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POW MIA Update April 4, 2007
PRESIDENT MEETS WITH US-RUSSIA JOINT COMMISSION CO-CHAIRMEN: On Monday, March 26th, President George W. Bush met with US Chairman General Robert Foglesong, USAF (Ret), and Russian Federation Chairman General Vladimir Shamanov. The Co-Chairmen were pleased with President Bush’s stated commitment to and interest in the work of the Joint Commission, a fact conveyed to the League and other POW/MIA and veterans organizations at a forum, hosted by the Joint Commission Support Directorate (JCSD), a directorate in Defense Department’s POW/MIA office, led by Ambassador Charles Ray, also a US Commissioner. They also met with US Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) and US Representative Sam Johnson (R-TX), both Commissioners, and all anticipate that Russian President Putin will soon formalize the Russian side of the Joint Commission and restore its mission and priority.
Comment: Some human rights advocates publicly criticized President Bush for meeting with the Russian General, accused by some as being the “Butcher of Chechnya.” Too often, those advocating a strong US human rights agenda do so to the exclusion of all else and fail to recognize the humanitarian nature of accounting for those who serve our country. Additionally, they usually take the view that dealing with those who can bring answers is somehow immoral, a view they did not take during the Vietnam War. .
U.S. PERSONNEL MISSING FROM THE VIETNAM WAR: There are still 1,787 US personnel listed as missing and unaccounted for by the Department of Defense. The identifications of four Americans previously missing/unaccounted for from the Vietnam War were recently announced, bringing to 795 the number of US personnel accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. Over 90% of the 1,787 still listed as missing were lost in Vietnam or in areas of Laos and Cambodia under Vietnamese wartime control.
U.S. NAVY SHIP WON’T GET APPROVAL IN TIME FOR UNDERWATER OPERATIONS: After more than a decade of consistent League efforts, reinforced by former Commanders of the US Pacific Command, the Vietnamese leadership approved using US Navy vessels just before the President’s visit last November. The detailed process required for approval of recent USN port calls in Vietnam is still ongoing, and apparently will not be completed in time for the underwater survey/investigation scheduled for mid-April. This US Navy asset is not required for the upcoming operations or even most shallow-water recoveries, but commitment from both governments to support the process was a significant policy change by Vietnam. The League was pleased that ADM Gary Roughead, Commander of the US Pacific Fleet, raised the issue during his visit to Vietnam earlier this year as part of the evolving military-to-military bilateral relationship, as did Ambassador Charles Ray, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for POW/MIA Affairs.
FAMILY MEMBER DELEGATION CONCLUDES SOUTHEAST ASIA TRIP: A League-organized family member trip to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia took place March 16-31st. The delegation, led by League Chairman of the Board Jo Anne Shirley (sister of Maj Bobby M. Jones, MD, USAF, MIA in SVN 11-28-72), included Board Secretary Sue Scott (sister of Capt Douglas D. Ferguson, USAF, MIA in Laos 12/30/69), VA State Coordinator Pam Cain (daughter of Col Oscar Mauterer, USAF, MIA in Laos 2-15-66) and TX Co-Coordinator Karoni Forrester Gonzales (daughter of Maj Ronald W. Forrester, USMC, MIA in NVN 12/27/72). In all three Indochina countries, the group met with the US Ambassador and relevant host-government officials, supported by JPAC Detachments 1, 2 and 3, and in Vietnam and Laos, supported also by the Defense Intelligence Agency’s Stony Beach specialists. (The permanent Stony Beach official in Phnom Penh just left for reassignment and is being replaced by another specialist.) The group returned via Hawaii to meet with JPAC/CIL officials and will write up their report for distribution to League members and on the Internet.
UPDATE ON OPERATIONS: The 98th period of Joint Field Activities (JFA) in Laos, the second 30-day JFA this year, began March 6th and will conclude April 8th. Two members from the League-organized delegation visited incident sites in NE Laos on March 23rd. Semi-annual POW/MIA consultations were conducted in between the two JFAs; the Lao responded flexibly to US requests, urging expanded efforts to build on successes and a review of the past several years’ cooperation. On March 21st, two family members visited one area of the 88th JFA in Vietnam that began March 8th and will conclude about April 21st. Such operations (JFAs) in Vietnam are on a much larger scale and for a longer period of time (45 days) than the other two Indochina countries. The underwater investigation team, comprised of SRV, JPAC and MDSU#1 members, is scheduled to begin work April 6th, concluding in early May, though without the USN ship participating. There is widespread disappointment – DPMO, JPAC and the League – in responses to the US Government-funded archival research program, especially with Vietnam. This program has been ongoing for several years, but archival records known to exist have not yet been provided, thus the continued calls, including by President Bush last November, for unilateral actions by Hanoi.
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, 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 SET: Many have asked about the date and location of the League’s 38th Annual Meeting, now set for 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.
Special Events: The 38th Annual Dinner will be on Friday, June 22nd, an event that is always inspirational; cost is $40 each. A combined Casino and Bingo Night will take place on Saturday, June 23rd. On Thursday before the meeting convenes, we urge visits to Capitol Hill in the morning, before returning to register and attend the concert being planned at the new USAF Memorial.
Transportation: As authorized by Congress, the Defense Department will likely again implement transportation for two family members, representing each missing and unaccounted for US serviceman to attend the annual meeting and hear official presentations.
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, 23007. Please send your ads by email to powmiafam@aol.com or send them camera-ready to the League office.
Ann
Mills
Griffiths
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