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The League Delegation has just returned from a three-week trip to Southeast Asia, where several productive conversations took place with senior government officials from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos (more information to come on that)
The news report attached below highlights just some of the discussions that took place with Cambodia's new Prime Minister Hun Manet and the League Delegation.
The League Delegation expressed sincere appreciation to the prime minister, General Pol Saroeun, the chairman and members of Cambodia's POW/MIA committee, as well as the people of Cambodia for their cooperation over the last three decades in accounting for American’s still missing from the Vietnam War!
The news report attached below highlights just some of the discussions that took place with Cambodia's new Prime Minister Hun Manet and the League Delegation.
The League Delegation expressed sincere appreciation to the prime minister, General Pol Saroeun, the chairman and members of Cambodia's POW/MIA committee, as well as the people of Cambodia for their cooperation over the last three decades in accounting for American’s still missing from the Vietnam War!
National Vietnam War Veterans Day
March 29, 2024
Today, March 29th, is Vietnam War Veterans Day! You might ask, WHY! Why is our Nation honoring only Vietnam War Veterans? The answer, if researched, is obvious! Spurred on by network media coverage of anti-war activists, such as former Senator John Kerry, the American people were not visibly supporting those then serving nor returning from what became known as “the television war.”
Instead, those who served were ridiculed, rejected and reportedly spat upon! Exceptions followed the release of America’s POW/MIAs in early 1973, cited as heroes after their stories of torture in captivity were reported. Today symbolizes the visible apology, born out of guilt over failure to stand beside, with and behind those who serve our nation!
That is precisely WHY today’s all-volunteer Armed Forces understand, support and appreciate longstanding, but ongoing, efforts to account as fully as possible for our unreturned Vietnam Veterans and others who served our Nation!
March 29, 2024
Today, March 29th, is Vietnam War Veterans Day! You might ask, WHY! Why is our Nation honoring only Vietnam War Veterans? The answer, if researched, is obvious! Spurred on by network media coverage of anti-war activists, such as former Senator John Kerry, the American people were not visibly supporting those then serving nor returning from what became known as “the television war.”
Instead, those who served were ridiculed, rejected and reportedly spat upon! Exceptions followed the release of America’s POW/MIAs in early 1973, cited as heroes after their stories of torture in captivity were reported. Today symbolizes the visible apology, born out of guilt over failure to stand beside, with and behind those who serve our nation!
That is precisely WHY today’s all-volunteer Armed Forces understand, support and appreciate longstanding, but ongoing, efforts to account as fully as possible for our unreturned Vietnam Veterans and others who served our Nation!
Dear Loyal Followers,
To clarify, the priority of The National League of POW/MIA Families has been, and still is, accounting as fully as possible for missing and unaccounted-for VIETNAM WAR personnel.
Having clarified that point, we honor, respect, and support DPAA’s efforts to exhume and identify the remains of all those who served and sacrificed for our country in WWII, the Korean War and the Cold War.
As we continue our mission to obtain answers for the impacted Vietnam War families, we deeply appreciate your interest and support.
We are aware that recently many of our posts have been centered on the exhumation and identification of WWII personnel. That is due to the fact that there are more than 73,000 personnel who died and were buried at home and abroad, but at the time could not be identified individually at the time of loss. In comparison, there are only 1,577 still missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.
The League will always prioritize accounting for missing Vietnam War Veterans when advocating for increased accounting efforts by DPAA.
Thank you for being a part of our community and for your continued dedication to our shared accounting mission.
Gratefully,
The National League of POW/MIA Families
To clarify, the priority of The National League of POW/MIA Families has been, and still is, accounting as fully as possible for missing and unaccounted-for VIETNAM WAR personnel.
Having clarified that point, we honor, respect, and support DPAA’s efforts to exhume and identify the remains of all those who served and sacrificed for our country in WWII, the Korean War and the Cold War.
As we continue our mission to obtain answers for the impacted Vietnam War families, we deeply appreciate your interest and support.
We are aware that recently many of our posts have been centered on the exhumation and identification of WWII personnel. That is due to the fact that there are more than 73,000 personnel who died and were buried at home and abroad, but at the time could not be identified individually at the time of loss. In comparison, there are only 1,577 still missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.
The League will always prioritize accounting for missing Vietnam War Veterans when advocating for increased accounting efforts by DPAA.
Thank you for being a part of our community and for your continued dedication to our shared accounting mission.
Gratefully,
The National League of POW/MIA Families
Today is Giving Tuesday
For those who don't know - #GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world.
We will be holding a fundraiser for the occasion on the 28th
Whatever you're able to donate means a great deal to The National League of POW/MIA Families.
Your generosity not only provides comfort to grieving families but also contributes to our efforts of upholding the promise that our POW/MIA heroes continue to be accounted for.
Thank you!
For those who don't know - #GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world.
We will be holding a fundraiser for the occasion on the 28th
Whatever you're able to donate means a great deal to The National League of POW/MIA Families.
Your generosity not only provides comfort to grieving families but also contributes to our efforts of upholding the promise that our POW/MIA heroes continue to be accounted for.
Thank you!
Today is Giving Tuesday
For those who don't know - #GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world.
We will be holding a fundraiser for the occasion on the 28th
Whatever you're able to donate means a great deal to The National League of POW/MIA Families.
Your generosity not only provides comfort to grieving families but also contributes to our efforts of upholding the promise that our POW/MIA heroes continue to be accounted for.
Thank you!
For those who don't know - #GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world.
We will be holding a fundraiser for the occasion on the 28th
Whatever you're able to donate means a great deal to The National League of POW/MIA Families.
Your generosity not only provides comfort to grieving families but also contributes to our efforts of upholding the promise that our POW/MIA heroes continue to be accounted for.
Thank you!
Dear League Members and fellow Americans,
We appreciate hearing from you. We are posting this follow-up message to ask everyone to please share it AND ASK OTHERS to join the League and work to help the POW/MIA Families get answers. There is strength in numbers!
For over 50 years, the League has steadfastly focused on achieving the fullest possible accounting for our servicemen
and civilians still missing from the Vietnam War. We need your help, and dues are FREE for 2023! Yes, our membership
is growing, but if you haven't already, please please join. Simply send an email to [email protected], provide your name and contact information, and we will do the rest.
In our fast-paced world, electronic communication provides the quickest and least costly means to send updates.
with accurate, timely updates. We currently provide this information in several ways: the League website and
social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn, via our email list and, less often,
by hard-copy US mail, though some mailings are required, i.e. Board of Directors Elections, etc. Email recipients
will see an email addressed from [email protected].
If you are not receiving these League emails, please either check your SPAM filter or email [email protected] and ask to be included. Email communication helps the League by
lowering ever-increasing postage costs. For those who have indicated you prefer hard-copy mail, or if you can't receive electronic communications, please let us know by sending a message by US Mail Service to the League Office, calling
the League Office at 703-395-7432, or by asking a relative or friend to notify the League at [email protected].
Updates are important for everyone! They inform you so you can best help us push for answers on America's missing and unreturned Vietnam War Veterans, as well as Veterans still unaccounted-for from wars and conflicts further past.
If you wish to remove your name and email address from distribution, please let us know at [email protected].
The 70th annual National Veterans Day Observance, honoring the men and women who have served and continue to serve in the U.S. armed forces during war and peacetime, will take place on Saturday, November 11, 2023, beginning at 11 a.m., in the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery.
Sequence of events for the day, include:
In addition, there will be the parade of colors by veterans’ organizations and remarks from dignitaries. Attendance for the annual Presidential wreath-laying ceremony will be limited to official participants.
Following the conclusion of the event, the Veterans Service Organizations will lay their organization’s wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to show their respect and dedication to our U.S. service members whose remains have not been identified.
Please find VSO wreath laying instructions attached.
1182023_nvdo_day_wreath_laying_information_sheet.pdf
Sequence of events for the day, include:
- Musical Prelude
- Presidential Wreath Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
- Prayer for Veterans
- Pledge of Allegiance
- Introduction of Guests
- Welcome Remarks
- Co-host Remarks
- Introduction of the Guest Speaker
- Veterans Day Address
- Conclusion and Departure of Official Party Music Postlude
In addition, there will be the parade of colors by veterans’ organizations and remarks from dignitaries. Attendance for the annual Presidential wreath-laying ceremony will be limited to official participants.
Following the conclusion of the event, the Veterans Service Organizations will lay their organization’s wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to show their respect and dedication to our U.S. service members whose remains have not been identified.
Please find VSO wreath laying instructions attached.
1182023_nvdo_day_wreath_laying_information_sheet.pdf
52nd ANNUAL MEETING AGAIN POSTPONED/BOARD MEMBERS NAMED:
Due to the significant time and effort required to deal with the legalities of restoring the League as originally formed, then having to form another nonprofit organization with a similar, but different name and structure, then succeeding in the legal restoration of the League’s original name, date of formation and nonprofit affirmation by the IRS, we did not have the time necessary to adequately plan a League annual meeting. However, the League Office (newly painted, with new flooring) is reopening today, June 1st.
Also, as called for in the League’s Bylaws, now that the original League name and status are restored, a seven-member Board of Directors is again required. Two vacancies left by resignations of the dissenting minority needed to be filled. Since
there were no more 2021-2023 candidates on the list of applicants, and in accordance with the Bylaws, two active, longtime League members with loved ones still missing were appointed by the Chairman of the Board. The two new Board Members are
Anne Holt, MIA sister from CA, and Fred Pringle, MIA son from OH. Both immediately agreed to the Chairman’s request to serve until the 2024-25 Board of Director selection moves forward in the Spring. By that time, the League’s ever-increasing membership, now comprised of both original members and the new applicants, solicited DUES FREE for the year, are being combined and updated. That process will soon be finalized and supported by the Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs), will provide a clearer understanding of potential influence for mission-success with the Administration, Congress and the media.
The Board deeply regrets that, given the significant legal and financial challenges we had to overcome, we did not have the time to develop the informative and constructive annual meeting that the families want and rightly deserve. On June 29-30th DPAA will hold Annual Government Briefings (AGB) at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC, regarding Vietnam War accounting efforts, their stated operational priority. An in-person meeting of the League Board of Directors will be held on June 28th, and we all hope to attend the AGB. DPAA has not yet officially agreed, though we’re confident those with accounted-for relatives will be granted permission. If you have any questions, please contact the League Office: 703-465-7432; email [email protected].
Due to the significant time and effort required to deal with the legalities of restoring the League as originally formed, then having to form another nonprofit organization with a similar, but different name and structure, then succeeding in the legal restoration of the League’s original name, date of formation and nonprofit affirmation by the IRS, we did not have the time necessary to adequately plan a League annual meeting. However, the League Office (newly painted, with new flooring) is reopening today, June 1st.
Also, as called for in the League’s Bylaws, now that the original League name and status are restored, a seven-member Board of Directors is again required. Two vacancies left by resignations of the dissenting minority needed to be filled. Since
there were no more 2021-2023 candidates on the list of applicants, and in accordance with the Bylaws, two active, longtime League members with loved ones still missing were appointed by the Chairman of the Board. The two new Board Members are
Anne Holt, MIA sister from CA, and Fred Pringle, MIA son from OH. Both immediately agreed to the Chairman’s request to serve until the 2024-25 Board of Director selection moves forward in the Spring. By that time, the League’s ever-increasing membership, now comprised of both original members and the new applicants, solicited DUES FREE for the year, are being combined and updated. That process will soon be finalized and supported by the Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs), will provide a clearer understanding of potential influence for mission-success with the Administration, Congress and the media.
The Board deeply regrets that, given the significant legal and financial challenges we had to overcome, we did not have the time to develop the informative and constructive annual meeting that the families want and rightly deserve. On June 29-30th DPAA will hold Annual Government Briefings (AGB) at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC, regarding Vietnam War accounting efforts, their stated operational priority. An in-person meeting of the League Board of Directors will be held on June 28th, and we all hope to attend the AGB. DPAA has not yet officially agreed, though we’re confident those with accounted-for relatives will be granted permission. If you have any questions, please contact the League Office: 703-465-7432; email [email protected].
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE:
April 28, 2023
1,579 Americans are now listed by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,241; Laos–285; Cambodia-48; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. On March 23rd, DPAA posted the accounting for two USAF officers, Col Ernest DeSoto and Capt Frederick Hall. Listed as MIA in Vietnam on April 12, 1969, DPAA released their identities on April 7th.
These numbers fluctuate due to investigations resulting in changed locations of loss. The League seeks the fullest possible accounting for those still missing and repatriation of all recoverable remains. Highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. US intelligence indicates some Americans known to be in captivity in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia were not returned at the end of the war. In the absence of evidence to the contrary, these Americans could still be alive. The US Government should not rule out that possibility and try to account for them as a matter of highest national priority.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains. Thus, Vietnam’s unilateral efforts still offer significant potential, especially when reinforced by December 12, 2022, pledges by H.E. Minister of Public Security To Lam to League Chairman Ann Mills Griffiths to look into all categories raised as needing unilateral SRV efforts. Until recently, Vietnam had taken unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Until the pandemic halted in-country operations, Vietnam had increased unilateral provision of long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information. This was due in part to improved working-level efforts, but also to increased bilateral relations across the board. The January 2018 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. Vietnamese officials were participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, including Unilateral Recovery Teams, led by Vietnamese, some of whom are US-trained. Unfortunately, budget reductions interfered with planning for FY2023, and initially only two small Joint Field Activities were scheduled. Recently, with a budget plus-up, two additional JFAs were scheduled. The earlier formula subverted efforts to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, USN assets participated in underwater operations, as did DPAA partner Scripps Institute of Oceanography.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos increased productivity. Though more difficult than elsewhere, Laos is showing greater flexibility, again authorizing an increased number of US personnel in-country simultaneously, allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and contracting a private company to provide reliable, smaller-participation, resulting in trilateral US-LPDR-SRV operations. Importantly, the Lao Government authorized two additional Lao officials to work year-round with DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist, assigned full time in-country. Lao officials also approved field investigations outside the confines of DPAA-scheduled US field operations, but recently, the Stony Beach specialist has been increasingly restricted. A border dispute with Cambodia impeded operations there but, with no DPAA detachment in Cambodia, Stony Beach-led DPAA partner field operations for FY 2023 have resumed and are encouraging.
DIA’s Stony Beach Team: One Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support from US Ambassador Patrick Murphy and Cambodian officials. US Ambassador to Laos, Dr. Peter Haymond, is knowledgeable and supports full use of DIA’s Stony Beach specialist. For years, two Stony Beach personnel have rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviewing witnesses. The League and DIA have long sought Vietnam’s agreement to permanently station a Vietnam specialist in Hanoi, a proposal to which Vietnam finally agreed. Now, the Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP) has indicated that DIA’s Stony Beach Vietnam specialists will be restricted to operating in the field only during scheduled DPAA Joint Field Activities, an unacceptable restriction. Three Stony Beach specialists will participate in larger-scale field operations upcoming, but a permanent Stony Beach presence in Hanoi is still unfulfilled, thanks to failure to solve details.
Comment: The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting are 1) too few qualified intelligence analysts; and 2) no current National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) to determine valid accounting expectations. Over 90% of unaccounted-for Vietnam War Veterans were lost in Vietnam and areas of Laos and Cambodia where Vietnamese forces operated. Vietnam’s unilateral provision of helpful archival records, Stony Beach field investigations and interviews, plus timely DPAA analysis and feedback are critical to increasing accounting results.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) cannot be verified!
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) are resolved: 1,340 (67.13%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.25%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.86%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 55 (2.76%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 48 (2.40%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 7 (0.35%) are non-captive sightings. The unresolved 55 first hand sightings are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2015 Total
36 3 1 14 1 55
Accountability: As of today, the Department of Defense lists 1,579 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, over 90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese forces operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses after the official end of the war on April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years 2
1974-1975 Winding down USG effort 28
1976-1978 US/SRV normalization negotiations 47
1979-1980 US/SRV talks break down 1
1981-1985 1st Reagan Administration 23
1985-1989 2nd Reagan Administration 169
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 129
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 327
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 57
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 51
2012-2016 2nd Obama Administration 27
2016-2020 Trump Administration 21
2020-2024 Biden Administration 5
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 729 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but nine of the 288 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries; nine were turned over by indigenous personnel to DIA Stony Beach specialists. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 1,062 Americans reportedly accounted for since the official April 30, 1975, end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 729; Laos, 288, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,125. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US efforts in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 297 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 782 from Vietnam, 43 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
For the latest information, call the League Office (703) 465-7432 or check the League website: www.pow-miafamilies.org
status_of_the_issue_4-28-23.pdf
April 28, 2023
1,579 Americans are now listed by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,241; Laos–285; Cambodia-48; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. On March 23rd, DPAA posted the accounting for two USAF officers, Col Ernest DeSoto and Capt Frederick Hall. Listed as MIA in Vietnam on April 12, 1969, DPAA released their identities on April 7th.
These numbers fluctuate due to investigations resulting in changed locations of loss. The League seeks the fullest possible accounting for those still missing and repatriation of all recoverable remains. Highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. US intelligence indicates some Americans known to be in captivity in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia were not returned at the end of the war. In the absence of evidence to the contrary, these Americans could still be alive. The US Government should not rule out that possibility and try to account for them as a matter of highest national priority.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains. Thus, Vietnam’s unilateral efforts still offer significant potential, especially when reinforced by December 12, 2022, pledges by H.E. Minister of Public Security To Lam to League Chairman Ann Mills Griffiths to look into all categories raised as needing unilateral SRV efforts. Until recently, Vietnam had taken unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Until the pandemic halted in-country operations, Vietnam had increased unilateral provision of long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information. This was due in part to improved working-level efforts, but also to increased bilateral relations across the board. The January 2018 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. Vietnamese officials were participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, including Unilateral Recovery Teams, led by Vietnamese, some of whom are US-trained. Unfortunately, budget reductions interfered with planning for FY2023, and initially only two small Joint Field Activities were scheduled. Recently, with a budget plus-up, two additional JFAs were scheduled. The earlier formula subverted efforts to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, USN assets participated in underwater operations, as did DPAA partner Scripps Institute of Oceanography.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos increased productivity. Though more difficult than elsewhere, Laos is showing greater flexibility, again authorizing an increased number of US personnel in-country simultaneously, allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and contracting a private company to provide reliable, smaller-participation, resulting in trilateral US-LPDR-SRV operations. Importantly, the Lao Government authorized two additional Lao officials to work year-round with DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist, assigned full time in-country. Lao officials also approved field investigations outside the confines of DPAA-scheduled US field operations, but recently, the Stony Beach specialist has been increasingly restricted. A border dispute with Cambodia impeded operations there but, with no DPAA detachment in Cambodia, Stony Beach-led DPAA partner field operations for FY 2023 have resumed and are encouraging.
DIA’s Stony Beach Team: One Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support from US Ambassador Patrick Murphy and Cambodian officials. US Ambassador to Laos, Dr. Peter Haymond, is knowledgeable and supports full use of DIA’s Stony Beach specialist. For years, two Stony Beach personnel have rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviewing witnesses. The League and DIA have long sought Vietnam’s agreement to permanently station a Vietnam specialist in Hanoi, a proposal to which Vietnam finally agreed. Now, the Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP) has indicated that DIA’s Stony Beach Vietnam specialists will be restricted to operating in the field only during scheduled DPAA Joint Field Activities, an unacceptable restriction. Three Stony Beach specialists will participate in larger-scale field operations upcoming, but a permanent Stony Beach presence in Hanoi is still unfulfilled, thanks to failure to solve details.
Comment: The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting are 1) too few qualified intelligence analysts; and 2) no current National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) to determine valid accounting expectations. Over 90% of unaccounted-for Vietnam War Veterans were lost in Vietnam and areas of Laos and Cambodia where Vietnamese forces operated. Vietnam’s unilateral provision of helpful archival records, Stony Beach field investigations and interviews, plus timely DPAA analysis and feedback are critical to increasing accounting results.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) cannot be verified!
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) are resolved: 1,340 (67.13%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.25%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.86%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 55 (2.76%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 48 (2.40%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 7 (0.35%) are non-captive sightings. The unresolved 55 first hand sightings are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2015 Total
36 3 1 14 1 55
Accountability: As of today, the Department of Defense lists 1,579 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, over 90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese forces operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses after the official end of the war on April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years 2
1974-1975 Winding down USG effort 28
1976-1978 US/SRV normalization negotiations 47
1979-1980 US/SRV talks break down 1
1981-1985 1st Reagan Administration 23
1985-1989 2nd Reagan Administration 169
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 129
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 327
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 57
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 51
2012-2016 2nd Obama Administration 27
2016-2020 Trump Administration 21
2020-2024 Biden Administration 5
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 729 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but nine of the 288 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries; nine were turned over by indigenous personnel to DIA Stony Beach specialists. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 1,062 Americans reportedly accounted for since the official April 30, 1975, end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 729; Laos, 288, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,125. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US efforts in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 297 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 782 from Vietnam, 43 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
For the latest information, call the League Office (703) 465-7432 or check the League website: www.pow-miafamilies.org
status_of_the_issue_4-28-23.pdf
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE:
April 12, 2023
1,579 Americans are now listed by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,241; Laos–285; Cambodia-48; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. On March 23rd, DPAA posted the accounting for two USAF officers, Colonel Ernest DeSoto and Captain Frederick Hall. Listed as MIA in Vietnam on April 12, 1969, their identities were released by DPAA on April 7th.
These numbers fluctuate due to investigations resulting in changed locations of loss. The League seeks the fullest possible accounting for those still missing and repatriation of all recoverable remains. Highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. US intelligence indicates some Americans known to be in captivity in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia were not returned at the end of the war. In the absence of evidence to the contrary, these Americans could still be alive. The US Government should not rule out that possibility and try to account for them as a matter of highest national priority.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains. Thus, Vietnam’s unilateral efforts still offer significant potential, especially when reinforced by December 12, 2022, pledges by H.E. Minister of Public Security To Lam to League Chairman Ann Mills Griffiths to look into all categories raised as needing unilateral SRV efforts. Until recently, Vietnam had taken unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Until the pandemic halted in-country operations, Vietnam had increased unilateral provision of long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information. This was due in part to improved working-level efforts, but also to increased bilateral relations across the board. The January 2018 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. Vietnamese officials were participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, including Unilateral Recovery Teams, led by Vietnamese, some of whom are US-trained. Unfortunately, budget reductions interfered with planning for FY2023, and initially only two small Joint Field Activities were scheduled. Recently, with a budget plus-up, two additional JFAs were scheduled. The earlier formula subverted efforts to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, USN assets participated in underwater operations, as did DPAA partner Scripps Institute of Oceanography.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos increased productivity. Though more difficult than elsewhere, Laos is showing greater flexibility, again authorizing an increased number of US personnel in-country simultaneously, allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and contracting a private company to provide reliable, smaller-participation, resulting in trilateral US-LPDR-SRV operations. Importantly, the Lao Government authorized two additional Lao officials to work year-round with DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist, assigned full time in-country. Lao officials also approved field investigations outside the confines of DPAA-scheduled US field operations, but recently, the Stony Beach specialist has been increasingly restricted. A border dispute with Cambodia impeded operations there but, with no DPAA detachment in Cambodia, Stony Beach-led DPAA partner field operations for FY 2023 have resumed and are encouraging.
DIA’s Stony Beach Team: One Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support from US Ambassador Patrick Murphy and Cambodian officials. US Ambassador to Laos, Dr. Peter Haymond, is knowledgeable and supports full use of DIA’s Stony Beach specialist. For years, two Stony Beach personnel have rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviewing witnesses. The League and DIA have long sought Vietnam’s agreement to permanently station a Vietnam specialist in Hanoi, a proposal to which Vietnam finally agreed. Now, the Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP) has indicated that DIA’s Stony Beach Vietnam specialists will be restricted to operating in the field only during scheduled DPAA Joint Field Activities, an unacceptable restriction. Though three Stony Beach specialists will participate in larger-scale field operations in April, agreement for a permanent Stony Beach presence in Hanoi is still unfulfilled.
Comment: The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting are 1) too few qualified intelligence analysts; and 2) no current National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) to determine valid accounting expectations. Over 90% of unaccounted-for Vietnam War Veterans were lost in Vietnam and areas of Laos and Cambodia where Vietnamese forces operated. Vietnam’s unilateral provision of helpful archival records, Stony Beach field investigations and interviews, plus timely DPAA analysis and feedback are critical to increasing accounting results.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) cannot be verified!
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) are resolved: 1,340 (67.13%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.25%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.86%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 55 (2.76%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 48 (2.40%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 7 (0.35%) are non-captive sightings. The unresolved 55 first hand sightings are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2015 Total
36 3 1 14 1 55
Accountability: As of today, the Department of Defense lists 1,579 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, over 90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese forces operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses after the official end of the war on April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years 2
1974-1975 Winding down USG effort 28
1976-1978 US/SRV normalization negotiations 47
1979-1980 US/SRV talks break down 1
1981-1985 1st Reagan Administration 23
1985-1989 2nd Reagan Administration 169
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 129
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 327
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 57
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 51
2012-2016 2nd Obama Administration 27
2016-2020 Trump Administration 21
2020-2024 Biden Administration 5
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 729 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968 but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but nine of the 288 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries; nine were turned over by indigenous personnel to DIA Stony Beach specialists. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 1,062 Americans reportedly accounted for since the official April 30, 1975, end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 729; Laos, 288, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,125. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US efforts in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 297 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 782 from Vietnam, 43 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
For the latest information, call the League Office (703) 465-7432 or
check the League website: www.pow-miafamilies.org
status_of_the_issue_4-12-23.pdf
April 12, 2023
1,579 Americans are now listed by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,241; Laos–285; Cambodia-48; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. On March 23rd, DPAA posted the accounting for two USAF officers, Colonel Ernest DeSoto and Captain Frederick Hall. Listed as MIA in Vietnam on April 12, 1969, their identities were released by DPAA on April 7th.
These numbers fluctuate due to investigations resulting in changed locations of loss. The League seeks the fullest possible accounting for those still missing and repatriation of all recoverable remains. Highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. US intelligence indicates some Americans known to be in captivity in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia were not returned at the end of the war. In the absence of evidence to the contrary, these Americans could still be alive. The US Government should not rule out that possibility and try to account for them as a matter of highest national priority.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains. Thus, Vietnam’s unilateral efforts still offer significant potential, especially when reinforced by December 12, 2022, pledges by H.E. Minister of Public Security To Lam to League Chairman Ann Mills Griffiths to look into all categories raised as needing unilateral SRV efforts. Until recently, Vietnam had taken unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Until the pandemic halted in-country operations, Vietnam had increased unilateral provision of long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information. This was due in part to improved working-level efforts, but also to increased bilateral relations across the board. The January 2018 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. Vietnamese officials were participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, including Unilateral Recovery Teams, led by Vietnamese, some of whom are US-trained. Unfortunately, budget reductions interfered with planning for FY2023, and initially only two small Joint Field Activities were scheduled. Recently, with a budget plus-up, two additional JFAs were scheduled. The earlier formula subverted efforts to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, USN assets participated in underwater operations, as did DPAA partner Scripps Institute of Oceanography.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos increased productivity. Though more difficult than elsewhere, Laos is showing greater flexibility, again authorizing an increased number of US personnel in-country simultaneously, allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and contracting a private company to provide reliable, smaller-participation, resulting in trilateral US-LPDR-SRV operations. Importantly, the Lao Government authorized two additional Lao officials to work year-round with DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist, assigned full time in-country. Lao officials also approved field investigations outside the confines of DPAA-scheduled US field operations, but recently, the Stony Beach specialist has been increasingly restricted. A border dispute with Cambodia impeded operations there but, with no DPAA detachment in Cambodia, Stony Beach-led DPAA partner field operations for FY 2023 have resumed and are encouraging.
DIA’s Stony Beach Team: One Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support from US Ambassador Patrick Murphy and Cambodian officials. US Ambassador to Laos, Dr. Peter Haymond, is knowledgeable and supports full use of DIA’s Stony Beach specialist. For years, two Stony Beach personnel have rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviewing witnesses. The League and DIA have long sought Vietnam’s agreement to permanently station a Vietnam specialist in Hanoi, a proposal to which Vietnam finally agreed. Now, the Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP) has indicated that DIA’s Stony Beach Vietnam specialists will be restricted to operating in the field only during scheduled DPAA Joint Field Activities, an unacceptable restriction. Though three Stony Beach specialists will participate in larger-scale field operations in April, agreement for a permanent Stony Beach presence in Hanoi is still unfulfilled.
Comment: The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting are 1) too few qualified intelligence analysts; and 2) no current National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) to determine valid accounting expectations. Over 90% of unaccounted-for Vietnam War Veterans were lost in Vietnam and areas of Laos and Cambodia where Vietnamese forces operated. Vietnam’s unilateral provision of helpful archival records, Stony Beach field investigations and interviews, plus timely DPAA analysis and feedback are critical to increasing accounting results.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) cannot be verified!
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) are resolved: 1,340 (67.13%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.25%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.86%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 55 (2.76%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 48 (2.40%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 7 (0.35%) are non-captive sightings. The unresolved 55 first hand sightings are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2015 Total
36 3 1 14 1 55
Accountability: As of today, the Department of Defense lists 1,579 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, over 90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese forces operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses after the official end of the war on April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years 2
1974-1975 Winding down USG effort 28
1976-1978 US/SRV normalization negotiations 47
1979-1980 US/SRV talks break down 1
1981-1985 1st Reagan Administration 23
1985-1989 2nd Reagan Administration 169
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 129
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 327
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 57
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 51
2012-2016 2nd Obama Administration 27
2016-2020 Trump Administration 21
2020-2024 Biden Administration 5
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 729 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968 but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but nine of the 288 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries; nine were turned over by indigenous personnel to DIA Stony Beach specialists. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 1,062 Americans reportedly accounted for since the official April 30, 1975, end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 729; Laos, 288, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,125. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US efforts in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 297 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 782 from Vietnam, 43 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
For the latest information, call the League Office (703) 465-7432 or
check the League website: www.pow-miafamilies.org
status_of_the_issue_4-12-23.pdf
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE:
March 12, 2022
1,581 Americans are now listed by DPAA as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,241; Laos–285; Cambodia-48; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers fluctuate due to investigations resulting in changed locations of loss.) The League seeks the fullest possible accounting for those still missing and repatriation of all recoverable remains. Highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. US intelligence indicates some Americans known to be in captivity in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia were not returned at the end of the war. In the absence of evidence to the contrary, these Americans could still be alive. The US Government should not rule out that possibility and seek to account for them as a matter of highest national priority.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, Vietnam’s unilateral efforts still offer significant potential. Vietnam has recently taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Until the pandemic halted field operations, Vietnam had increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information. This was due in part to improved working-level efforts, but also due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The January 2018 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Unilateral Recovery Teams, led by Vietnamese, some of whom are US-trained. Unfortunately, budget reductions were interfering for FY2023, with initially only two small Joint Field Activities were funded and scheduled/ Recently, we’ve been informed that two additional JFAs are now scheduled. The earlier formula subverted efforts to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, USN assets have participated in underwater operations, when requested, as has DPAA partner Scripps Institute of Oceanography, recently returning to Vietnam.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos increased productivity. Though more difficult than elsewhere, Laos is showing greater flexibility, again authorizing an increased number of US personnel in-country simultaneously, allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and contracting a private company to provide reliable, smaller-participate, resulting in trilateral joint US-LPDR-SRV operations. Importantly, the Lao Government authorized two additional Lao officials to work year-round with DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist, assigned full time in-country. Lao officials also approved field investigations outside the confines of DPAA-scheduled US field operations. Although COVID-related concerns interfered, these specialized field investigations have resumed. A border dispute with Cambodia impeded operations there but, with no DPAA detachment in Cambodia, Stony Beach-led operations are resuming with five partner field operations planned for FY2023.
DIA’s Stony Beach Team: One Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support from US Ambassador Patrick Murphy and Cambodian officials. US Ambassador to Laos Dr. Peter Haymond is knowledgeable and supports full use of DIA’s Stony Beach specialist. For years, two Stony Beach personnel have rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviewing witnesses. The League and DIA have long sought Vietnam’s agreement to permanently station a Vietnam specialist in Hanoi, a proposal to which Vietnam finally agreed. Now, the Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP) has indicated that DIA’s Stony Beach Vietnam specialists would be restricted to operating in the field only during the two DPAA-funded Joint Field Activities currently scheduled, an unacceptable restriction. Increased bilateral military relations demonstrate this step is overdue! Successive US Ambassadors to Vietnam have strongly supported this move but, sadly, SRV Minister of Public Security To Lam did not use his May 12th meeting with League Chairman/CEO Ann Mills Griffiths to announce a favorable decision. Another opportunity will arise when the Chairman again travels to Southeast Asia to meet with senior SRV, LPDR and KOC officials, hopefully including SRV Minister of Public Security To Lam.
Comment: Pandemic restrictions have eased in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, allowing reliable scheduling of Joint Field Activities (JFAs) to increase. Now that Laos has agreed to provide officials to accompany Stony Beach specialists and augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living, such cooperation must expand. The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting are 1) too few qualified intelligence analysts; 2) lack of an objective assessment to determine valid US expectations; and 3) inadequate funding for operations. Since roughly 85% of US losses in Laos and Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s unilateral provision of helpful archival records, Stony Beach field investigations and interviews, plus timely DPAA analysis and feedback, are key factors to increasing accounting results for unreturned Vietnam War Veterans.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), not updated!
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) are resolved: 1,340 (67.13%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.25%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.86%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 55 (2.76%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 48 (2.40%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 7 (0.35%) are non-captive sightings. The unresolved 55 first hand sightings are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2015 Total
36 3 1 14 1 55
Accountability: At the end of the Vietnam War, there reportedly were 2,583 unaccounted-for American prisoners, missing or killed in action/body not recovered. As of today, the Department of Defense lists 1,581 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese forces operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 1,002 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses after the official end of the war on April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years 2
1974-1975 Winding down USG effort 28
1976-1978 US/SRV normalization negotiations 47
1979-1980 US/SRV talks break down 1
1981-1985 1st Reagan Administration 23
1985-1989 2nd Reagan Administration 169
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 129
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 327
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 57
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 51
2012-2016 2nd Obama Administration 27
2016-2021 Trump Administration 15
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 677 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but nine of the 280 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries; nine were turned over by indigenous personnel to DIA Stony Beach specialists. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 1,002 Americans accounted for since the official April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 677; Laos, 280, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,065. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US efforts in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 288 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 732 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
March 12, 2022
1,581 Americans are now listed by DPAA as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,241; Laos–285; Cambodia-48; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers fluctuate due to investigations resulting in changed locations of loss.) The League seeks the fullest possible accounting for those still missing and repatriation of all recoverable remains. Highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. US intelligence indicates some Americans known to be in captivity in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia were not returned at the end of the war. In the absence of evidence to the contrary, these Americans could still be alive. The US Government should not rule out that possibility and seek to account for them as a matter of highest national priority.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, Vietnam’s unilateral efforts still offer significant potential. Vietnam has recently taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Until the pandemic halted field operations, Vietnam had increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information. This was due in part to improved working-level efforts, but also due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The January 2018 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Unilateral Recovery Teams, led by Vietnamese, some of whom are US-trained. Unfortunately, budget reductions were interfering for FY2023, with initially only two small Joint Field Activities were funded and scheduled/ Recently, we’ve been informed that two additional JFAs are now scheduled. The earlier formula subverted efforts to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, USN assets have participated in underwater operations, when requested, as has DPAA partner Scripps Institute of Oceanography, recently returning to Vietnam.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos increased productivity. Though more difficult than elsewhere, Laos is showing greater flexibility, again authorizing an increased number of US personnel in-country simultaneously, allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and contracting a private company to provide reliable, smaller-participate, resulting in trilateral joint US-LPDR-SRV operations. Importantly, the Lao Government authorized two additional Lao officials to work year-round with DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist, assigned full time in-country. Lao officials also approved field investigations outside the confines of DPAA-scheduled US field operations. Although COVID-related concerns interfered, these specialized field investigations have resumed. A border dispute with Cambodia impeded operations there but, with no DPAA detachment in Cambodia, Stony Beach-led operations are resuming with five partner field operations planned for FY2023.
DIA’s Stony Beach Team: One Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support from US Ambassador Patrick Murphy and Cambodian officials. US Ambassador to Laos Dr. Peter Haymond is knowledgeable and supports full use of DIA’s Stony Beach specialist. For years, two Stony Beach personnel have rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviewing witnesses. The League and DIA have long sought Vietnam’s agreement to permanently station a Vietnam specialist in Hanoi, a proposal to which Vietnam finally agreed. Now, the Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP) has indicated that DIA’s Stony Beach Vietnam specialists would be restricted to operating in the field only during the two DPAA-funded Joint Field Activities currently scheduled, an unacceptable restriction. Increased bilateral military relations demonstrate this step is overdue! Successive US Ambassadors to Vietnam have strongly supported this move but, sadly, SRV Minister of Public Security To Lam did not use his May 12th meeting with League Chairman/CEO Ann Mills Griffiths to announce a favorable decision. Another opportunity will arise when the Chairman again travels to Southeast Asia to meet with senior SRV, LPDR and KOC officials, hopefully including SRV Minister of Public Security To Lam.
Comment: Pandemic restrictions have eased in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, allowing reliable scheduling of Joint Field Activities (JFAs) to increase. Now that Laos has agreed to provide officials to accompany Stony Beach specialists and augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living, such cooperation must expand. The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting are 1) too few qualified intelligence analysts; 2) lack of an objective assessment to determine valid US expectations; and 3) inadequate funding for operations. Since roughly 85% of US losses in Laos and Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s unilateral provision of helpful archival records, Stony Beach field investigations and interviews, plus timely DPAA analysis and feedback, are key factors to increasing accounting results for unreturned Vietnam War Veterans.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), not updated!
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) are resolved: 1,340 (67.13%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.25%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.86%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 55 (2.76%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 48 (2.40%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 7 (0.35%) are non-captive sightings. The unresolved 55 first hand sightings are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2015 Total
36 3 1 14 1 55
Accountability: At the end of the Vietnam War, there reportedly were 2,583 unaccounted-for American prisoners, missing or killed in action/body not recovered. As of today, the Department of Defense lists 1,581 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese forces operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 1,002 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses after the official end of the war on April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years 2
1974-1975 Winding down USG effort 28
1976-1978 US/SRV normalization negotiations 47
1979-1980 US/SRV talks break down 1
1981-1985 1st Reagan Administration 23
1985-1989 2nd Reagan Administration 169
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 129
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 327
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 57
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 51
2012-2016 2nd Obama Administration 27
2016-2021 Trump Administration 15
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 677 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but nine of the 280 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries; nine were turned over by indigenous personnel to DIA Stony Beach specialists. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 1,002 Americans accounted for since the official April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 677; Laos, 280, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,065. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US efforts in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 288 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 732 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 14, 2023
Ann Mills Griffiths
Chairman of the Board
DR. GEORGE J. “JAY” VEITH
ANNOUNCED AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The National League of POW/MIA Families is pleased and proud to announce a highly qualified individual, Dr. Jay Veith, has agreed to serve as our Executive Director, principal spokesman and leader of policy and operations implementation. Since May 28, 1970, the League has sought the fullest possible accounting for our Nation’s unreturned Vietnam War Veterans, America’s POW/MIAs, seeking answers for impacted families to end their uncertainty.
Initially downplayed post-war and cast as an obstacle to normalization of relations, then President Ronald Reagan’s personal interest and commitment served as the basis for humanitarian cooperation between the two former enemies. As a result of the Reagan Administration’s step-by-step policy of humanitarian reciprocity, 1,062 American servicemen and civilians, initially listed as captured (POW), missing (MIA) or unaccounted-for (KIA/BNR), have been recovered and returned to their families and the Nation they served.
There are still 1,579 Americans listed as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War, and time is running out. All will never be recovered due to wartime circumstances, precisely the reason we have sought the “fullest possible accounting” from inception. We are honored and grateful that this recognized expert on the Vietnam War, successful author, lecturer and skilled analyst, has agreed to represent the POW/MIA families now, before it is too late! The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), has stated publicly that accounting for our Vietnam War missing is its highest operational priority. DPAA is ably assisted by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) team of highly trained specialists, known as Stony Beach, focused solely on Vietnam War accounting. Let’s do it!
Dr. Jay Veith is a former U.S. Army Captain who served in armor units in the United States and Germany from 1979 –1987. He earned his PhD in history from Monash University and is the author of four books on the Vietnam War. They include Code-Name Bright Light: The Untold Story of U.S. POW Rescue Efforts During the Vietnam War (New York: The Free Press, 1998); Leave No Man Behind: Bill Bell and the Search for American POW/MIAs from the Vietnam War (Madison, WI: Goblinfern Press, 2004); Black April: The Fall of South Vietnam, 1973-1975 (New York: Encounter Press, 2012); and most recently, Drawn Swords in a Distant Land: South Vietnam’s Shattered Dreams (New York: Encounter Press, 2021). Dr. Veith also published an e-book with the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars titled “The Return to War: North Vietnamese Decision-Making, 1973-1975” (Washington, DC: Cold War International History Project, November 2017). He has testified before Congress, spoken at countless events on the POW/MIA accounting mission, and presented numerous papers at scholarly conferences on the Vietnam War. His CV is available upon request.
ex._director_release_6-14-23.pdf
Ann Mills Griffiths
Chairman of the Board
DR. GEORGE J. “JAY” VEITH
ANNOUNCED AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The National League of POW/MIA Families is pleased and proud to announce a highly qualified individual, Dr. Jay Veith, has agreed to serve as our Executive Director, principal spokesman and leader of policy and operations implementation. Since May 28, 1970, the League has sought the fullest possible accounting for our Nation’s unreturned Vietnam War Veterans, America’s POW/MIAs, seeking answers for impacted families to end their uncertainty.
Initially downplayed post-war and cast as an obstacle to normalization of relations, then President Ronald Reagan’s personal interest and commitment served as the basis for humanitarian cooperation between the two former enemies. As a result of the Reagan Administration’s step-by-step policy of humanitarian reciprocity, 1,062 American servicemen and civilians, initially listed as captured (POW), missing (MIA) or unaccounted-for (KIA/BNR), have been recovered and returned to their families and the Nation they served.
There are still 1,579 Americans listed as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War, and time is running out. All will never be recovered due to wartime circumstances, precisely the reason we have sought the “fullest possible accounting” from inception. We are honored and grateful that this recognized expert on the Vietnam War, successful author, lecturer and skilled analyst, has agreed to represent the POW/MIA families now, before it is too late! The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), has stated publicly that accounting for our Vietnam War missing is its highest operational priority. DPAA is ably assisted by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) team of highly trained specialists, known as Stony Beach, focused solely on Vietnam War accounting. Let’s do it!
Dr. Jay Veith is a former U.S. Army Captain who served in armor units in the United States and Germany from 1979 –1987. He earned his PhD in history from Monash University and is the author of four books on the Vietnam War. They include Code-Name Bright Light: The Untold Story of U.S. POW Rescue Efforts During the Vietnam War (New York: The Free Press, 1998); Leave No Man Behind: Bill Bell and the Search for American POW/MIAs from the Vietnam War (Madison, WI: Goblinfern Press, 2004); Black April: The Fall of South Vietnam, 1973-1975 (New York: Encounter Press, 2012); and most recently, Drawn Swords in a Distant Land: South Vietnam’s Shattered Dreams (New York: Encounter Press, 2021). Dr. Veith also published an e-book with the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars titled “The Return to War: North Vietnamese Decision-Making, 1973-1975” (Washington, DC: Cold War International History Project, November 2017). He has testified before Congress, spoken at countless events on the POW/MIA accounting mission, and presented numerous papers at scholarly conferences on the Vietnam War. His CV is available upon request.
ex._director_release_6-14-23.pdf
Though names of Vietnam War missing seldom appear in recent DPAA releases, the League is thankful that US personnel lost in WWII and the Korean War are being disinterred from US cemeteries worldwide and, in a few WWII cases, being recovered. These Americans are being identified and returned to their families for burial with full military honors. The League is grateful that our efforts since formation on May 28, 1970, are now bringing about long-overdue recognition, but remains hopeful that answers on our Vietnam War missing will soon increase and end the uncertainty of impacted families. Ann Mills-Griffiths, Chairman/CEO
MIA Update: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced four burial updates for service members who have been missing and unaccounted-for from World War II and Korea. Returning home for burial with full military honors are:
-- Army Cpl. Tommie T. Hanks, 27, of Fort Worth, Texas, was assigned to Company E, 2nd Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. On Nov. 26, 1950, he was reported missing in action while his unit was attempting to withdraw from east Ch’ongch’on River near Anju, North Korea. Following the war, his remains could not be recovered and there is no evidence that he was a prisoner of war. Hanks will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, on a date yet to be determined. Read about Hanks.
-- Army Pfc. Francis P. Martin, 25, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was assigned to Company D, 1st Battalion, 157th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. His unit was engaged in battle with German forces near Lichtenberg, France, when he was wounded and reported missing. With no body recovered and the Germans never reporting him as a prisoner of war, on Jan. 17, 1946, the War Department issued a finding of death. Martin will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, on a date yet to be determined. Read about Martin.
-- Army Staff Sgt. James Rotunno, 27, of Brooklyn, New York, was assigned to Company K, 3rd Battalion, 157th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. His unit was engaged in the Battle of Reipertswiller in France when it was surrounded by German forces. On Jan. 20, 1945, his unit and four other companies attempted a break-out through German lines. Rotunno was among those killed the following day and his body could not be recovered. He will be buried in Rutherford, New Jersey, on a date yet to be determined. Read about Rotunno.
-- Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Walter Nies, 23, of Eureka, South Dakota, was assigned to 96th Bombardment Squadron, 2nd Bombardment Group, 15th Air Force. On Jan. 24, 1944, the B-17F Flying Fortress bomber on which he was serving as a tail gunner was shot down by enemy fighters. The crew was captured by Germans, and Nies was among those sent to Stalag Luft 6 prisoner of war camp. Nies died on May 28, 1944, after being shot. He will be buried in Eureka, South Dakota, on a date yet to be determined. Read about Nies.
MIA Update: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced four burial updates for service members who have been missing and unaccounted-for from World War II and Korea. Returning home for burial with full military honors are:
-- Army Cpl. Tommie T. Hanks, 27, of Fort Worth, Texas, was assigned to Company E, 2nd Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. On Nov. 26, 1950, he was reported missing in action while his unit was attempting to withdraw from east Ch’ongch’on River near Anju, North Korea. Following the war, his remains could not be recovered and there is no evidence that he was a prisoner of war. Hanks will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, on a date yet to be determined. Read about Hanks.
-- Army Pfc. Francis P. Martin, 25, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was assigned to Company D, 1st Battalion, 157th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. His unit was engaged in battle with German forces near Lichtenberg, France, when he was wounded and reported missing. With no body recovered and the Germans never reporting him as a prisoner of war, on Jan. 17, 1946, the War Department issued a finding of death. Martin will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, on a date yet to be determined. Read about Martin.
-- Army Staff Sgt. James Rotunno, 27, of Brooklyn, New York, was assigned to Company K, 3rd Battalion, 157th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. His unit was engaged in the Battle of Reipertswiller in France when it was surrounded by German forces. On Jan. 20, 1945, his unit and four other companies attempted a break-out through German lines. Rotunno was among those killed the following day and his body could not be recovered. He will be buried in Rutherford, New Jersey, on a date yet to be determined. Read about Rotunno.
-- Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Walter Nies, 23, of Eureka, South Dakota, was assigned to 96th Bombardment Squadron, 2nd Bombardment Group, 15th Air Force. On Jan. 24, 1944, the B-17F Flying Fortress bomber on which he was serving as a tail gunner was shot down by enemy fighters. The crew was captured by Germans, and Nies was among those sent to Stalag Luft 6 prisoner of war camp. Nies died on May 28, 1944, after being shot. He will be buried in Eureka, South Dakota, on a date yet to be determined. Read about Nies.
VIETNAM'S ABILITY TO ACCOUNT FOR MISSING AMERICANS
April 11, 2023
Family members, veteran organizations and other POW/MIA supporters throughout the country consistently opposed steps to improve economic and political relations with Vietnam until their leaders decided to cooperate fully in accounting for America’s POW/MIAs. The League supported a Reagan-developed policy of reciprocity – steps by the US to respond to efforts by Vietnam to locate and return remains and provide issue related archival documents. During subsequent stages of the normalization process, important leverage was lost without commensurate results; however, there has since been much greater responsiveness.
One way of viewing what the US knows concerning Vietnam’s ability to respond more fully is to look at what US intelligence and other data confirmed at the end of the war. At that time, 196 missing Americans were last known alive in captivity or reliably reported alive in close proximity to capture. Vietnam knows that these highest priority cases are directly related to the live prisoner issue and has improved responsiveness, but thus far has accounted for fewer than expected of these Americans by returning identifiable remains or archival evidence as to why such is not possible. In that regard, archival documentation is as yet incomplete. In all but very few of these cases, joint field investigations have reportedly been sufficient to confirm death. Logically, if deceased, remains of these Americans should be recoverable; they were in captivity or on the ground in proximity to Vietnamese forces (other than those who died in captivity in South Vietnam). Recent unilateral efforts by Vietnam to conduct recoveries and provide working level archival research and records are encouraging and most welcome, as is the increased number of partnership agreements being reached.
US wartime and post-war reporting on specific cases, captured Vietnamese documents concerning the handling of US prisoners and casualties, and wartime debriefs of communist Vietnamese captives, reinforced by US-monitored directives and other reporting, form a clear picture of a comprehensive Vietnamese system for collection of information and remains, dating back to the French-Indochina War. Vietnam’s leaders placed great value on recovery and/or recording of burial locations of US remains. In wartime, if jeopardized by imminent discovery or recovery by US forces, burial to hide remains was immediate; remains were later disinterred, photographed, when possible, then reburied or, when feasible, transferred to Hanoi. Evidence of this complex process was confirmed by US intelligence.
Community-wide intelligence assessments served as the basis for long-standing US estimates that Vietnam could account for hundreds of Americans by unilaterally locating and returning remains. In 1986-87, the entire intelligence community maintained higher predictions. The evidence was subsequently evaluated to establish the most realistic targets for Vietnam’s government to meet. A thorough assessment was requested of DOD to weigh cooperation to date against earlier evidence-based expectations and determine realistic goals. Results were expected early in 2022! On September 15th, the League was informed that a two-page assessment was published but viewed by DPAA as “useless.” OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS MUST OCCUR!
Specific sources, such as the mortician in 1979, substantiated in the 1980s by others, highlighted remains collection and storage as key aspects of Vietnam’s policy leading to discussions with the US. After arduous and sustained negotiations, the US and Vietnam reached agreement to return remains of Americans that had been stored for years. Thus far, the number repatriated has not met evidence-based US expectations.
Forensic evidence serves as another basis for establishing expectations. Per the DPAA Lab, scientific evidence of above or below ground storage, or both, exists on less than 200 of the 729 identified remains returned from Vietnam since the end of the war. The count, confirmed by DPAA forensic scientists, is far below US expectations, based on reliable intelligence indicating that many more were recovered and stored by the Vietnamese government and could be repatriated, if authorized by Vietnam’s leadership.
During a September 1982 ABC “Nightline” program, with no results in 1979-80, the late Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Co Thach denied that Vietnam was holding any US remains, as did senior officials throughout the Carter Administration. In 1983, Vietnam returned eight remains with clear evidence of storage. Vietnam later admitted storage of remains. In 1985, following up an initiative through a regional government, a US National Security Council (NSC) official met privately with a Vietnamese Politburo member during an NSC-led US delegation to Hanoi in which the League Executive Director participated. The carefully drawn plan was for negotiations on live prisoners and remains, but the minister indicated live prisoners were not on the table for discussion. Rather, as discussed with a third party, the subject was a large number of remains.
Negotiations in 1985 for a two-year plan brought the largest number of remains obtained to that point; nearly all showed evidence of long-term storage. In order to confirm the scope of Vietnam’s knowledge, two specific cases were officially presented to officials in Hanoi in 1985-86 with a request for their unilateral assistance. Both losses were assessed by US officials as having occurred in Laos, in areas under Vietnamese control during the war. One was returned unilaterally in 1988, 98% complete and stored above ground since his 1972 incident along the border between Vietnam and Laos. From 1985 – 1989, 169 remains were repatriated, the vast majority showing clear evidence of long-term storage. In addition to highly populated areas, Vietnam has unilaterally repatriated stored remains from Cambodia and remote locations.
There is continuity. In 1991 and 1993, the Vietnamese provided grave registration lists with names of unaccounted-for Americans. Inclusion of these names appears to have been an intentional signal, as was the filtering through private channels of photographs of deceased Americans, some of whose remains have yet to be returned. Vietnamese leaders directed combat photography; their soldiers did not own personal cameras, much less carry them. Regardless of mixed or conflicting assessments, these and other actions by Vietnamese officials signaled the US of remains availability for diplomatic and/or economic purposes. At the time, remains fragments in Vietnam’s possession were not repatriated, believed not to be identifiable. DPAA’s ability to identify very fragmentary remains has dramatically improved. If not yet fully repatriated, now is the time for all fragmented remains to be returned.
Information obtained from post-war US field operations reveals that central Vietnamese authorities systematically recovered American remains. Eyewitnesses reported central-level supervision of remains recoveries of US personnel not yet repatriated. Vietnam’s leaders have repeatedly pledged to renew and increase their own efforts to locate, and return remains and provide relevant documents and have moved incrementally. In recent years, responsiveness has continued to increase, but more needs to be done. Establishment of comprehensive bilateral relations, including strategic dialogue, and increased military-to military cooperation, means now is the time for Vietnam to accelerate unilateral efforts to close historic gaps.
President George W. Bush formalized criteria for steps Vietnam should take unilaterally to be fully responsive on the accounting effort. His March 20, 2002, Certification to Congress was further defined by Secretaries of State Powell and Rice three additional times. On March 7, 2008, the Bush Administration issued its Determination to Congress stating in part, “we urge Vietnam to work aggressively to improve tangibly its unilateral provision of POW/MIA-related documents and records, focused initially on archival data pertaining to Americans captured, missing or killed in areas of Laos and Cambodia under wartime Vietnamese control. Vietnam should also focus greater attention on locating and providing information on discrepancy cases with priority on those last known alive in captivity or in immediate proximity to capture, and to locating and repatriating the remains of those who died while in Vietnamese control that have not yet been returned…”
Vietnam’s cooperation has continued to improve, including provision of some archival documents. There remain sensitive areas seldom accessible by US officials, but most are no longer off-limits. Importantly, SRV officials are now unilaterally conducting investigations, locating witnesses and making them available. With the DoD decision to restrict travel, DPAA canceled all joint field operations for almost two years. In the interim, SRV officials authorized unilateral recoveries in various areas, a long-sought, welcome development with positive results. One USN pilot, listed MIA in 1967, was unilaterally recovered Aug-Sep 2020 in the Hon Me area off the coast of northern Vietnam and identified on March 1, 2021. Unilateral recoveries in this area are a long-sought goal and adding partnerships will help to increase results that end the uncertainty of Vietnam War POW/MIA families. December 12, 2022, pledges by SRV Minister of Public Security To Lam to address increased unilateral steps are encouraging
vns_ability_to_account_4-11-23.pdf
April 11, 2023
Family members, veteran organizations and other POW/MIA supporters throughout the country consistently opposed steps to improve economic and political relations with Vietnam until their leaders decided to cooperate fully in accounting for America’s POW/MIAs. The League supported a Reagan-developed policy of reciprocity – steps by the US to respond to efforts by Vietnam to locate and return remains and provide issue related archival documents. During subsequent stages of the normalization process, important leverage was lost without commensurate results; however, there has since been much greater responsiveness.
One way of viewing what the US knows concerning Vietnam’s ability to respond more fully is to look at what US intelligence and other data confirmed at the end of the war. At that time, 196 missing Americans were last known alive in captivity or reliably reported alive in close proximity to capture. Vietnam knows that these highest priority cases are directly related to the live prisoner issue and has improved responsiveness, but thus far has accounted for fewer than expected of these Americans by returning identifiable remains or archival evidence as to why such is not possible. In that regard, archival documentation is as yet incomplete. In all but very few of these cases, joint field investigations have reportedly been sufficient to confirm death. Logically, if deceased, remains of these Americans should be recoverable; they were in captivity or on the ground in proximity to Vietnamese forces (other than those who died in captivity in South Vietnam). Recent unilateral efforts by Vietnam to conduct recoveries and provide working level archival research and records are encouraging and most welcome, as is the increased number of partnership agreements being reached.
US wartime and post-war reporting on specific cases, captured Vietnamese documents concerning the handling of US prisoners and casualties, and wartime debriefs of communist Vietnamese captives, reinforced by US-monitored directives and other reporting, form a clear picture of a comprehensive Vietnamese system for collection of information and remains, dating back to the French-Indochina War. Vietnam’s leaders placed great value on recovery and/or recording of burial locations of US remains. In wartime, if jeopardized by imminent discovery or recovery by US forces, burial to hide remains was immediate; remains were later disinterred, photographed, when possible, then reburied or, when feasible, transferred to Hanoi. Evidence of this complex process was confirmed by US intelligence.
Community-wide intelligence assessments served as the basis for long-standing US estimates that Vietnam could account for hundreds of Americans by unilaterally locating and returning remains. In 1986-87, the entire intelligence community maintained higher predictions. The evidence was subsequently evaluated to establish the most realistic targets for Vietnam’s government to meet. A thorough assessment was requested of DOD to weigh cooperation to date against earlier evidence-based expectations and determine realistic goals. Results were expected early in 2022! On September 15th, the League was informed that a two-page assessment was published but viewed by DPAA as “useless.” OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS MUST OCCUR!
Specific sources, such as the mortician in 1979, substantiated in the 1980s by others, highlighted remains collection and storage as key aspects of Vietnam’s policy leading to discussions with the US. After arduous and sustained negotiations, the US and Vietnam reached agreement to return remains of Americans that had been stored for years. Thus far, the number repatriated has not met evidence-based US expectations.
Forensic evidence serves as another basis for establishing expectations. Per the DPAA Lab, scientific evidence of above or below ground storage, or both, exists on less than 200 of the 729 identified remains returned from Vietnam since the end of the war. The count, confirmed by DPAA forensic scientists, is far below US expectations, based on reliable intelligence indicating that many more were recovered and stored by the Vietnamese government and could be repatriated, if authorized by Vietnam’s leadership.
During a September 1982 ABC “Nightline” program, with no results in 1979-80, the late Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Co Thach denied that Vietnam was holding any US remains, as did senior officials throughout the Carter Administration. In 1983, Vietnam returned eight remains with clear evidence of storage. Vietnam later admitted storage of remains. In 1985, following up an initiative through a regional government, a US National Security Council (NSC) official met privately with a Vietnamese Politburo member during an NSC-led US delegation to Hanoi in which the League Executive Director participated. The carefully drawn plan was for negotiations on live prisoners and remains, but the minister indicated live prisoners were not on the table for discussion. Rather, as discussed with a third party, the subject was a large number of remains.
Negotiations in 1985 for a two-year plan brought the largest number of remains obtained to that point; nearly all showed evidence of long-term storage. In order to confirm the scope of Vietnam’s knowledge, two specific cases were officially presented to officials in Hanoi in 1985-86 with a request for their unilateral assistance. Both losses were assessed by US officials as having occurred in Laos, in areas under Vietnamese control during the war. One was returned unilaterally in 1988, 98% complete and stored above ground since his 1972 incident along the border between Vietnam and Laos. From 1985 – 1989, 169 remains were repatriated, the vast majority showing clear evidence of long-term storage. In addition to highly populated areas, Vietnam has unilaterally repatriated stored remains from Cambodia and remote locations.
There is continuity. In 1991 and 1993, the Vietnamese provided grave registration lists with names of unaccounted-for Americans. Inclusion of these names appears to have been an intentional signal, as was the filtering through private channels of photographs of deceased Americans, some of whose remains have yet to be returned. Vietnamese leaders directed combat photography; their soldiers did not own personal cameras, much less carry them. Regardless of mixed or conflicting assessments, these and other actions by Vietnamese officials signaled the US of remains availability for diplomatic and/or economic purposes. At the time, remains fragments in Vietnam’s possession were not repatriated, believed not to be identifiable. DPAA’s ability to identify very fragmentary remains has dramatically improved. If not yet fully repatriated, now is the time for all fragmented remains to be returned.
Information obtained from post-war US field operations reveals that central Vietnamese authorities systematically recovered American remains. Eyewitnesses reported central-level supervision of remains recoveries of US personnel not yet repatriated. Vietnam’s leaders have repeatedly pledged to renew and increase their own efforts to locate, and return remains and provide relevant documents and have moved incrementally. In recent years, responsiveness has continued to increase, but more needs to be done. Establishment of comprehensive bilateral relations, including strategic dialogue, and increased military-to military cooperation, means now is the time for Vietnam to accelerate unilateral efforts to close historic gaps.
President George W. Bush formalized criteria for steps Vietnam should take unilaterally to be fully responsive on the accounting effort. His March 20, 2002, Certification to Congress was further defined by Secretaries of State Powell and Rice three additional times. On March 7, 2008, the Bush Administration issued its Determination to Congress stating in part, “we urge Vietnam to work aggressively to improve tangibly its unilateral provision of POW/MIA-related documents and records, focused initially on archival data pertaining to Americans captured, missing or killed in areas of Laos and Cambodia under wartime Vietnamese control. Vietnam should also focus greater attention on locating and providing information on discrepancy cases with priority on those last known alive in captivity or in immediate proximity to capture, and to locating and repatriating the remains of those who died while in Vietnamese control that have not yet been returned…”
Vietnam’s cooperation has continued to improve, including provision of some archival documents. There remain sensitive areas seldom accessible by US officials, but most are no longer off-limits. Importantly, SRV officials are now unilaterally conducting investigations, locating witnesses and making them available. With the DoD decision to restrict travel, DPAA canceled all joint field operations for almost two years. In the interim, SRV officials authorized unilateral recoveries in various areas, a long-sought, welcome development with positive results. One USN pilot, listed MIA in 1967, was unilaterally recovered Aug-Sep 2020 in the Hon Me area off the coast of northern Vietnam and identified on March 1, 2021. Unilateral recoveries in this area are a long-sought goal and adding partnerships will help to increase results that end the uncertainty of Vietnam War POW/MIA families. December 12, 2022, pledges by SRV Minister of Public Security To Lam to address increased unilateral steps are encouraging
vns_ability_to_account_4-11-23.pdf
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE:
April 11, 2023
1,579 Americans are now listed by DPAA as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,241; Laos–285; Cambodia-48; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. On March 23rd, DPAA posted the accounting for two USAF officers, Colonel Ernest DeSoto and Captain Frederick Hall. Listed as MIA in Vietnam on April 12, 1969, their identities were released by DPAA on April 7th. The accounting for these two Vietnam War Veterans brings to 1,579 the number listed as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War. These numbers fluctuate due to investigations resulting in changed locations of loss. The League seeks the fullest possible accounting for those still missing and repatriation of all recoverable remains. Highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. US intelligence indicates some Americans known to be in captivity in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia were not returned at the end of the war. In the absence of evidence to the contrary, these Americans could still be alive. The US Government should not rule out that possibility and try to account for them as a matter of highest national priority. Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains.
Thus, Vietnam’s unilateral efforts still offer significant potential, especially when reinforced by December 12, 2022, pledges by H.E. Minister of Public Security To Lam to League Chairman Ann Mills Griffiths to look into all categories raised as needing unilateral SRV efforts. Until recently, Vietnam had taken unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Until the pandemic halted in-country operations, Vietnam had increased unilateral provision of long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information. This was due in part to improved working-level efforts, but also to increased bilateral relations across the board. The January 2018 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. Vietnamese officials were participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, including Unilateral Recovery Teams, led by Vietnamese, some of whom are US-trained. Unfortunately, budget reductions interfered with planning for FY2023, and initially only two small Joint Field Activities were scheduled. Recently, with a budget plus-up, two additional JFAs were scheduled. The earlier formula subverted efforts to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, USN assets participated in underwater operations, as did DPAA partner Scripps Institute of Oceanography. After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos increased productivity.
Though more difficult than elsewhere, Laos is showing greater flexibility, again authorizing an increased number of US personnel in-country simultaneously, allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and contracting a private company to provide reliable, smaller-participation, resulting in trilateral US-LPDR-SRV operations. Importantly, the Lao Government authorized two additional Lao officials to work year-round with DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist, assigned full time in-country. Lao officials also approved field investigations outside the confines of DPAA-scheduled US field operations, but recently, the Stony Beach specialist has been increasingly restricted. A border dispute with Cambodia impeded operations there but, with no DPAA detachment in Cambodia, Stony Beach-led DPAA partner field operations for FY 2023 have resumed and are encouraging. DIA’s Stony Beach Team: One Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support from US Ambassador Patrick Murphy and Cambodian officials. US Ambassador to Laos, Dr. Peter Haymond, is knowledgeable and supports full use of DIA’s Stony Beach specialist. For years, two Stony Beach personnel have rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviewing witnesses.
The League and DIA have long sought Vietnam’s agreement to permanently station a Vietnam specialist in Hanoi, a proposal to which Vietnam finally agreed. Now, the Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP) has indicated that DIA’s Stony Beach Vietnam specialists will be restricted to operating in the field only during scheduled DPAA Joint Field Activities, an unacceptable restriction. Though three Stony Beach specialists will participate in larger-scale field operations in April, agreement for a permanent Stony Beach presence in Hanoi is still unfulfilled. Comment: The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting are 1) too few qualified intelligence analysts; and 2) no current National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) to determine valid accounting expectations. Over 90% of unaccounted-for Vietnam War Veterans were lost in Vietnam and areas of Laos and Cambodia where Vietnamese forces operated. Vietnam’s unilateral provision of helpful archival records, Stony Beach field investigations and interviews, plus timely DPAA analysis and feedback are critical to increasing accounting results.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) cannot be verified! Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) are resolved: 1,340 (67.13%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.25%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.86%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 55 (2.76%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 48 (2.40%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 7 (0.35%) are non-captive sightings. The unresolved 55 first hand sightings are listed below: Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2015 Total 36 3 1 14 1 55 Accountability: As of today, the Department of Defense lists 1,579 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, over 90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese forces operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses after the official end of the war on April 30, 1975 follows: 1965-1974 War years 2 1974-1975 Winding down USG effort 28 1976-1978 US/SRV normalization negotiations 47 1979-1980 US/SRV talks break down 1 1981-1985 1st Reagan Administration 23 1985-1989 2nd Reagan Administration 169 1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 129 1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 327 1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 57 2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64 2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62 2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 51 2012-2016 2 nd Obama Administration 27 2016-2020 Trump Administration 21 2020-2024 Biden Administration 5 According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 729 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time.
All but nine of the 288 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries; nine were turned over by indigenous personnel to DIA Stony Beach specialists. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 1,062 Americans reportedly accounted for since the official April 30, 1975, end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 729; Laos, 288, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3. An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,125. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia.
These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US efforts in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 297 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 782 from Vietnam, 43 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
status_of_the_issue_4-11-23.pdf
April 11, 2023
1,579 Americans are now listed by DPAA as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,241; Laos–285; Cambodia-48; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. On March 23rd, DPAA posted the accounting for two USAF officers, Colonel Ernest DeSoto and Captain Frederick Hall. Listed as MIA in Vietnam on April 12, 1969, their identities were released by DPAA on April 7th. The accounting for these two Vietnam War Veterans brings to 1,579 the number listed as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War. These numbers fluctuate due to investigations resulting in changed locations of loss. The League seeks the fullest possible accounting for those still missing and repatriation of all recoverable remains. Highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. US intelligence indicates some Americans known to be in captivity in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia were not returned at the end of the war. In the absence of evidence to the contrary, these Americans could still be alive. The US Government should not rule out that possibility and try to account for them as a matter of highest national priority. Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains.
Thus, Vietnam’s unilateral efforts still offer significant potential, especially when reinforced by December 12, 2022, pledges by H.E. Minister of Public Security To Lam to League Chairman Ann Mills Griffiths to look into all categories raised as needing unilateral SRV efforts. Until recently, Vietnam had taken unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Until the pandemic halted in-country operations, Vietnam had increased unilateral provision of long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information. This was due in part to improved working-level efforts, but also to increased bilateral relations across the board. The January 2018 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. Vietnamese officials were participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, including Unilateral Recovery Teams, led by Vietnamese, some of whom are US-trained. Unfortunately, budget reductions interfered with planning for FY2023, and initially only two small Joint Field Activities were scheduled. Recently, with a budget plus-up, two additional JFAs were scheduled. The earlier formula subverted efforts to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, USN assets participated in underwater operations, as did DPAA partner Scripps Institute of Oceanography. After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos increased productivity.
Though more difficult than elsewhere, Laos is showing greater flexibility, again authorizing an increased number of US personnel in-country simultaneously, allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and contracting a private company to provide reliable, smaller-participation, resulting in trilateral US-LPDR-SRV operations. Importantly, the Lao Government authorized two additional Lao officials to work year-round with DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist, assigned full time in-country. Lao officials also approved field investigations outside the confines of DPAA-scheduled US field operations, but recently, the Stony Beach specialist has been increasingly restricted. A border dispute with Cambodia impeded operations there but, with no DPAA detachment in Cambodia, Stony Beach-led DPAA partner field operations for FY 2023 have resumed and are encouraging. DIA’s Stony Beach Team: One Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support from US Ambassador Patrick Murphy and Cambodian officials. US Ambassador to Laos, Dr. Peter Haymond, is knowledgeable and supports full use of DIA’s Stony Beach specialist. For years, two Stony Beach personnel have rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviewing witnesses.
The League and DIA have long sought Vietnam’s agreement to permanently station a Vietnam specialist in Hanoi, a proposal to which Vietnam finally agreed. Now, the Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP) has indicated that DIA’s Stony Beach Vietnam specialists will be restricted to operating in the field only during scheduled DPAA Joint Field Activities, an unacceptable restriction. Though three Stony Beach specialists will participate in larger-scale field operations in April, agreement for a permanent Stony Beach presence in Hanoi is still unfulfilled. Comment: The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting are 1) too few qualified intelligence analysts; and 2) no current National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) to determine valid accounting expectations. Over 90% of unaccounted-for Vietnam War Veterans were lost in Vietnam and areas of Laos and Cambodia where Vietnamese forces operated. Vietnam’s unilateral provision of helpful archival records, Stony Beach field investigations and interviews, plus timely DPAA analysis and feedback are critical to increasing accounting results.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) cannot be verified! Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) are resolved: 1,340 (67.13%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.25%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.86%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 55 (2.76%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 48 (2.40%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 7 (0.35%) are non-captive sightings. The unresolved 55 first hand sightings are listed below: Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2015 Total 36 3 1 14 1 55 Accountability: As of today, the Department of Defense lists 1,579 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, over 90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese forces operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses after the official end of the war on April 30, 1975 follows: 1965-1974 War years 2 1974-1975 Winding down USG effort 28 1976-1978 US/SRV normalization negotiations 47 1979-1980 US/SRV talks break down 1 1981-1985 1st Reagan Administration 23 1985-1989 2nd Reagan Administration 169 1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 129 1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 327 1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 57 2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64 2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62 2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 51 2012-2016 2 nd Obama Administration 27 2016-2020 Trump Administration 21 2020-2024 Biden Administration 5 According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 729 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time.
All but nine of the 288 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries; nine were turned over by indigenous personnel to DIA Stony Beach specialists. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 1,062 Americans reportedly accounted for since the official April 30, 1975, end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 729; Laos, 288, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3. An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,125. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia.
These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US efforts in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 297 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 782 from Vietnam, 43 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
status_of_the_issue_4-11-23.pdf
More than 300 people, most of them strangers to each other, showed up at Arlington National Cemetery on February 23, 2023, to ensure that U.S. Navy Gunner’s Mate 3rd Class (GM3) Herman Schmidt would not be buried alone.
Service members from every military branch attended, as well as Arlington police and firefighters, young people from the Civil Air Patrol, and civilians—some wearing veteran baseball caps or leather vests with unit patches. All attended to pay last respects to the World War II veteran from the battleship USS Oklahoma, which capsized during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Many brought a single rose or a bouquet of flowers.
Schmidt died, along with 429 shipmates, after Japanese torpedoes capsized the battleship. Originally from Sheridan, Wyoming, Schmidt, a husband and father of a newborn son, had served in the Navy for at least four years before his death. Initially buried as an unknown at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii, his remains were eventually identified as part of a 2015 Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency project to identify all of the Oklahoma’s crew.
Schmidt’s son, now more than 80 years old, lives in Wyoming; the only relative who could attend the funeral service was his great nephew, Gary Bishop, and his wife. Navy Chaplain (LCDR) Robert Price, who would conduct the service, put out a notice to his church for anyone to attend. The word spread from there. Veteran and patriotic groups sent out emails. More and more people learned about the World War II veteran’s service and decided to attend. And they came in droves.
Army Lt. Col. Melanie Rowland found out about the service from a West Point Society email, and attended with her husband, Navy Capt. Roy Apseloff. “I thought it was very fitting that we honored a brother in arms who is going to be laid to rest,” Rowland said, adding that the outpouring from the public “restored my hope in this country.” Retired Air Force Master Sgt. Dan Kolcun learned about the service from his American Legion Riders’ group. “I had the impression that there was going to be maybe one or two people here,” he explained.
Kimberly Agnello, a civilian, was contacted by her local Daughters of the American Revolution chapter. “They were calling on the daughters to come out and support a patriot,” she said. “I was also intrigued that they were able to identify his remains after all these years and finally put him to rest and let his family know,” she added as she teared up. “That was really special.” Standing next to Agnello was her friend Mea Peterson, who had been injured in Iraq while serving as an Army sergeant. “I understand what that support means to the family,” she said, “as I’ve been here in this situation before with other friends.” Her voice broke as she finished her sentence. Schmidt’s great nephew, Gary Bishop, admitted to being astonished by the crowd. “I didn’t know if there would be six people here,” he remarked.
At the funeral service, Chaplain Price asked the crowd why they had all come. Then he answered his own question: “We are here today because we are a people who do not forget those who have stood the watch and have sacrificed for us.” Then he turned to the urn holding Schmidt’s ashes and declared, “Welcome home GM3 Schmidt. Fair winds and following seas, you stand relieved. We have the watch!” He could have been speaking for everyone in attendance.
Service members from every military branch attended, as well as Arlington police and firefighters, young people from the Civil Air Patrol, and civilians—some wearing veteran baseball caps or leather vests with unit patches. All attended to pay last respects to the World War II veteran from the battleship USS Oklahoma, which capsized during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Many brought a single rose or a bouquet of flowers.
Schmidt died, along with 429 shipmates, after Japanese torpedoes capsized the battleship. Originally from Sheridan, Wyoming, Schmidt, a husband and father of a newborn son, had served in the Navy for at least four years before his death. Initially buried as an unknown at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii, his remains were eventually identified as part of a 2015 Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency project to identify all of the Oklahoma’s crew.
Schmidt’s son, now more than 80 years old, lives in Wyoming; the only relative who could attend the funeral service was his great nephew, Gary Bishop, and his wife. Navy Chaplain (LCDR) Robert Price, who would conduct the service, put out a notice to his church for anyone to attend. The word spread from there. Veteran and patriotic groups sent out emails. More and more people learned about the World War II veteran’s service and decided to attend. And they came in droves.
Army Lt. Col. Melanie Rowland found out about the service from a West Point Society email, and attended with her husband, Navy Capt. Roy Apseloff. “I thought it was very fitting that we honored a brother in arms who is going to be laid to rest,” Rowland said, adding that the outpouring from the public “restored my hope in this country.” Retired Air Force Master Sgt. Dan Kolcun learned about the service from his American Legion Riders’ group. “I had the impression that there was going to be maybe one or two people here,” he explained.
Kimberly Agnello, a civilian, was contacted by her local Daughters of the American Revolution chapter. “They were calling on the daughters to come out and support a patriot,” she said. “I was also intrigued that they were able to identify his remains after all these years and finally put him to rest and let his family know,” she added as she teared up. “That was really special.” Standing next to Agnello was her friend Mea Peterson, who had been injured in Iraq while serving as an Army sergeant. “I understand what that support means to the family,” she said, “as I’ve been here in this situation before with other friends.” Her voice broke as she finished her sentence. Schmidt’s great nephew, Gary Bishop, admitted to being astonished by the crowd. “I didn’t know if there would be six people here,” he remarked.
At the funeral service, Chaplain Price asked the crowd why they had all come. Then he answered his own question: “We are here today because we are a people who do not forget those who have stood the watch and have sacrificed for us.” Then he turned to the urn holding Schmidt’s ashes and declared, “Welcome home GM3 Schmidt. Fair winds and following seas, you stand relieved. We have the watch!” He could have been speaking for everyone in attendance.
The article and meaningful photos below (author and photographer unknown), reflect the patriotism and support most Americans inherently feel toward those who serve and sacrifice for our Nation. Though the League has focused on accounting for our unreturned Vietnam War POW/MIA since formed in 1970, we are also proud, and deeply grateful, to have contributed significantly to building America's capacity - largely through DoD's Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) - to recover and identify heroes from wars and conflicts further past. It is heartening to see the incredible support Gunner’s Mate 3rd Class (GM3) Herman Schmidt, USN, received.
Leader of Vietnam POW organization speaks on the Central Coast ahead of Veterans Day
One of the most recognizable flags in the country hangs from the nation’s capital and public buildings in cities across the country – it's the flag of
Vietnam POWs and MIA.
Ann Mills-Griffiths, the CEO of the National League of POW/MIA Families was on the central coast, the guest speaker at the Active Seniors center in Salinas.
Please click on link below:
www.ksbw.com/article/leader-of-vietnam-pow-organization-speaks-on-the-central-coast-ahead-of-veterans-day/41929679
One of the most recognizable flags in the country hangs from the nation’s capital and public buildings in cities across the country – it's the flag of
Vietnam POWs and MIA.
Ann Mills-Griffiths, the CEO of the National League of POW/MIA Families was on the central coast, the guest speaker at the Active Seniors center in Salinas.
Please click on link below:
www.ksbw.com/article/leader-of-vietnam-pow-organization-speaks-on-the-central-coast-ahead-of-veterans-day/41929679
Please click on the photo above & just fill in NATIONAL LEAGUE OF FAMILIES OF AMERICAN PRISONERS AND MISSING IN S E ASIA . CFC #10218
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We Need Your Help!
The League needs your support to sustain and increase efforts to account for America’s unreturned Vietnam War Veterans. We MUST ensure that the Department of Defense (DoD) includes additional funding for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA). You can help make this happen! Contact your Senators about the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2023 (S. 4543), starting October 1st. The Senate has not yet voted on the FY2023 DoD budget but plans to increase DoD’s overall allocation without slating additional funds for the DPAA.
Additional funding is needed to ensure the Vietnam War accounting effort remains the priority that the DPAA Director pledged to the POW/MIA families. Please join us in this fight for answers. Contact your Senators NOW, before they vote on S. 4543, asking them to increase the DPAA budget from $131 million to $175 million. You can make this happen with only a few minutes of your time.
Please join us! Call, email or write to your Senators asking them to increase DPAA’s budget for FY2023 and help bring more UNRETURNED Vietnam War Veterans home!!
The League needs your support to sustain and increase efforts to account for America’s unreturned Vietnam War Veterans. We MUST ensure that the Department of Defense (DoD) includes additional funding for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA). You can help make this happen! Contact your Senators about the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2023 (S. 4543), starting October 1st. The Senate has not yet voted on the FY2023 DoD budget but plans to increase DoD’s overall allocation without slating additional funds for the DPAA.
Additional funding is needed to ensure the Vietnam War accounting effort remains the priority that the DPAA Director pledged to the POW/MIA families. Please join us in this fight for answers. Contact your Senators NOW, before they vote on S. 4543, asking them to increase the DPAA budget from $131 million to $175 million. You can make this happen with only a few minutes of your time.
Please join us! Call, email or write to your Senators asking them to increase DPAA’s budget for FY2023 and help bring more UNRETURNED Vietnam War Veterans home!!
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