.  An IT is working 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 is in process to prevent the possibility of disturbance by nearby South Korean personnel.  In addition, one IT and two representatives of the government of Japan are on the Island of Iwo Jima to investigate and survey a WWII loss site.  That mission will conclude at the end of June.  Finally, in Hungary and Austria, one joint team advance team was working to prepare a site for excavations that begin tomorrow, this week.  Finally, a JPAC historian returned June 2nd 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. 
 

US PACIFIC COMMAND (PACOM) VISIT:  League Executive Director Ann Mills Griffiths visited Hawaii May 6-9th, receiving a comprehensive briefing by MDSU1 personnel on their just-concluded Vietnam operations while there.  The trip’s primary purposes were to attend the Change of Command for US Pacific Fleet (PACFLT) and meet with ADM Tim Keating, Commander, US Pacific Command (PACOM), and his Chief of Staff, VADM Van Alford.  Griffiths reinforced the importance of retaining JPAC as a cohesive organization that includes the Central Identification Laboratory (CIL), not again separating it as long existed.  She also reinforced JPAC’s role in the issue and urged PACOM support for full funding and placing higher priority on construction of the new JPAC facility.   Significant time was also spent at JPAC, including discussions with JPAC Commander Mike Flowers, USA, Deputy Commander Johnie Webb and senior Staff Directors on issues of mutual interest and/or concern.     
 

 
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 <http://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 and put onto the League’s web site.
 

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.   .
 

CHECK THE LEAGUE’S UPDATED WEB SITE
www.POWMIALeague.org <http://www.powmialeague.org/>
www.POWMIALeague.com <http://www.powmialeague.com/>
www.pow-miafamilies.org <http://www.pow-miafamilies.org/>