Status of the Issue
April 9, 2018
1,598 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,252 (VN-457, VS-795); Laos–291; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The January 2018 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam since 2009, unless budget reductions interfere. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos is showing much greater flexibility, having again authorized an increased number of US personnel in-country simul-taneously, allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and reaching agreement for contracting a private company to provide reliable, smaller-scale helicopter support to access remote sites. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country, and Lao officials are now approving field investigations outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. A border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited earlier this year continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel, America’s UNRETURNED VETERANS.
POW/MIA STATISTICS, as of April 5, 2018
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 April 5, 2018, the Department of Defense lists 1,598 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 985 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 26*
2016-2020 1st Trump Administration 1
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 666 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 274 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 985 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 666; Laos, 274, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,048. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 282 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 721 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC. (*Two added due to no confirmed recovery dates on Col Stewart and SSGT Kipina.)
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432 or
check the League website: www.pow-miafamilies.org
CFC #10218
1,598 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,252 (VN-457, VS-795); Laos–291; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The January 2018 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam since 2009, unless budget reductions interfere. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos is showing much greater flexibility, having again authorized an increased number of US personnel in-country simul-taneously, allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and reaching agreement for contracting a private company to provide reliable, smaller-scale helicopter support to access remote sites. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country, and Lao officials are now approving field investigations outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. A border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited earlier this year continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel, America’s UNRETURNED VETERANS.
POW/MIA STATISTICS, as of April 5, 2018
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 April 5, 2018, the Department of Defense lists 1,598 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 985 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 26*
2016-2020 1st Trump Administration 1
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 666 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 274 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 985 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 666; Laos, 274, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,048. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 282 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 721 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC. (*Two added due to no confirmed recovery dates on Col Stewart and SSGT Kipina.)
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432 or
check the League website: www.pow-miafamilies.org
CFC #10218
March 14, 2018
1,600 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,253 (VN-458, VS-795); Laos–292; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam since 2009, unless budget reductions interfere. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos is showing much greater flexibility, having again authorized an increased number of US personnel in-country simul-taneously, allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and reaching agreement for contracting a private company to provide reliable, smaller-scale helicopter support to access remote sites. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country, and Lao officials are now approving field investigations outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. A border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel, America’s UNRETURNED VETERANS.
POW/MIA STATISTICS, AS OF February 12, 2018
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 March 14, 2018, the Department of Defense lists 1,600 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 983 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 24
2016-2020 1st Trump Administration 1
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 665 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 273 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 983 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 665; Laos, 273, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,046. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 281 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 720 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432 or
check the League website: www.pow-miafamilies.org
1,600 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,253 (VN-458, VS-795); Laos–292; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam since 2009, unless budget reductions interfere. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos is showing much greater flexibility, having again authorized an increased number of US personnel in-country simul-taneously, allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and reaching agreement for contracting a private company to provide reliable, smaller-scale helicopter support to access remote sites. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country, and Lao officials are now approving field investigations outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. A border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel, America’s UNRETURNED VETERANS.
POW/MIA STATISTICS, AS OF February 12, 2018
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 March 14, 2018, the Department of Defense lists 1,600 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 983 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 24
2016-2020 1st Trump Administration 1
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 665 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 273 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 983 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 665; Laos, 273, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,046. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 281 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 720 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432 or
check the League website: www.pow-miafamilies.org
February 26, 2018
1,600 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,253 (VN-458, VS-795); Laos–292; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam since 2009, unless budget reductions interfere. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos is showing much greater flexibility, having again authorized an increased number of US personnel in-country simul-taneously, allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and reaching agreement for contracting a private company to provide reliable, smaller-scale helicopter support to access remote sites. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country, and Lao officials are now approving field investigations outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. A border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel, America’s UNRETURNED VETERANS.
POW/MIA STATISTICS: February 26, 2018
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 February 12, 2018, the Department of Defense lists 1,600 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 983 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 24
2016-2020 1st Trump Administration 1
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 665 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 273 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 983 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 665; Laos, 273, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,046. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 281 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 720 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
1,600 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,253 (VN-458, VS-795); Laos–292; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam since 2009, unless budget reductions interfere. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos is showing much greater flexibility, having again authorized an increased number of US personnel in-country simul-taneously, allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and reaching agreement for contracting a private company to provide reliable, smaller-scale helicopter support to access remote sites. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country, and Lao officials are now approving field investigations outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. A border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel, America’s UNRETURNED VETERANS.
POW/MIA STATISTICS: February 26, 2018
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 February 12, 2018, the Department of Defense lists 1,600 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 983 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 24
2016-2020 1st Trump Administration 1
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 665 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 273 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 983 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 665; Laos, 273, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,046. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 281 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 720 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
February 2, 2018
1,601 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,253 (VN-458, VS-795); Laos–293; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam since 2009, unless budget reductions interfere. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos is showing much greater flexibility, having again authorized an increased number of US personnel in-country simul-taneously, allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and reaching agreement for contracting a private company to provide reliable, smaller-scale helicopter support to access remote sites. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country, and Lao officials are now approving field investigations outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. A border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel, America’s UNRETURNED VETERANS.
POW/MIA STATISTICS, AS OF FEBRUARY 2, 2018
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 January 18, 2018, the Department of Defense lists 1,601 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 982 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 23
2016-2020 1st Trump Administration 1
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 665 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 272 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 982 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 665; Laos, 272, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,045. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 280 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 720 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
1,601 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,253 (VN-458, VS-795); Laos–293; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam since 2009, unless budget reductions interfere. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos is showing much greater flexibility, having again authorized an increased number of US personnel in-country simul-taneously, allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and reaching agreement for contracting a private company to provide reliable, smaller-scale helicopter support to access remote sites. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country, and Lao officials are now approving field investigations outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. A border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel, America’s UNRETURNED VETERANS.
POW/MIA STATISTICS, AS OF FEBRUARY 2, 2018
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 January 18, 2018, the Department of Defense lists 1,601 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 982 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 23
2016-2020 1st Trump Administration 1
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 665 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 272 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 982 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 665; Laos, 272, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,045. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 280 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 720 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
December 7, 2017
1,602 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,253 (VN-458, VS-795); Laos–294; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam since 2009, unless budget reductions interfere. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos is showing much greater flexibility, having again authorized an increased number of US personnel in-country simul-taneously, allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and reaching agreement for contracting a private company to provide reliable, smaller-scale helicopter support to access remote sites. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country, and Lao officials are now approving field investigations outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. A border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel, America’s UNRETURNED VETERANS.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 September 11, 2017, the Department of Defense lists 1,602 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 981 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 22
2016-2020 1st Trump Administration 1
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 665 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 271 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 981 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 665; Laos, 271, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,044. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 279 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 720 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
1,602 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,253 (VN-458, VS-795); Laos–294; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam since 2009, unless budget reductions interfere. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos is showing much greater flexibility, having again authorized an increased number of US personnel in-country simul-taneously, allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and reaching agreement for contracting a private company to provide reliable, smaller-scale helicopter support to access remote sites. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country, and Lao officials are now approving field investigations outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. A border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel, America’s UNRETURNED VETERANS.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 September 11, 2017, the Department of Defense lists 1,602 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 981 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 22
2016-2020 1st Trump Administration 1
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 665 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 271 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 981 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 665; Laos, 271, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,044. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 279 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 720 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
November 1, 2017
1,602 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,253 (VN-458, VS-795); Laos–294; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam since 2009, unless budget reductions interfere. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos is showing much greater flexibility, having again authorized an increased number of US personnel in-country simul-taneously, allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and reaching agreement for contracting a private company to provide reliable, smaller-scale helicopter support to access remote sites. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country, and Lao officials are now approving field investigations outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. A border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel, America’s UNRETURNED VETERANS.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 36
1976-1985 3
1986-1995 1
1996-2005 14
2006-2013 1
Total 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 September 11, 2017, the Department of Defense lists 1,602 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 981 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 22
2016-2020 1st Trump Administration 1
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 665 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 271 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 981 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 665; Laos, 271, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,044. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 279 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 720 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
CFC #10218
1,602 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,253 (VN-458, VS-795); Laos–294; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam since 2009, unless budget reductions interfere. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos is showing much greater flexibility, having again authorized an increased number of US personnel in-country simul-taneously, allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and reaching agreement for contracting a private company to provide reliable, smaller-scale helicopter support to access remote sites. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country, and Lao officials are now approving field investigations outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. A border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel, America’s UNRETURNED VETERANS.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 36
1976-1985 3
1986-1995 1
1996-2005 14
2006-2013 1
Total 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 September 11, 2017, the Department of Defense lists 1,602 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 981 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 22
2016-2020 1st Trump Administration 1
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 665 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 271 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 981 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 665; Laos, 271, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,044. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 279 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 720 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
CFC #10218
October 10, 2017
1,602 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,253 (VN-458, VS-795); Laos–294; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam since 2009, unless budget reductions interfere. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos is showing much greater flexibility, having again authorized an increased number of US personnel in-country simul-taneously, allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and reaching agreement for contracting a private company to provide reliable, smaller-scale helicopter support to access remote sites. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country, and Lao officials are now approving field investigations outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. A border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel, America’s UNRETURNED VETERANS.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 September 11, 2017, the Department of Defense lists 1,602 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 981 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 22
2016-2020 1st Trump Administration 1
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 665 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 271 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 981 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 665; Laos, 271, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,044. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 279 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 720 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432 or
check the League website: www.pow-miafamilies.org
CFC #10218
1,602 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,253 (VN-458, VS-795); Laos–294; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam since 2009, unless budget reductions interfere. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos is showing much greater flexibility, having again authorized an increased number of US personnel in-country simul-taneously, allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and reaching agreement for contracting a private company to provide reliable, smaller-scale helicopter support to access remote sites. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country, and Lao officials are now approving field investigations outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. A border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel, America’s UNRETURNED VETERANS.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 September 11, 2017, the Department of Defense lists 1,602 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 981 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 22
2016-2020 1st Trump Administration 1
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 665 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 271 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 981 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 665; Laos, 271, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,044. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 279 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 720 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432 or
check the League website: www.pow-miafamilies.org
CFC #10218
September 20, 2017
1,602 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,253 (VN-458, VS-795); Laos–294; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam since 2009, unless budget reductions interfere. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos is showing much greater flexibility, having again authorized an increased number of US personnel in-country simul-taneously, allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and reaching agreement for contracting a private company to provide reliable, smaller-scale helicopter support to access remote sites. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country, and Lao officials are now approving field investigations outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. A border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel, America’s UNRETURNED VETERANS.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 September 11, 2017, the Department of Defense lists 1,602 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 981 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 21
2016-2020 1st Trump Administration 2
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 665 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 271 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 981 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 665; Laos, 271, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,044. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 279 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 720 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
CFC #10218
1,602 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,253 (VN-458, VS-795); Laos–294; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam since 2009, unless budget reductions interfere. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos is showing much greater flexibility, having again authorized an increased number of US personnel in-country simul-taneously, allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and reaching agreement for contracting a private company to provide reliable, smaller-scale helicopter support to access remote sites. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country, and Lao officials are now approving field investigations outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. A border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel, America’s UNRETURNED VETERANS.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 September 11, 2017, the Department of Defense lists 1,602 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 981 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 21
2016-2020 1st Trump Administration 2
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 665 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 271 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 981 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 665; Laos, 271, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,044. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 279 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 720 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
CFC #10218
September 2, 2017
1,603 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,254 (VN-459, VS-795); Laos–294; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam since 2009, unless budget reductions interfere. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos is showing much greater flexibility, having again authorized an increased number of US personnel in-country simul-taneously, allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and reaching agreement for contracting a private company to provide reliable, smaller-scale helicopter support to access remote sites. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country, and Lao officials are now approving field investigations outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. A border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel, America’s UNRETURNED VETERANS.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 August 31, 2017, the Department of Defense lists 1,603 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 980 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 21
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 664 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 271 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 980 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 664; Laos, 271, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,043. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 279 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 719 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
CFC #10218
August 18, 2017
1,604 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,255 (VN-460, VS-795); Laos–294; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos has been showing greater flexibility, having earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country simultaneously, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and renewing a business license for a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility will continue to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 August 15, 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,604 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 979 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 20
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 663 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 271 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 979 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 663; Laos, 271, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,042. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 279 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 718 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
CFC #10218
1,604 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,255 (VN-460, VS-795); Laos–294; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos has been showing greater flexibility, having earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country simultaneously, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and renewing a business license for a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility will continue to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 August 15, 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,604 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 979 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 20
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 663 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 271 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 979 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 663; Laos, 271, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,042. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 279 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 718 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
CFC #10218
August 14, 2017
1,606 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,256 (VN-461, VS-795); Laos–295; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos has been showing greater flexibility, having earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country simultaneously, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and renewing a business license for a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility will continue to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 36
1976-1985 3
1986-1995 1
1996-2005 14
2006-2013 1
Total 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 July 12, 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,606 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 977 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 18
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 662 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 270 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 977 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 662; Laos, 270, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,040. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 278 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 717 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook
CFC #10218
1,606 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,256 (VN-461, VS-795); Laos–295; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos has been showing greater flexibility, having earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country simultaneously, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and renewing a business license for a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility will continue to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 36
1976-1985 3
1986-1995 1
1996-2005 14
2006-2013 1
Total 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 July 12, 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,606 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 977 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 18
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 662 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 270 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 977 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 662; Laos, 270, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,040. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 278 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 717 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook
CFC #10218
| status.of.the.issue_8-14-17.pdf |
July 14, 2017
1,606 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,256 (VN-461, VS-795); Laos–295; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos has been showing greater flexibility, having earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country simultaneously, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and renewing a business license for a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility will continue to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 36
1976-1985 3
1986-1995 1
1996-2005 14
2006-2013 1
Total 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 July 12, 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,606 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 977 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 18
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 661 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 270 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 977 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 662; Laos, 270, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,040. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 278 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 717 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432 or
check the League website: www.pow-miafamilies.org
CFC #10218
1,606 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,256 (VN-461, VS-795); Laos–295; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos has been showing greater flexibility, having earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country simultaneously, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and renewing a business license for a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility will continue to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 36
1976-1985 3
1986-1995 1
1996-2005 14
2006-2013 1
Total 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 July 12, 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,606 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 977 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 18
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 661 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 270 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 977 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 662; Laos, 270, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,040. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 278 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 717 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432 or
check the League website: www.pow-miafamilies.org
CFC #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: July 1, 2017
1,607 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,256 (VN-461, VS-795); Laos–296; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos has been showing greater flexibility, having earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country simultaneously, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and renewing a business license for a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility will continue to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 36
1976-1985 3
1986-1995 1
1996-2005 14
2006-2013 1
Total 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 June 28, 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,607 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 976 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 17
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 661 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 269 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 976 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 662; Laos, 269, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,039. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 277 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 717 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
CFC #10218
1,607 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,256 (VN-461, VS-795); Laos–296; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos has been showing greater flexibility, having earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country simultaneously, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and renewing a business license for a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility will continue to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 36
1976-1985 3
1986-1995 1
1996-2005 14
2006-2013 1
Total 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 June 28, 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,607 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 976 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 17
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 661 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 269 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 976 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 662; Laos, 269, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,039. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 277 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 717 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
CFC #10218
June 13, 2017
1,609 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,257 (VN-462, VS-795); Laos–297; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos has been showing greater flexibility, having earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country simultaneously, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and renewing a business license for a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions, and greater flexibility will continue to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 June 13, 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,609 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 974 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 16
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 662 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 267 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 974 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 662; Laos, 268, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,037. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 276 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 716 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
CFC #10218
1,609 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,257 (VN-462, VS-795); Laos–297; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos has been showing greater flexibility, having earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country simultaneously, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and renewing a business license for a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions, and greater flexibility will continue to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 June 13, 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,609 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 974 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
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 16
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 662 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 267 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 974 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 662; Laos, 268, Cambodia, 42 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,037. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 276 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 716 from Vietnam, 42 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
CFC #10218
May 25, 2017
1,611 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,258 (VN-463, VS-795); Laos–297; Cambodia-49; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos has been showing greater flexibility, having earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country simultaneously, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and renewing a business license for a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility will continue to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 36
1976-1985 3
1986-1995 1
1996-2005 14
2006-2013 1
Total 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 April 18, 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,611 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 972 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
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 15
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 661 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 268 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 972 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 661; Laos, 268, Cambodia, 41 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,035. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 276 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 715 from Vietnam, 41 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
CFC #10218
1,611 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,258 (VN-463, VS-795); Laos–297; Cambodia-49; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos has been showing greater flexibility, having earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country simultaneously, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and renewing a business license for a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility will continue to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 36
1976-1985 3
1986-1995 1
1996-2005 14
2006-2013 1
Total 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 April 18, 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,611 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 972 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
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 15
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 661 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 268 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 972 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 661; Laos, 268, Cambodia, 41 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,035. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 276 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 715 from Vietnam, 41 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
CFC #10218
May 7, 2017
1,611 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,258 (VN-463, VS-795); Laos–297; Cambodia-49; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos has been showing greater flexibility, having earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country simultaneously, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and renewing a business license for a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility will continue to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 April 18, 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,611 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 972 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
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 15
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 661 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 268 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 972 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 661; Laos, 268, Cambodia, 41 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,035. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 276 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 715 from Vietnam, 41 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
CFC #10218
1,611 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,258 (VN-463, VS-795); Laos–297; Cambodia-49; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos has been showing greater flexibility, having earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country simultaneously, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and renewing a business license for a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility will continue to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 April 18, 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,611 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 972 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
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 15
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 661 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 268 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 972 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 661; Laos, 268, Cambodia, 41 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,035. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 276 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 715 from Vietnam, 41 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
CFC #10218
April 18, 2017
1,611 Americans are listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,258 (VN-463, VS-795); Laos–297; Cambodia-49; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos has been showing greater flexibility, having earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country simultaneously, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and renewing a business license for a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families..
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility will continue to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 April 18, 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,611 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 972 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
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 15
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 661 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 268 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 972 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 661; Laos, 268, Cambodia, 41 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,035. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 276 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 715 from Vietnam, 41 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
1,611 Americans are listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,258 (VN-463, VS-795); Laos–297; Cambodia-49; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos has been showing greater flexibility, having earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country simultaneously, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and renewing a business license for a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families..
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility will continue to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 April 18, 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,611 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 972 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
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 15
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 661 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 268 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 972 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 661; Laos, 268, Cambodia, 41 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,035. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 276 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 715 from Vietnam, 41 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
March 31, 2017
1,611 Americans are listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,257 (VN-463, VS-794); Laos–298; Cambodia-49; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos has been showing greater flexibility, having earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country simultaneously, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and renewing a business license for a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families..
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility will continue to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 March 31, 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,611 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 972 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
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 15
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 661 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 268 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 972 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 661; Laos, 268, Cambodia, 41 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,035. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 277 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 714 from Vietnam, 41 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432 or
CFC #10218
1,611 Americans are listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,257 (VN-463, VS-794); Laos–298; Cambodia-49; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Recently, Laos has been showing greater flexibility, having earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country simultaneously, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and renewing a business license for a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to at least temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery, to end the uncertainty of the families..
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and greater flexibility will continue to expand. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increase accounting results for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 March 31, 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,611 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 972 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
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 15
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 661 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 268 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 972 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 661; Laos, 268, Cambodia, 41 and the PRC, 3.
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,035. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 277 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 714 from Vietnam, 41 from Cambodia and 3 from the PRC.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432 or
CFC #10218
March 8, 2017
1,614 Americans are listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,260 (VN-463, VS-797); Laos–298; Cambodia-49; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier having increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and great flexibility will continue. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting Statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre 1976 1976 - 1985 1986 - 1995 1996 - 2005 2006 - 2013 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 March 7, 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,614 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 969 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
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 48
2012-2016 2nd Obama 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 658 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 268 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war.
There follows a breakdown by country of the 969 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War:
Vietnam 658
Laos 268
Cambodia 40
the PRC 3
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,032. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 277 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 711 from Vietnam, and 41 from Cambodia
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
1,614 Americans are listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,260 (VN-463, VS-797); Laos–298; Cambodia-49; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier having increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over two years ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. DIA has now decided to permanently station one Stony Beach Vietnam specialist in Hawaii and one in Hanoi, to which Vietnam has agreed. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, and increases in bilateral military relations clearly contributed to overcoming past reluctance. New US Ambassador to Laos Rena Bitter reportedly supports full use of DIA’s Lao specialist. It is hoped that ever-expanding bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions and great flexibility will continue. Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting Statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre 1976 1976 - 1985 1986 - 1995 1996 - 2005 2006 - 2013 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 March 7, 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,614 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 969 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses post April 30, 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
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 48
2012-2016 2nd Obama 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 658 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 268 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war.
There follows a breakdown by country of the 969 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War:
Vietnam 658
Laos 268
Cambodia 40
the PRC 3
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,032. Of the 63, 9 were from Laos, 53 from Vietnam, and 1 from Cambodia. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where access was possible, not due to cooperation with post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Added to results from government-to-government humanitarian cooperation post-war, a total of 277 have been recovered and identified from Laos, 711 from Vietnam, and 41 from Cambodia
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
March 2, 2017
1,616 Americans are listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,261 (VN-463, VS-798); Laos–299; Cambodia-49; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier having increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, despite strong support from, and interventions by, US Ambassador Dan Clune, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over a year ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos continues to support full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions on challenges facing this mission. The Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up DPAA recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 November 3, 2016, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,616 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 967 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
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 48
2012-2016 2nd Obama Administration 13
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 657 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 267 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 967 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975.
Vietnam 657 Laos 267
China 3 Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,030. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
1,616 Americans are listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,261 (VN-463, VS-798); Laos–299; Cambodia-49; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier having increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, despite strong support from, and interventions by, US Ambassador Dan Clune, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over a year ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos continues to support full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions on challenges facing this mission. The Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up DPAA recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 November 3, 2016, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,616 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 967 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
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 48
2012-2016 2nd Obama Administration 13
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 657 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 267 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 967 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975.
Vietnam 657 Laos 267
China 3 Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,030. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
November 3, 2016
1,618 Americans are listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,261 (VN-463, VS-798); Laos–301; Cambodia-49; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier having increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, despite strong support from, and interventions by, US Ambassador Dan Clune, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over a year ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos continues to support full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions on challenges facing this mission. The Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up DPAA recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985
1986-1995
1996-2005 2006-2013 Total
36 3 1 14 1 5
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 November 3, 2016, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,618 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 965 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
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 48
2012-2016 2nd Obama Administration 11
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 657 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 265 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 965 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975.
Vietnam 657 Laos 265
China 3 Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,028. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432 or
log onto the League web site: www.pow-miafamilies.org
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
October 4, 2016
1,618 Americans are listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,261 (VN-463, VS-798); Laos–301; Cambodia-49; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier having increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, despite strong support from, and interventions by, US Ambassador Dan Clune, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over a year ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos continues to support full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions on challenges facing this mission. The Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up DPAA recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 September 1, 2016, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,618 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 965 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
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 48
2012-2016 2nd Obama Administration 11
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 657 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 265 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 965 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975.
Vietnam 657 Laos 265
China 3 Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,028. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
September 1, 2016
1,618 Americans are listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,261 (VN-463, VS-798); Laos–301; Cambodia-49; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier having increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, despite strong support from, and interventions by, US Ambassador Dan Clune, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over a year ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos continues to support full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions on challenges facing this mission. The Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up DPAA recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 September 1, 2016, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,618 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 965 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 2
1974-1975 Winding down USG effort 28
1976-1978 US/SRV normalization negotiations 7
1979-1980 US/SRV talks break down 1
1981-1985 1st Reagan Administration 23
1985-1989 2nd Reagan Administration 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
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 48
2012-2016 2nd Obama Administration 11
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 657 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 265 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 965 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975.
Vietnam 657 Laos 265
China 3 Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,028. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
June 6, 2016
1,619 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,262 (VN-464, VS-798); Laos–301; Cambodia-49; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier having increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, despite strong support from, and interventions by, US Ambassador Dan Clune, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over a year ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos continues to support full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions on challenges facing this mission. The Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up DPAA recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 June 6, 2016, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,619 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 964 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
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 48
2012-2016 2nd Obama Administration 10
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 656 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 265 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 964 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975.
Vietnam 656
Laos 265
China 3
Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,027. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
May 19, 2016
1,620 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,263 (VN-465, VS-798); Laos–301; Cambodia-49; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier having increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, now allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, despite strong support from, and interventions by, US Ambassador Dan Clune, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over a year aso continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to procced on this humanitarian recovery.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos continues to support full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions on challenges facing this mission. The Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up DPAA recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 May 19, 2016, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,620 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 963 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
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 48
2012-2016 2nd Obama Administration 9
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 655 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 265 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 963 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975.
Vietnam 655 Laos 265
China 3 Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,026. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432 or
log onto the League web site: www.pow-miafamilies.org
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
May 10, 2016
1,621 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,264 (VN-466, VS-798); Laos–301; Cambodia-49; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier having increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, now allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, despite strong support from, and interventions by, US Ambassador Dan Clune, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over a year aso continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to procced on this humanitarian recovery.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos continues to support full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions on challenges facing this mission. The Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up DPAA recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: As of March 23, 2016, 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 May 10, 2016, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,621 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 962 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
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 48
2012-2015 2nd Obama Administration 8
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 654 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but eight of the 265 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 962 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 654 Laos 265
China 3 Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,025. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
March 26, 2016
1,621 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,264 (VN-466, VS-798); Laos–301; Cambodia-49; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier having increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, now allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. The Lao Government permits DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to full time in-country; however, is still far too limited in terms of operating outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, despite strong support from, and interventions by, US Ambassador Dan Clune, there are still challenges that must be addressed and resolved.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. The Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up DPAA recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War and worldwide accounting efforts are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterparts. These challenges are being addressed by Mr. Michael Linnington, named to lead the “complete reorganization” of the accounting community directed by former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: As of February 22, 2016, 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 March 26, 2016, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,621 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 90+% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 962 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
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 48
2012-2015 2nd Obama Administration 8
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 654 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but eight of the 265 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 962 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 654 Laos 265
China 3 Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,025. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
March 11, 2016
1,622 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,264 (VN-466, VS-798); Laos–302; Cambodia-49; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in large part to improvement of working-level efforts. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offer real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility; earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. Fairly recently, the Lao Government finally agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) field operations; however, despite strong support from, and interventions by, the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics challenges that must be addressed and resolved.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. The Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War and worldwide accounting efforts are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterpart officials. These problems are being addressed by Mr. Michael Linnington, named to lead the “complete reorganization” of the accounting community directed by former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: As of November 24, 2015, 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 March 11, 2016, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,622 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 90+% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 961 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 56
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 48
2012-2015 2nd Obama Administration 8
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 654 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 264 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 961 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 654 Laos 264
China 3 Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,024. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: January 4, 2016
1,624 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,266 (VN-467 VS-799); Laos–302; Cambodia-49; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in large part to improvement of working-level efforts. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offer real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility; earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. Fairly recently, the Lao Government finally agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) field operations; however, despite strong support from, and interventions by, the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics challenges that must be addressed and resolved.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. The Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War and worldwide accounting efforts are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterpart officials. These problems are being addressed by Mr. Michael Linnington, named to lead the “complete reorganization” of the accounting community directed by former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: As of November 24, 2015, 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 January 4, 2016, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,624 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 90+% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 959 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 56
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 48
2012-2015 2nd Obama Administration 8
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 654 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 264 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 961 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 654
Laos 264
China 3
Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,024. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
December 3, 2015
1,624 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,266 (VN-467 VS-799); Laos–302; Cambodia-49; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in large part to improvement of working-level efforts. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offer real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility; earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. Fairly recently, the Lao Government finally agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) field operations; however, despite strong support from, and interventions by, the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics challenges that must be addressed and resolved.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. The Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War and worldwide accounting efforts are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterpart officials. These problems are being addressed by Mr. Michael Linnington, named to lead the “complete reorganization” of the accounting community directed by former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: As of November 24, 2015, 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 December 3, 2015, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,624 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 90+% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 959 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 56
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 48
2012-2015 2nd Obama Administration 6
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 652 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 264 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 959 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 652
Laos 264
China 3
Cambo 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,022. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
November 24, 2015
1,624 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,266 (VN-467 VS-799); Laos–302; Cambodia-49; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in large part to improvement of working-level efforts. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offer real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility; earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. Fairly recently, the Lao Government finally agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) field operations; however, despite strong support from, and interventions by, the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics challenges that must be addressed and resolved.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. The Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War and worldwide accounting efforts are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterpart officials. These problems are being addressed by Mr. Michael Linnington, named to lead the “complete reorganization” of the accounting community directed by former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: As of November 24, 2015, 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 November 24, 2015, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,624 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 90+% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 959 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 56
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 48
2012-2015 2nd Obama Administration 6
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 652 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 264 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 959 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 652 Laos 264
China 3 Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,022. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: September 21, 2015
1,626 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,268 (VN-467 VS-801); Laos–302; Cambodia-49; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in large part to improvement of working-level efforts. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offer real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. Fairly recently, the Lao Government finally agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) field operations; however, despite strong support from, and interventions by, the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics challenges that must be addressed and resolved.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased accounting efforts in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and worldwide are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterpart officials. These problems are reportedly being addressed by the “complete reorganization” directed by former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, further archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel. Improved investigation efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: As of September 21, 2015, 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 September 21, 2015, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,626 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 90+% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 957 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 127
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 55
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 48
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration 6
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 650 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 264 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 957 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 650
Laos 264
China 3
Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,020. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
June 15, 2015
1,627 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,267 (VN-467 VS-802); Laos–302; Cambodia-49; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in large part to improvement of working-level efforts. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offer real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. Fairly recently, the Lao Government finally agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) field operations; however, despite strong support from, and interventions by, the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics challenges that must be addressed and resolved.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased accounting efforts in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and worldwide are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterpart officials. These problems are reportedly being addressed by the “complete reorganization” directed by former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, further archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel. Improved investigation efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: As of June 15, 2015, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.29%) were resolved: 1,340 (67.17%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 54 (2.71%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 47 (2.36%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 7 (0.35%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 54 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 Total
36 3 1 13 1 54
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 June 15, 2015, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,627 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 90+% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 956 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 127
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 54
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 48
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration 6
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 649 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 264 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 956 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 649 Laos 264
China 3 Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,019. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: May 1, 2015
1,627 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,267 (VN-465 VS-802); Laos–304; Cambodia-49; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. Gradually, Vietnam has increased implementation of earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in large part to improvement of working-level efforts, but also increased higher level interventions when needed. Recent actions offer real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. Fairly recently, the Lao Government finally agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) field operations; however, despite strong support from, and interventions by, the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics challenges that must be addressed and resolved.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
The greatest obstacle to increasing accounting efforts in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and worldwide are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterpart officials. These problems are reportedly being addressed by the “complete reorganization” directed by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, further archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel. Improved investigation efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: As of December 3, 2014, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 46 (2.31%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 7 (0.35%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 April 10, 2015, the Defense POW/MIA Office still lists 1,627 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 956 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 127
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 54
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 48
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration 6
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 649 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 264 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 956 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 649 Laos 264
China 3 Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,019. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: April 10, 2015
1,627 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,267 (VN-465 VS-802); Laos–304; Cambodia-49; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. Gradually, Vietnam has increased implementation of earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in large part to improvement of working-level efforts, but also increased higher level interventions when needed. Recent actions offer real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos, when needed. Also recently, the Lao Government agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) field operations; however, despite strong support from the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics issues that must be addressed.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
The greatest obstacle to increasing accounting efforts in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and worldwide are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterpart officials. These problems are reportedly being addressed by the “complete reorganization” directed by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, further archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increased accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel. Improved investigation efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: As of December 3, 2014, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 46 (2.31%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 7 (0.35%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 April 10, 2015, the Defense POW/MIA Office still lists 1,627 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 956 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 127
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 54
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 48
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration 6
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 649 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 264 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 956 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 649 Laos 264
China 3 Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,019. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432 or
log onto the League web site: www.pow-miafamilies.org
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
March 11, 2015
1,629 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,269 (VN-467 VS-802); Laos–302; Cambodia-51; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. Gradually, Vietnam has increased implementation of earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in large part to improvement of working-level efforts, but also increased higher level interventions when needed. Recent actions offer real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos, when needed. Also recently, the Lao Government agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) field operations; however, despite strong support from the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics issues that must be addressed.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
The greatest obstacle to increasing accounting efforts in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and worldwide are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterpart officials. These problems are reportedly being addressed by the “complete reorganization” directed by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, further archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increased accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel. Improved investigation efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: As of December 3, 2014, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 46 (2.31%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 7 (0.35%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 March 11, 2015, the Defense POW/MIA Office still lists 1,629 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 954 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 127
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 54
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 48
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration 5
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 648 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 264 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 954 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 648 Laos 264
China 3 Cambodia 39
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,017. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: February 26, 2015
1,636 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,272 (VN-468 VS-804); Laos–305; Cambodia-52; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. Gradually, Vietnam has increased implementation of earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in large part to improvement of working-level efforts, but also increased higher level interventions when needed. Recent actions offer real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos, when needed. Also recently, the Lao Government agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) field operations; however, despite strong support from the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics issues that must be addressed.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
The greatest obstacle to increasing accounting efforts in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and worldwide are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterpart officials. These problems are reportedly being addressed by the “complete reorganization” directed by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, further archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increased accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel. Improved investigation efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of December 3, 2014, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 46 (2.31%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 7 (0.35%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 February 26, 2015, the Defense POW/MIA Office still lists 1,636 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 947 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 126
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2ndClinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 44
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration 3
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 643 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 263 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 947 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 643
Laos 263
China 3
Cambodia 38
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,010. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: January 16, 2015
1,637 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,272 (VN-468 VS-804); Laos–306; Cambodia-52; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. Gradually, Vietnam has increased implementation of earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in large part to improvement of working-level efforts, but also increased higher level interventions when needed. Recent actions offer real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos, when needed. Also recently, the Lao Government agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) field operations; however, despite strong support from the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics issues that must be addressed.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
The greatest obstacle to increasing accounting efforts in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and worldwide are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterpart officials. These problems are reportedly being addressed by the “complete reorganization” directed by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, further archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increased accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel. Improved investigation efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of December 3, 2014, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 46 (2.31%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 7 (0.35%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 January 16, 2015, the Defense POW/MIA Office still lists 1,637 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 946 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 126
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2ndClinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 44
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration 3
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 643 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 262 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 946 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 643 Laos 262
China 3 Cambodia 38
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,009. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: January 3, 2015
1,638 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,273 (VN-468 VS-805); Laos–306; Cambodia-52; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. Gradually, Vietnam has increased implementation of earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in large part to improvement of working-level efforts, but also increased higher level interventions when needed. Recent actions offer real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos, when needed. Also recently, the Lao Government agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) field operations; however, despite strong support from the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics issues that must be addressed.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
The greatest obstacle to increasing accounting efforts in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and worldwide are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterpart officials. These problems are reportedly being addressed by the “complete reorganization” directed by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, further archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increased accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel. Improved investigation efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO
Live Sightings: As of December 3, 2014, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 46 (2.31%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 7 (0.35%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 January 3, 2015, the Defense POW/MIA Office still lists 1,638 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 945 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2ndClinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 44
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration 3
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 642 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 262 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 945 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 642
Laos 262
China 3
Cambodia 38
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,008. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: October 25, 2014
1,639 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,274 (VN-469 VS-805); Laos–306; Cambodia-52; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. In May, 2012, Hanoi implemented earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks to renewal of working-level efforts, as well as high level attention by the Departments of State and Defense. These and more recent actions offer real promise for greater success. Although first undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to the increase in military-to-military relations, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels
Until recently, joint field operations in Laos were increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to recent Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and to deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility and has increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos and Cambodia, when needed. Most recently, the Lao Government agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) field operations; however, despite strong support from the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics issue that must be addressed.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential sources. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions are not further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
After temporarily overcoming successive budget crises, the greatest obstacle to increasing accounting efforts in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and worldwide are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to Laos and other governments. These problems are being addressed by the “complete reorganization” directed by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, further archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increased accounting for missing Americans. Renewed working-level efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of October 21, 2014, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 46 (2.31%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 7 (0.35%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 October 24, 2014, the Defense POW/MIA Office still lists 1,639 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 944 Americans accounted for from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (more recently identified) 2
1974-1975 Post war years: 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 167
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2ndClinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 44
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration 3
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 641 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 262 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 944 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 641
Laos 262
China 3
Cambodia 38
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,007. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: September 18, 2014
1,641 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,275 (VN-469 VS-806); Laos–306; Cambodia-53; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. In May, 2012, Hanoi implemented earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks to renewal of working-level efforts, as well as high level attention by the Departments of State and Defense. These and more recent actions offer real promise for greater success. Although first undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to the increase in military-to-military relations, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
Until recently, joint field operations in Laos were increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to recent Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and to deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility and has increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos and Cambodia, when needed. Most recently, the Lao Government agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) field operations; however, despite strong support from the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics issue that must be addressed.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential sources. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions are not further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
After temporarily overcoming successive budget crises, the greatest obstacle to increasing accounting efforts in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and worldwide are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to Laos and other governments. These problems are being addressed by the “complete reorganization” directed by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, further archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increased accounting for missing Americans. Renewed working-level efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of June 3, 2014, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 47 (2.36%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 6 (0.30%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 36
1976-1985 3
1986-1995 1
1996-2005 12
2006-2013 1
Total 53
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 September 18, 2014, the Defense POW/MIA Office still lists 1,641 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 942 Americans accounted for from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (more recently identified) 2
1974-1975 Post war years: 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 166
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 44
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration 2
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 640 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 262 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 942 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 640
Laos 262
China 3
Cambodia 37
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,005. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: August 13, 2014
1,641 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,275 (VN-469 VS-806); Laos–306; Cambodia-53; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. In May, 2012, Hanoi implemented earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks to renewal of working-level efforts, as well as high level attention by the Departments of State and Defense. These and more recent actions offer real promise for greater success. Although first undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to the increase in military-to-military relations, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
Until recently, joint field operations in Laos were increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to recent Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and to deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility and has increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos and Cambodia, when needed. Most recently, the Lao Government agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) field operations; however, despite strong support from the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics issue that must be addressed.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential sources. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions are not further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
After temporarily overcoming successive budget crises, the greatest obstacle to increasing accounting efforts in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and worldwide are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to Laos and other governments. These problems are being addressed by the “complete reorganization” directed by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, further archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increased accounting for missing Americans. Renewed working-level efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of June 3, 2014, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 47 (2.36%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 6 (0.30%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 August 13, 2014, the Defense POW/MIA Office still lists 1,641 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 942Americans accounted for from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (more recently identified) 2
1974-1975 Post war years: 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 166
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2ndClinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 44
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration 2
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 640 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 262 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 942 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 640
Laos 262
China 3
Cambodia 37
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,005. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
July 1, 2014
1,642 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,275 (VN-469 VS-806); Laos – 307; Cambodia – 53; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters – 7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. In May, 2012, Hanoi implemented earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks to renewal of working-level efforts, as well as high level attention by the Departments of State and Defense. These and more recent actions offer real promise for greater success. Although first undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to the increase in military-to-military relations, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
Until recently, joint field operations in Laos were increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to recent Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and to deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility and has increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos and Cambodia, when needed. Most recently, the Lao Government agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) field operations; however, despite strong support from the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics issue that must be addressed.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential sources. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions are not further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
After temporarily overcoming successive budget crises, the greatest obstacle to increasing accounting efforts in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and worldwide are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to Laos and other governments. These problems are being addressed by the “complete reorganization” directed by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, further archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increased accounting for missing Americans. Renewed working-level efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of June 3, 2014, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 47 (2.36%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 6 (0.30%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 July 1, 2014, the Defense POW/MIA Office still lists 1,642 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 941Americans accounted for from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (more recently identified) 2
1974-1975 Post war years 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 166
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 44
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration 1
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 640 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 261 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 941 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 640
Laos 261
China 3
Cambodia 37
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,004. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: May 10, 2014
1,642 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,275 (VN-469 VS-806); Laos – 307; Cambodia – 53; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters – 7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government does not rule out that possibility.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. In May, 2012, Hanoi responded to earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks to renewal of working-level efforts, as well as high level attention by the Departments of State and Defense. These and more recent actions offer real promise for greater success. Although first undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to the increase in military-to-military relations, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
Until recently, joint field operations in Laos were increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to recent Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, has increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos and Cambodia, when needed. Most recently, the Lao Government agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) POW/MIA specialist from the Stony Beach Team to operate outside the confines of scheduled Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) field operations, but there are still some obstacles to access that need to be addressed. After overcoming successive budget crises, at least temporarily, the remaining obstacle to increasing the pace and scope of accounting efforts in Laos is having available a sufficient number of qualified scientists to lead recovery teams, a problem now being addressed by the US Pacific Command (PACOM) and JPAC
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential sources. Vietnam was long ago requested to give, and is still considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists, and the US Ambassador has strongly supported this important move. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions are not further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Thankfully, Vietnam has recently begun to be more responsive to renewed US requests for case-specific records on our losses in these countries. Unilateral actions by the respective governments, archival records research, interviews and field operations are the core means of increased accounting for missing Americans. Renewed working-level efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of January 23, 2013 (date of last data provided), 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 47 (2.36%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 6 (0.30%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2011 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 May 10, 2014, the Defense POW/MIA Office still lists 1,642 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 941 Americans accounted for from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years (recently identified)
2
1974-1975 Post war years
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
166
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration
125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration
326
1997-2001 2ndClinton Administration
53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration
63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration
62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration
44
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration
1
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 640 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 261 Americans accounted-for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven remains were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 941 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 640
Laos 261
China 3
Cambodia 37
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,004. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
March 11, 2014
1,642 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,275 (VN-469 VS-806); Laos – 307; Cambodia – 53; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters – 7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government does not rule out that possibility.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. In May, 2012, Hanoi responded to earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks to renewal of working-level efforts, as well as high level attention by the Departments of State and Defense. These and more recent actions offer real promise for greater success. Although first undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to the increase in military-to-military relations, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
Until recently, joint field operations in Laos were increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to recent Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, has increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos and Cambodia, when needed. Most recently, the Lao Government agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) POW/MIA specialist from the Stony Beach Team to operate outside the confines of scheduled Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) field operations, but there are still some obstacles to access that need to be addressed. After overcoming successive budget crises, at least temporarily, the remaining obstacle to increasing the pace and scope of accounting efforts in Laos is having available a sufficient number of qualified scientists to lead recovery teams, a problem now being addressed by the US Pacific Command (PACOM) and JPAC
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential sources. Vietnam was long ago requested to give, and is still considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists, and the US Ambassador has strongly supported this important move. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions are not further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Thankfully, Vietnam has recently begun to be more responsive to renewed US requests for case-specific records on our losses in these countries. Unilateral actions by the respective governments, archival records research, interviews and field operations are the core means of increased accounting for missing Americans. Renewed working-level efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS – Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of January 23, 2013 (date of last data provided), 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 47 (2.36%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 6 (0.30%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2011 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 March 11, 2014, the Defense POW/MIA Office still lists 1,642 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 941 Americans accounted for from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 2
1974-1975 Post war years: 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 166
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2ndClinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 44
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration 1
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 640 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 261 Americans accounted-for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven remains were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 941 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 640
Laos 261
China 3
Cambodia 37
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,004. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432 or visit us on Facebook
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: March 10, 2014
1,643 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,275 (VN-469 VS-806); Laos – 308; Cambodia – 53; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters – 7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government does not rule out that possibility.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. In May, 2012, Hanoi responded to earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks to renewal of working-level efforts, as well as high level attention by the Departments of State and Defense. These and more recent actions offer real promise for greater success. Although first undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to the increase in military-to-military relations, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
Until recently, joint field operations in Laos were increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to recent Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, has increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos and Cambodia, when needed. Most recently, the Lao Government agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) POW/MIA specialist from the Stony Beach Team to operate outside the confines of scheduled Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) field operations, but there are still some obstacles to access that need to be addressed. After overcoming successive budget crises, at least temporarily, the remaining obstacle to increasing the pace and scope of accounting efforts in Laos is having available a sufficient number of qualified scientists to lead recovery teams, a problem now being addressed by the US Pacific Command (PACOM) and JPAC
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential sources. Vietnam was long ago requested to give, and is still considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists, and the US Ambassador has strongly supported this important move. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions are not further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Thankfully, Vietnam has recently begun to be more responsive to renewed US requests for case-specific records on our losses in these countries. Unilateral actions by the respective governments, archival records research, interviews and field operations are the core means of increased accounting for missing Americans. Renewed working-level efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of January 23, 2013 (date of last data provided), 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 47 (2.36%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 6 (0.30%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2011 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 March 7, 2014, the Defense POW/MIA Office still lists 1,643 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 940 Americans accounted for from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 2
1974-1975 Post war years 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 166
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 44
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 640 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 260 Americans accounted-for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven remains were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 940 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 640
Laos 260
China 3
Cambodia 37
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,003. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432 or log onto the League web site: www.pow-miafamilies.org
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: January 14, 2014
1,643 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,275 (VN-469 VS-806); Laos – 308; Cambodia – 53; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters – 7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans may still be alive. As policy, the US Government does not rule out the possibility that Americans could still be held.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential, and still do. In May, 2012, Hanoi responded to earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks to recent renewal of working-level efforts, as well as high level attention by the Departments of State and Defense. These and more recent actions offer real promise for greater success. Although first undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions with the March 2009 League Delegation. Due to the increase in military-to-military relations, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
Until recently, joint field operations in Laos were increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts have slowed due to recent Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and, until recently, denying permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, has increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites and has now renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos and Cambodia, when needed. This time-consuming, expensive process could be partially alleviated with fuller access to relevant archival documents, though Vietnam has dramatically improved working-level archival research efforts. US officials have worked with counterpart Vietnamese to ensure that all opportunities are pursued seriously, and results have improved significantly.
Research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. One full-time Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) POW/MIA specialist (Stony Beach Team) works at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh. The Lao Government finally agreed to allow DIA’s in-country POW/MIA specialist (Stony Beach) to re-engage in field investigations, but not yet as intended on a continuing basis outside of JPAC field operations. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential sources. Vietnam was long ago requested to give, and is still considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists, and the US Ambassador has strongly supported this important move. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions are not further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war, Thankfully, Vietnam has recently begun to be more responsive to renewed US requests for case-specific records on our losses in these countries. Unilateral actions by the respective governments, archival records research, interviews and field operations are the core means of increased accounting for missing Americans. Renewed working-level efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of January 23, 2013, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 47 (2.36%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 6 (0.30%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2011 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 January 14, 2014, the Defense POW/MIA Office lists 1,643 Americans as still 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 940 Americans accounted for from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 2
1974-1975 Post war years: 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 166
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2ndClinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 44
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 640 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 260 Americans accounted-for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven remains were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 940 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 640
Laos 260
China 3
Cambodia 37
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted-for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,003. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
December 17, 2013
1,643 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,275 (VN-469 VS-806); Laos – 308; Cambodia – 53; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters – 7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans may still be alive. As policy, the US Government does not rule out the possibility that Americans could still be held.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential, and still do. In May, 2012, Hanoi responded to earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks to recent renewal of working-level efforts, as well as high level attention by the Departments of State and Defense. These and more recent actions offer real promise for greater success. Although first undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions with the March 2009 League Delegation. Due to the increase in military-to-military relations, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
Until recently, joint field operations in Laos were increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts have slowed due to recent Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and, until recently, denying permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, has increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites and has now renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos and Cambodia, when needed. This time-consuming, expensive process could be partially alleviated with fuller access to relevant archival documents, though Vietnam has dramatically improved working-level archival research efforts. US officials have worked with counterpart Vietnamese to ensure that all opportunities are pursued seriously, and results have improved significantly.
Research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. One full-time Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) POW/MIA specialist (Stony Beach Team) works at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh. The Lao Government finally agreed to allow DIA’s in-country POW/MIA specialist (Stony Beach) to re-engage in field investigations, but not yet as intended on a continuing basis outside of JPAC field operations. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential sources. Vietnam was long ago requested to give, and is still considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists, and the US Ambassador has strongly supported this important move. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions are not further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war, Thankfully, Vietnam has recently begun to be more responsive to renewed US requests for case-specific records on our losses in these countries. Unilateral actions by the respective governments, archival records research, interviews and field operations are the core means of increased accounting for missing Americans. Renewed working-level efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of January 23, 2013, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 47 (2.36%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 6 (0.30%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2011 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 December 16, 2013, the Defense POW/MIA Office lists 1,643 Americans as still 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 940 Americans accounted for from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 2
1974-1975 Post war years: 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 166
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2ndClinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 44
2013- 2nd Obama Administration
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 640 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 260 Americans accounted-for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven remains were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 940 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 640
Laos 260
China 3
Cambodia 37
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted-for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,003. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: November 15, 2013
1,643 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,275 (VN-469 VS-806); Laos – 308; Cambodia – 53; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters – 7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans may still be alive. As policy, the US Government does not rule out the possibility that Americans could still be held.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential, and still do. In May, 2012, Hanoi responded to earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks to recent renewal of working-level efforts, as well as high level attention by the Departments of State and Defense. These and more recent actions offer real promise for greater success. Although first undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions with the March 2009 League Delegation. Due to the increase in military-to-military relations, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
Until recently, joint field operations in Laos were increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts have slowed due to recent Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and, until recently, denying permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, has increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites and has now renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos and Cambodia, when needed. This time-consuming, expensive process could be partially alleviated with fuller access to relevant archival documents, though Vietnam has dramatically improved working-level archival research efforts. US officials have worked with counterpart Vietnamese to ensure that all opportunities are pursued seriously, and results have improved significantly.
Research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. One full-time Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) POW/MIA specialist (Stony Beach Team) works at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh. The Lao Government finally agreed to allow DIA’s in-country POW/MIA specialist (Stony Beach) to re-engage in field investigations, but not yet as intended on a continuing basis outside of JPAC field operations. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential sources. Vietnam was long ago requested to give, and is still considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists, and the US Ambassador has strongly supported this important move. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions are not further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war, Thankfully, Vietnam has recently begun to be more responsive to renewed US requests for case-specific records on our losses in these countries. Unilateral actions by the respective governments, archival records research, interviews and field operations are the core means of increased accounting for missing Americans. Renewed working-level efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of January 23, 2013, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 47 (2.36%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 6 (0.30%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2011 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 November 15, 2013, the Defense POW/MIA Office lists 1,643 Americans as still 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 940 Americans accounted for from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 2
1974-1975 Post war years: 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 166
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2ndClinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 44
2013- 2nd Obama Administration
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 640 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 260 Americans accounted-for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven remains were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 940 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 640
Laos 260
China 3
Cambodia 37
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted-for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,003. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: October 10, 2013
1,643 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,275 (VN-469 VS-806); Laos – 308; Cambodia – 53; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters – 7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans may still be alive. As policy, the US Government does not rule out the possibility that Americans could still be held.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential, and still do. In May, 2012, Hanoi responded to earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks to recent renewal of working-level efforts, as well as high level attention by the Departments of State and Defense. These and more recent actions offer real promise for greater success. Although first undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions with the March 2009 League Delegation. Due to the increase in military-to-military relations, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
Until recently, joint field operations in Laos were increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts have slowed due to recent Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and, until recently, denying permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, has increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites and has now renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos and Cambodia, when needed. This time-consuming, expensive process could be partially alleviated with fuller access to relevant archival documents, though Vietnam has dramatically improved working-level archival research efforts. US officials have worked with counterpart Vietnamese to ensure that all opportunities are pursued seriously, and results have improved significantly.
Research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. One full-time Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) POW/MIA specialist (Stony Beach Team) works at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh. The Lao Government finally agreed to allow DIA’s in-country POW/MIA specialist (Stony Beach) to re-engage in field investigations, but not yet as intended on a continuing basis outside of JPAC field operations. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential sources. Vietnam was long ago requested to give, and is still considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists, and the US Ambassador has strongly supported this important move. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions are not further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war, Thankfully, Vietnam has recently begun to be more responsive to renewed US requests for case-specific records on our losses in these countries. Unilateral actions by the respective governments, archival records research, interviews and field operations are the core means of increased accounting for missing Americans. Renewed working-level efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of January 23, 2013, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 47 (2.36%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 6 (0.30%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2011 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 October 10, 2013, the Defense POW/MIA Office lists 1,643 Americans as still 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 940 Americans accounted for from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 2
1974-1975 Post war years: 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 166
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2ndClinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 44
2013- 2nd Obama Administration
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 640 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 260 Americans accounted-for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven remains were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 940 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 640 Laos 260
China 3 Cambodia 37
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted-for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,003. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: September 12, 2013
1,644 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,276 (VN-469 VS-807); Laos – 308; Cambodia – 53; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters – 7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans may still be alive. As policy, the US Government does not rule out the possibility that Americans could still be held.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential, and still do. In May, 2012, Hanoi responded to earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks to recent renewal of working-level efforts, as well as high level attention by the Departments of State and Defense. These and more recent actions offer real promise for greater success. Although first undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions with the March 2009 League Delegation. Due to the increase in military-to-military relations, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
Until recently, joint field operations in Laos were increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts have slowed due to recent Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and, until recently, denying permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, has increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites and has now renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos and Cambodia, when needed. This time-consuming, expensive process could be partially alleviated with fuller access to relevant archival documents, though Vietnam has dramatically improved working-level archival research efforts. US officials have worked with counterpart Vietnamese to ensure that all opportunities are pursued seriously, and results have improved significantly.
Research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. One full-time Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) POW/MIA specialist (Stony Beach Team) works at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh. The Lao Government finally agreed to allow DIA’s in-country POW/MIA specialist (Stony Beach) to re-engage in field investigations, but not yet as intended on a continuing basis outside of JPAC field operations. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential sources. Vietnam was long ago requested to give, and is still considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists, and the US Ambassador has strongly supported this important move. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions are not further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war, Thankfully, Vietnam has recently begun to be more responsive to renewed US requests for case-specific records on our losses in these countries. Unilateral actions by the respective governments, archival records research, interviews and field operations are the core means of increased accounting for missing Americans. Renewed working-level efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of January 23, 2013, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 47 (2.36%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 6 (0.30%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2011 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 September 11, 2013, the Defense POW/MIA Office lists 1,644 Americans as still 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 939 Americans accounted for from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 2
1974-1975 Post war years: 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 166
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2ndClinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 43
2013- 2nd Obama Administration
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 639 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 260 Americans accounted-for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven remains were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 939 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 639
Laos 260
China 3
Cambodia 37
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted-for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,002. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
June 24, 2013
1,645 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,276 (VN-469 VS-807); Laos – 309; Cambodia – 53; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters – 7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans may still be alive. As policy, the US Government does not rule out the possibility that Americans could still be held.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential, and still do. In May, 2012, Hanoi responded to earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks to recent renewal of working-level efforts, as well as high level attention by the Departments of State and Defense. These and more recent actions offer real promise for greater success. Although first undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions with the March 2009 League Delegation. Due to the increase in military-to-military relations, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
Until recently, joint field operations in Laos were increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts have slowed due to recent Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and, until recently, denying permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, has increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites and has now renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos and Cambodia, when needed. This time-consuming, expensive process could be partially alleviated with fuller access to relevant archival documents, though Vietnam has dramatically improved working-level archival research efforts. US officials have worked with counterpart Vietnamese to ensure that all opportunities are pursued seriously, and results have improved significantly.
Research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. One full-time Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) POW/MIA specialist (Stony Beach Team) works at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh. The Lao Government finally agreed to allow DIA’s in-country POW/MIA specialist (Stony Beach) to re-engage in field investigations, but not yet as intended on a continuing basis outside of JPAC field operations. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential sources. Vietnam was long ago requested to give, and is still considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists, and the US Ambassador has strongly supported this important move. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions are not further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war, Thankfully, Vietnam has recently begun to be more responsive to renewed US requests for case-specific records on our losses in these countries. Unilateral actions by the respective governments, archival records research, interviews and field operations are the core means of increased accounting for missing Americans. Renewed working-level efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of January 23, 2013, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 47 (2.36%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 6 (0.30%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2011 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 June 21, 2013, the Defense POW/MIA Office lists 1,645 Americans as still 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 938 Americans accounted for from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 2
1974-1975 Post war years: 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 166
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2ndClinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 42
2013- 2nd Obama Administration
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 639 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 259 Americans accounted-for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven remains were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 938 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 639 Laos 259
China 3 Cambodia 37
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted-for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,001. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
1,618 Americans are listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,261 (VN-463, VS-798); Laos–301; Cambodia-49; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier having increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, despite strong support from, and interventions by, US Ambassador Dan Clune, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over a year ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos continues to support full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions on challenges facing this mission. The Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up DPAA recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985
1986-1995
1996-2005 2006-2013 Total
36 3 1 14 1 5
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 November 3, 2016, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,618 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 965 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
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 48
2012-2016 2nd Obama Administration 11
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 657 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 265 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 965 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975.
Vietnam 657 Laos 265
China 3 Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,028. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432 or
log onto the League web site: www.pow-miafamilies.org
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
October 4, 2016
1,618 Americans are listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,261 (VN-463, VS-798); Laos–301; Cambodia-49; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier having increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, despite strong support from, and interventions by, US Ambassador Dan Clune, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over a year ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos continues to support full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions on challenges facing this mission. The Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up DPAA recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 September 1, 2016, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,618 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 965 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
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 48
2012-2016 2nd Obama Administration 11
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 657 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 265 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 965 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975.
Vietnam 657 Laos 265
China 3 Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,028. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
September 1, 2016
1,618 Americans are listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,261 (VN-463, VS-798); Laos–301; Cambodia-49; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier having increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, despite strong support from, and interventions by, US Ambassador Dan Clune, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over a year ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos continues to support full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions on challenges facing this mission. The Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up DPAA recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 September 1, 2016, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,618 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 965 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 2
1974-1975 Winding down USG effort 28
1976-1978 US/SRV normalization negotiations 7
1979-1980 US/SRV talks break down 1
1981-1985 1st Reagan Administration 23
1985-1989 2nd Reagan Administration 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
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 48
2012-2016 2nd Obama Administration 11
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 657 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 265 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 965 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975.
Vietnam 657 Laos 265
China 3 Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,028. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
June 6, 2016
1,619 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,262 (VN-464, VS-798); Laos–301; Cambodia-49; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier having increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, despite strong support from, and interventions by, US Ambassador Dan Clune, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over a year ago continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to proceed on this humanitarian recovery.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos continues to support full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions on challenges facing this mission. The Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up DPAA recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists, and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 June 6, 2016, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,619 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 964 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
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 48
2012-2016 2nd Obama Administration 10
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 656 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 265 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 964 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975.
Vietnam 656
Laos 265
China 3
Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,027. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
May 19, 2016
1,620 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,263 (VN-465, VS-798); Laos–301; Cambodia-49; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier having increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, now allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, despite strong support from, and interventions by, US Ambassador Dan Clune, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over a year aso continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to procced on this humanitarian recovery.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos continues to support full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions on challenges facing this mission. The Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up DPAA recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 May 19, 2016, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,620 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 963 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
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 48
2012-2016 2nd Obama Administration 9
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 655 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 265 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. Six were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 963 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975.
Vietnam 655 Laos 265
China 3 Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, for a grand total of 1,026. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432 or
log onto the League web site: www.pow-miafamilies.org
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
May 10, 2016
1,621 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,264 (VN-466, VS-798); Laos–301; Cambodia-49; 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are reportedly are raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier having increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, now allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist is assigned full time in-country; however, his efforts are impeded by Lao reluctance to permit him to operate outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, despite strong support from, and interventions by, US Ambassador Dan Clune, a border dispute with Cambodia that was ongoing when the League Delegation visited over a year aso continues to impede recovery operations in that area. The League urges officials in Laos and Cambodia to temporarily set aside their political disagreement and work trilaterally with the US to procced on this humanitarian recovery.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos continues to support full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions on challenges facing this mission. The Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and able to facilitate locating incident sites for follow-up DPAA recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War accounting efforts are too few qualified scientists and unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending negative signals to foreign counterpart officials, especially in Vietnam. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnamese forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: As of March 23, 2016, 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 May 10, 2016, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,621 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 80-90% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 962 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
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 48
2012-2015 2nd Obama Administration 8
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 654 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but eight of the 265 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 962 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 654 Laos 265
China 3 Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,025. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
March 26, 2016
1,621 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,264 (VN-466, VS-798); Laos–301; Cambodia-49; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them offered significant potential. Vietnam has since taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, plus announced that there are no obstacles to full cooperation. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in part to improvement of working-level efforts, but primarily due to increased bilateral relations across the board. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offered real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results, including both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by a few US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government inflexibility, attempting to over-price payment for helicopter support and denying permission for ground transport to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier having increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, now allowing ground transport to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, small helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. The Lao Government permits DIA’s Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to full time in-country; however, is still far too limited in terms of operating outside the confines of scheduled DPAA field operations. Also, despite strong support from, and interventions by, US Ambassador Dan Clune, there are still challenges that must be addressed and resolved.
Related to 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. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. The Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up DPAA recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War and worldwide accounting efforts are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterparts. These challenges are being addressed by Mr. Michael Linnington, named to lead the “complete reorganization” of the accounting community directed by former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: As of February 22, 2016, 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 March 26, 2016, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,621 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 90+% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 962 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
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 48
2012-2015 2nd Obama Administration 8
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 654 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but eight of the 265 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 962 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 654 Laos 265
China 3 Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,025. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
March 11, 2016
1,622 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,264 (VN-466, VS-798); Laos–302; Cambodia-49; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in large part to improvement of working-level efforts. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offer real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility; earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. Fairly recently, the Lao Government finally agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) field operations; however, despite strong support from, and interventions by, the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics challenges that must be addressed and resolved.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. The Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War and worldwide accounting efforts are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterpart officials. These problems are being addressed by Mr. Michael Linnington, named to lead the “complete reorganization” of the accounting community directed by former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: As of November 24, 2015, 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 March 11, 2016, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,622 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 90+% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 961 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 56
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 48
2012-2015 2nd Obama Administration 8
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 654 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 264 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 961 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 654 Laos 264
China 3 Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,024. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: January 4, 2016
1,624 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,266 (VN-467 VS-799); Laos–302; Cambodia-49; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in large part to improvement of working-level efforts. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offer real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility; earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. Fairly recently, the Lao Government finally agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) field operations; however, despite strong support from, and interventions by, the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics challenges that must be addressed and resolved.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. The Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War and worldwide accounting efforts are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterpart officials. These problems are being addressed by Mr. Michael Linnington, named to lead the “complete reorganization” of the accounting community directed by former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: As of November 24, 2015, 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 January 4, 2016, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,624 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 90+% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 959 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 56
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 48
2012-2015 2nd Obama Administration 8
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 654 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 264 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 961 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 654
Laos 264
China 3
Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,024. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
December 3, 2015
1,624 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,266 (VN-467 VS-799); Laos–302; Cambodia-49; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in large part to improvement of working-level efforts. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offer real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility; earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. Fairly recently, the Lao Government finally agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) field operations; however, despite strong support from, and interventions by, the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics challenges that must be addressed and resolved.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. The Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War and worldwide accounting efforts are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterpart officials. These problems are being addressed by Mr. Michael Linnington, named to lead the “complete reorganization” of the accounting community directed by former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: As of November 24, 2015, 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 December 3, 2015, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,624 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 90+% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 959 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 56
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 48
2012-2015 2nd Obama Administration 6
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 652 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 264 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 959 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 652
Laos 264
China 3
Cambo 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,022. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
November 24, 2015
1,624 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,266 (VN-467 VS-799); Laos–302; Cambodia-49; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in large part to improvement of working-level efforts. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offer real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility; earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. Fairly recently, the Lao Government finally agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) field operations; however, despite strong support from, and interventions by, the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics challenges that must be addressed and resolved.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. The Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process while witnesses are still living and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased Vietnam War and worldwide accounting efforts are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterpart officials. These problems are being addressed by Mr. Michael Linnington, named to lead the “complete reorganization” of the accounting community directed by former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Since over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war, Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, improved and increased archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: As of November 24, 2015, 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 November 24, 2015, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,624 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 90+% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 959 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 128
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 56
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 48
2012-2015 2nd Obama Administration 6
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 652 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 264 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 959 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 652 Laos 264
China 3 Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,022. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: September 21, 2015
1,626 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,268 (VN-467 VS-801); Laos–302; Cambodia-49; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in large part to improvement of working-level efforts. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offer real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. Fairly recently, the Lao Government finally agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) field operations; however, despite strong support from, and interventions by, the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics challenges that must be addressed and resolved.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased accounting efforts in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and worldwide are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterpart officials. These problems are reportedly being addressed by the “complete reorganization” directed by former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, further archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel. Improved investigation efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: As of September 21, 2015, 1,996 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.24%) were 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 years in which these 55 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 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 September 21, 2015, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,626 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 90+% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 957 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 127
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 55
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 48
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration 6
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 650 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 264 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 957 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 650
Laos 264
China 3
Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,020. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
June 15, 2015
1,627 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,267 (VN-467 VS-802); Laos–302; Cambodia-49; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Vietnam established comprehensive wartime and post-war processes to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. Recently, Vietnam has increased implementation of commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in large part to improvement of working-level efforts. The early 2015 League Delegation brought commitments that offer real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now much more effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and supported by fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are now allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations, when requested. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. Fairly recently, the Lao Government finally agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) field operations; however, despite strong support from, and interventions by, the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics challenges that must be addressed and resolved.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
The greatest obstacles to increased accounting efforts in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and worldwide are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterpart officials. These problems are reportedly being addressed by the “complete reorganization” directed by former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, further archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel. Improved investigation efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: As of June 15, 2015, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,941 (97.29%) were resolved: 1,340 (67.17%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 54 (2.71%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 47 (2.36%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 7 (0.35%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 54 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 Total
36 3 1 13 1 54
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 June 15, 2015, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 1,627 Americans as missing and unaccounted-for, 90+% of them in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos where Vietnamese operated during the war. A breakdown by year of recovery for the 956 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 127
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 54
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 48
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration 6
According to the DPAA Lab, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 649 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 264 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint recoveries. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 956 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 649 Laos 264
China 3 Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,019. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: May 1, 2015
1,627 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,267 (VN-465 VS-802); Laos–304; Cambodia-49; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. Gradually, Vietnam has increased implementation of earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in large part to improvement of working-level efforts, but also increased higher level interventions when needed. Recent actions offer real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. When helpful, Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint US-Lao operations. Fairly recently, the Lao Government finally agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) field operations; however, despite strong support from, and interventions by, the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics challenges that must be addressed and resolved.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
The greatest obstacle to increasing accounting efforts in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and worldwide are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterpart officials. These problems are reportedly being addressed by the “complete reorganization” directed by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, further archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to expand accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel. Improved investigation efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: As of December 3, 2014, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 46 (2.31%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 7 (0.35%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 April 10, 2015, the Defense POW/MIA Office still lists 1,627 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 956 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 127
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 54
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 48
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration 6
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 649 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 264 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 956 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 649 Laos 264
China 3 Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,019. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: April 10, 2015
1,627 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,267 (VN-465 VS-802); Laos–304; Cambodia-49; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. Gradually, Vietnam has increased implementation of earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in large part to improvement of working-level efforts, but also increased higher level interventions when needed. Recent actions offer real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos, when needed. Also recently, the Lao Government agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) field operations; however, despite strong support from the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics issues that must be addressed.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
The greatest obstacle to increasing accounting efforts in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and worldwide are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterpart officials. These problems are reportedly being addressed by the “complete reorganization” directed by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, further archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increased accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel. Improved investigation efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: As of December 3, 2014, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 46 (2.31%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 7 (0.35%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 April 10, 2015, the Defense POW/MIA Office still lists 1,627 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 956 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 127
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 54
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 48
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration 6
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 649 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 264 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 956 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 649 Laos 264
China 3 Cambodia 40
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,019. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432 or
log onto the League web site: www.pow-miafamilies.org
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
March 11, 2015
1,629 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,269 (VN-467 VS-802); Laos–302; Cambodia-51; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. Gradually, Vietnam has increased implementation of earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in large part to improvement of working-level efforts, but also increased higher level interventions when needed. Recent actions offer real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos, when needed. Also recently, the Lao Government agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) field operations; however, despite strong support from the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics issues that must be addressed.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
The greatest obstacle to increasing accounting efforts in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and worldwide are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterpart officials. These problems are reportedly being addressed by the “complete reorganization” directed by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, further archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increased accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel. Improved investigation efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
Live Sightings: As of December 3, 2014, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 46 (2.31%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 7 (0.35%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 March 11, 2015, the Defense POW/MIA Office still lists 1,629 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 954 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 127
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 54
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 48
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration 5
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for less than 200 of the 648 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 264 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 954 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 648 Laos 264
China 3 Cambodia 39
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,017. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: February 26, 2015
1,636 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,272 (VN-468 VS-804); Laos–305; Cambodia-52; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. Gradually, Vietnam has increased implementation of earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in large part to improvement of working-level efforts, but also increased higher level interventions when needed. Recent actions offer real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos, when needed. Also recently, the Lao Government agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) field operations; however, despite strong support from the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics issues that must be addressed.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
The greatest obstacle to increasing accounting efforts in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and worldwide are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterpart officials. These problems are reportedly being addressed by the “complete reorganization” directed by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, further archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increased accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel. Improved investigation efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of December 3, 2014, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 46 (2.31%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 7 (0.35%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 February 26, 2015, the Defense POW/MIA Office still lists 1,636 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 947 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 126
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2ndClinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 64
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 44
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration 3
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 643 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 263 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 947 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 643
Laos 263
China 3
Cambodia 38
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,010. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: January 16, 2015
1,637 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,272 (VN-468 VS-804); Laos–306; Cambodia-52; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. Gradually, Vietnam has increased implementation of earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in large part to improvement of working-level efforts, but also increased higher level interventions when needed. Recent actions offer real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos, when needed. Also recently, the Lao Government agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) field operations; however, despite strong support from the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics issues that must be addressed.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
The greatest obstacle to increasing accounting efforts in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and worldwide are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterpart officials. These problems are reportedly being addressed by the “complete reorganization” directed by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, further archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increased accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel. Improved investigation efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of December 3, 2014, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 46 (2.31%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 7 (0.35%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 January 16, 2015, the Defense POW/MIA Office still lists 1,637 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 946 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 126
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2ndClinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 44
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration 3
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 643 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 262 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 946 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 643 Laos 262
China 3 Cambodia 38
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,009. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: January 3, 2015
1,638 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,273 (VN-468 VS-805); Laos–306; Cambodia-52; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. Gradually, Vietnam has increased implementation of earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks in large part to improvement of working-level efforts, but also increased higher level interventions when needed. Recent actions offer real promise for increased success. First undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to increased military-to-military cooperation, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
After a rough period, joint field operations in Laos are now increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, earlier increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos, when needed. Also recently, the Lao Government agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) field operations; however, despite strong support from the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics issues that must be addressed.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential witnesses. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions will not be further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
The greatest obstacle to increasing accounting efforts in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and worldwide are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams; and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to foreign governments and counterpart officials. These problems are reportedly being addressed by the “complete reorganization” directed by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, further archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increased accounting for Vietnam War missing personnel. Improved investigation efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO
Live Sightings: As of December 3, 2014, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 46 (2.31%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 7 (0.35%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 January 3, 2015, the Defense POW/MIA Office still lists 1,638 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 945 Americans accounted for from Vietnam War-related losses since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 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 168
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2ndClinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 44
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration 3
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 642 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 262 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 945 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 642
Laos 262
China 3
Cambodia 38
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,008. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: October 25, 2014
1,639 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,274 (VN-469 VS-805); Laos–306; Cambodia-52; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. In May, 2012, Hanoi implemented earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks to renewal of working-level efforts, as well as high level attention by the Departments of State and Defense. These and more recent actions offer real promise for greater success. Although first undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to the increase in military-to-military relations, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels
Until recently, joint field operations in Laos were increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to recent Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and to deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility and has increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos and Cambodia, when needed. Most recently, the Lao Government agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) field operations; however, despite strong support from the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics issue that must be addressed.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential sources. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions are not further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
After temporarily overcoming successive budget crises, the greatest obstacle to increasing accounting efforts in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and worldwide are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to Laos and other governments. These problems are being addressed by the “complete reorganization” directed by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, further archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increased accounting for missing Americans. Renewed working-level efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of October 21, 2014, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 46 (2.31%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 7 (0.35%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 October 24, 2014, the Defense POW/MIA Office still lists 1,639 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 944 Americans accounted for from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (more recently identified) 2
1974-1975 Post war years: 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 167
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2ndClinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 44
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration 3
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 641 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 262 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 944 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 641
Laos 262
China 3
Cambodia 38
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,007. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: September 18, 2014
1,641 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,275 (VN-469 VS-806); Laos–306; Cambodia-53; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. In May, 2012, Hanoi implemented earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks to renewal of working-level efforts, as well as high level attention by the Departments of State and Defense. These and more recent actions offer real promise for greater success. Although first undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to the increase in military-to-military relations, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
Until recently, joint field operations in Laos were increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to recent Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and to deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility and has increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos and Cambodia, when needed. Most recently, the Lao Government agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) field operations; however, despite strong support from the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics issue that must be addressed.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential sources. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions are not further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
After temporarily overcoming successive budget crises, the greatest obstacle to increasing accounting efforts in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and worldwide are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to Laos and other governments. These problems are being addressed by the “complete reorganization” directed by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, further archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increased accounting for missing Americans. Renewed working-level efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of June 3, 2014, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 47 (2.36%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 6 (0.30%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 36
1976-1985 3
1986-1995 1
1996-2005 12
2006-2013 1
Total 53
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 September 18, 2014, the Defense POW/MIA Office still lists 1,641 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 942 Americans accounted for from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (more recently identified) 2
1974-1975 Post war years: 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 166
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 44
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration 2
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 640 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 262 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 942 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 640
Laos 262
China 3
Cambodia 37
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,005. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: August 13, 2014
1,641 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,275 (VN-469 VS-806); Laos–306; Cambodia-53; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. In May, 2012, Hanoi implemented earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks to renewal of working-level efforts, as well as high level attention by the Departments of State and Defense. These and more recent actions offer real promise for greater success. Although first undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to the increase in military-to-military relations, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
Until recently, joint field operations in Laos were increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to recent Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and to deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility and has increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos and Cambodia, when needed. Most recently, the Lao Government agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) field operations; however, despite strong support from the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics issue that must be addressed.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential sources. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions are not further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
After temporarily overcoming successive budget crises, the greatest obstacle to increasing accounting efforts in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and worldwide are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to Laos and other governments. These problems are being addressed by the “complete reorganization” directed by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, further archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increased accounting for missing Americans. Renewed working-level efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of June 3, 2014, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 47 (2.36%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 6 (0.30%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 August 13, 2014, the Defense POW/MIA Office still lists 1,641 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 942Americans accounted for from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (more recently identified) 2
1974-1975 Post war years: 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 166
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2ndClinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 44
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration 2
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 640 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 262 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 942 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 640
Laos 262
China 3
Cambodia 37
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,005. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
July 1, 2014
1,642 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,275 (VN-469 VS-806); Laos – 307; Cambodia – 53; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters – 7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. In May, 2012, Hanoi implemented earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks to renewal of working-level efforts, as well as high level attention by the Departments of State and Defense. These and more recent actions offer real promise for greater success. Although first undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to the increase in military-to-military relations, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
Until recently, joint field operations in Laos were increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to recent Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and to deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility and has increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites, and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos and Cambodia, when needed. Most recently, the Lao Government agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) Stony Beach POW/MIA specialist to operate outside the confines of scheduled Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) field operations; however, despite strong support from the US Ambassador, there are still some logistics issue that must be addressed.
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential sources. Vietnam was long ago requested to permit, and is still reportedly considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists. Successive US Ambassadors have strongly supported this important move, but increases in bilateral military relations should be sufficient to overcome any reluctance. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions are not further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
After temporarily overcoming successive budget crises, the greatest obstacle to increasing accounting efforts in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and worldwide are 1) too few qualified scientists to lead recovery teams and 2) unreliable funding that has caused US cancellation of scheduled operations, thus sending mixed, negative signals to Laos and other governments. These problems are being addressed by the “complete reorganization” directed by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Vietnam’s expanded provision of helpful records, further archival research, interviews and field operations are the core means to increased accounting for missing Americans. Renewed working-level efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of June 3, 2014, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted-for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 47 (2.36%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 6 (0.30%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2013 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 July 1, 2014, the Defense POW/MIA Office still lists 1,642 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 941Americans accounted for from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (more recently identified) 2
1974-1975 Post war years 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 166
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 44
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration 1
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 640 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 261 Americans accounted for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 941 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 640
Laos 261
China 3
Cambodia 37
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,004. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: May 10, 2014
1,642 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,275 (VN-469 VS-806); Laos – 307; Cambodia – 53; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters – 7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government does not rule out that possibility.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. In May, 2012, Hanoi responded to earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks to renewal of working-level efforts, as well as high level attention by the Departments of State and Defense. These and more recent actions offer real promise for greater success. Although first undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to the increase in military-to-military relations, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
Until recently, joint field operations in Laos were increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to recent Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, has increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos and Cambodia, when needed. Most recently, the Lao Government agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) POW/MIA specialist from the Stony Beach Team to operate outside the confines of scheduled Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) field operations, but there are still some obstacles to access that need to be addressed. After overcoming successive budget crises, at least temporarily, the remaining obstacle to increasing the pace and scope of accounting efforts in Laos is having available a sufficient number of qualified scientists to lead recovery teams, a problem now being addressed by the US Pacific Command (PACOM) and JPAC
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential sources. Vietnam was long ago requested to give, and is still considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists, and the US Ambassador has strongly supported this important move. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions are not further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Thankfully, Vietnam has recently begun to be more responsive to renewed US requests for case-specific records on our losses in these countries. Unilateral actions by the respective governments, archival records research, interviews and field operations are the core means of increased accounting for missing Americans. Renewed working-level efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of January 23, 2013 (date of last data provided), 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 47 (2.36%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 6 (0.30%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2011 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 May 10, 2014, the Defense POW/MIA Office still lists 1,642 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 941 Americans accounted for from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years (recently identified)
2
1974-1975 Post war years
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
166
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration
125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration
326
1997-2001 2ndClinton Administration
53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration
63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration
62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration
44
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration
1
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 640 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 261 Americans accounted-for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven remains were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 941 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 640
Laos 261
China 3
Cambodia 37
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,004. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
March 11, 2014
1,642 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,275 (VN-469 VS-806); Laos – 307; Cambodia – 53; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters – 7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government does not rule out that possibility.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. In May, 2012, Hanoi responded to earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks to renewal of working-level efforts, as well as high level attention by the Departments of State and Defense. These and more recent actions offer real promise for greater success. Although first undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to the increase in military-to-military relations, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
Until recently, joint field operations in Laos were increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to recent Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, has increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos and Cambodia, when needed. Most recently, the Lao Government agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) POW/MIA specialist from the Stony Beach Team to operate outside the confines of scheduled Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) field operations, but there are still some obstacles to access that need to be addressed. After overcoming successive budget crises, at least temporarily, the remaining obstacle to increasing the pace and scope of accounting efforts in Laos is having available a sufficient number of qualified scientists to lead recovery teams, a problem now being addressed by the US Pacific Command (PACOM) and JPAC
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential sources. Vietnam was long ago requested to give, and is still considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists, and the US Ambassador has strongly supported this important move. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions are not further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Thankfully, Vietnam has recently begun to be more responsive to renewed US requests for case-specific records on our losses in these countries. Unilateral actions by the respective governments, archival records research, interviews and field operations are the core means of increased accounting for missing Americans. Renewed working-level efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS – Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of January 23, 2013 (date of last data provided), 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 47 (2.36%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 6 (0.30%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2011 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 March 11, 2014, the Defense POW/MIA Office still lists 1,642 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 941 Americans accounted for from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 2
1974-1975 Post war years: 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 166
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2ndClinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 44
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration 1
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 640 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 261 Americans accounted-for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven remains were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 941 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 640
Laos 261
China 3
Cambodia 37
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,004. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432 or visit us on Facebook
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: March 10, 2014
1,643 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,275 (VN-469 VS-806); Laos – 308; Cambodia – 53; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters – 7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government does not rule out that possibility.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential. Vietnam has taken many unilateral actions that are welcome and appreciated, but more can and should be done. In May, 2012, Hanoi responded to earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks to renewal of working-level efforts, as well as high level attention by the Departments of State and Defense. These and more recent actions offer real promise for greater success. Although first undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions since 2009. Due to the increase in military-to-military relations, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
Until recently, joint field operations in Laos were increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts had slowed due to recent Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and deny permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, has increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites and has renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos and Cambodia, when needed. Most recently, the Lao Government agreed to permit the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) POW/MIA specialist from the Stony Beach Team to operate outside the confines of scheduled Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) field operations, but there are still some obstacles to access that need to be addressed. After overcoming successive budget crises, at least temporarily, the remaining obstacle to increasing the pace and scope of accounting efforts in Laos is having available a sufficient number of qualified scientists to lead recovery teams, a problem now being addressed by the US Pacific Command (PACOM) and JPAC
Related to DIA’s Stony Beach Team, one Stony Beach Cambodia specialist works full time at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, and research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential sources. Vietnam was long ago requested to give, and is still considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists, and the US Ambassador has strongly supported this important move. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean these positive decisions are not further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and to facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war. Thankfully, Vietnam has recently begun to be more responsive to renewed US requests for case-specific records on our losses in these countries. Unilateral actions by the respective governments, archival records research, interviews and field operations are the core means of increased accounting for missing Americans. Renewed working-level efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of January 23, 2013 (date of last data provided), 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 47 (2.36%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 6 (0.30%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2011 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 March 7, 2014, the Defense POW/MIA Office still lists 1,643 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 940 Americans accounted for from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 2
1974-1975 Post war years 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 166
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2nd Clinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 44
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 640 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 260 Americans accounted-for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven remains were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 940 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 640
Laos 260
China 3
Cambodia 37
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,003. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432 or log onto the League web site: www.pow-miafamilies.org
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: January 14, 2014
1,643 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,275 (VN-469 VS-806); Laos – 308; Cambodia – 53; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters – 7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans may still be alive. As policy, the US Government does not rule out the possibility that Americans could still be held.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential, and still do. In May, 2012, Hanoi responded to earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks to recent renewal of working-level efforts, as well as high level attention by the Departments of State and Defense. These and more recent actions offer real promise for greater success. Although first undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions with the March 2009 League Delegation. Due to the increase in military-to-military relations, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
Until recently, joint field operations in Laos were increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts have slowed due to recent Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and, until recently, denying permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, has increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites and has now renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos and Cambodia, when needed. This time-consuming, expensive process could be partially alleviated with fuller access to relevant archival documents, though Vietnam has dramatically improved working-level archival research efforts. US officials have worked with counterpart Vietnamese to ensure that all opportunities are pursued seriously, and results have improved significantly.
Research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. One full-time Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) POW/MIA specialist (Stony Beach Team) works at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh. The Lao Government finally agreed to allow DIA’s in-country POW/MIA specialist (Stony Beach) to re-engage in field investigations, but not yet as intended on a continuing basis outside of JPAC field operations. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential sources. Vietnam was long ago requested to give, and is still considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists, and the US Ambassador has strongly supported this important move. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions are not further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war, Thankfully, Vietnam has recently begun to be more responsive to renewed US requests for case-specific records on our losses in these countries. Unilateral actions by the respective governments, archival records research, interviews and field operations are the core means of increased accounting for missing Americans. Renewed working-level efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of January 23, 2013, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 47 (2.36%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 6 (0.30%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2011 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 January 14, 2014, the Defense POW/MIA Office lists 1,643 Americans as still 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 940 Americans accounted for from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 2
1974-1975 Post war years: 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 166
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2ndClinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 44
2012-2014 2nd Obama Administration
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 640 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 260 Americans accounted-for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven remains were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 940 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 640
Laos 260
China 3
Cambodia 37
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted-for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,003. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
December 17, 2013
1,643 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,275 (VN-469 VS-806); Laos – 308; Cambodia – 53; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters – 7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans may still be alive. As policy, the US Government does not rule out the possibility that Americans could still be held.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential, and still do. In May, 2012, Hanoi responded to earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks to recent renewal of working-level efforts, as well as high level attention by the Departments of State and Defense. These and more recent actions offer real promise for greater success. Although first undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions with the March 2009 League Delegation. Due to the increase in military-to-military relations, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
Until recently, joint field operations in Laos were increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts have slowed due to recent Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and, until recently, denying permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, has increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites and has now renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos and Cambodia, when needed. This time-consuming, expensive process could be partially alleviated with fuller access to relevant archival documents, though Vietnam has dramatically improved working-level archival research efforts. US officials have worked with counterpart Vietnamese to ensure that all opportunities are pursued seriously, and results have improved significantly.
Research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. One full-time Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) POW/MIA specialist (Stony Beach Team) works at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh. The Lao Government finally agreed to allow DIA’s in-country POW/MIA specialist (Stony Beach) to re-engage in field investigations, but not yet as intended on a continuing basis outside of JPAC field operations. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential sources. Vietnam was long ago requested to give, and is still considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists, and the US Ambassador has strongly supported this important move. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions are not further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war, Thankfully, Vietnam has recently begun to be more responsive to renewed US requests for case-specific records on our losses in these countries. Unilateral actions by the respective governments, archival records research, interviews and field operations are the core means of increased accounting for missing Americans. Renewed working-level efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of January 23, 2013, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 47 (2.36%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 6 (0.30%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2011 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 December 16, 2013, the Defense POW/MIA Office lists 1,643 Americans as still 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 940 Americans accounted for from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 2
1974-1975 Post war years: 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 166
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2ndClinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 44
2013- 2nd Obama Administration
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 640 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 260 Americans accounted-for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven remains were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 940 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 640
Laos 260
China 3
Cambodia 37
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted-for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,003. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: November 15, 2013
1,643 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,275 (VN-469 VS-806); Laos – 308; Cambodia – 53; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters – 7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans may still be alive. As policy, the US Government does not rule out the possibility that Americans could still be held.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential, and still do. In May, 2012, Hanoi responded to earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks to recent renewal of working-level efforts, as well as high level attention by the Departments of State and Defense. These and more recent actions offer real promise for greater success. Although first undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions with the March 2009 League Delegation. Due to the increase in military-to-military relations, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
Until recently, joint field operations in Laos were increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts have slowed due to recent Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and, until recently, denying permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, has increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites and has now renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos and Cambodia, when needed. This time-consuming, expensive process could be partially alleviated with fuller access to relevant archival documents, though Vietnam has dramatically improved working-level archival research efforts. US officials have worked with counterpart Vietnamese to ensure that all opportunities are pursued seriously, and results have improved significantly.
Research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. One full-time Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) POW/MIA specialist (Stony Beach Team) works at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh. The Lao Government finally agreed to allow DIA’s in-country POW/MIA specialist (Stony Beach) to re-engage in field investigations, but not yet as intended on a continuing basis outside of JPAC field operations. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential sources. Vietnam was long ago requested to give, and is still considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists, and the US Ambassador has strongly supported this important move. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions are not further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war, Thankfully, Vietnam has recently begun to be more responsive to renewed US requests for case-specific records on our losses in these countries. Unilateral actions by the respective governments, archival records research, interviews and field operations are the core means of increased accounting for missing Americans. Renewed working-level efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of January 23, 2013, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 47 (2.36%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 6 (0.30%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2011 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 November 15, 2013, the Defense POW/MIA Office lists 1,643 Americans as still 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 940 Americans accounted for from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 2
1974-1975 Post war years: 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 166
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2ndClinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 44
2013- 2nd Obama Administration
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 640 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 260 Americans accounted-for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven remains were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 940 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 640
Laos 260
China 3
Cambodia 37
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted-for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,003. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: October 10, 2013
1,643 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,275 (VN-469 VS-806); Laos – 308; Cambodia – 53; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters – 7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans may still be alive. As policy, the US Government does not rule out the possibility that Americans could still be held.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential, and still do. In May, 2012, Hanoi responded to earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks to recent renewal of working-level efforts, as well as high level attention by the Departments of State and Defense. These and more recent actions offer real promise for greater success. Although first undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions with the March 2009 League Delegation. Due to the increase in military-to-military relations, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
Until recently, joint field operations in Laos were increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts have slowed due to recent Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and, until recently, denying permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, has increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites and has now renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos and Cambodia, when needed. This time-consuming, expensive process could be partially alleviated with fuller access to relevant archival documents, though Vietnam has dramatically improved working-level archival research efforts. US officials have worked with counterpart Vietnamese to ensure that all opportunities are pursued seriously, and results have improved significantly.
Research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. One full-time Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) POW/MIA specialist (Stony Beach Team) works at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh. The Lao Government finally agreed to allow DIA’s in-country POW/MIA specialist (Stony Beach) to re-engage in field investigations, but not yet as intended on a continuing basis outside of JPAC field operations. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential sources. Vietnam was long ago requested to give, and is still considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists, and the US Ambassador has strongly supported this important move. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions are not further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war, Thankfully, Vietnam has recently begun to be more responsive to renewed US requests for case-specific records on our losses in these countries. Unilateral actions by the respective governments, archival records research, interviews and field operations are the core means of increased accounting for missing Americans. Renewed working-level efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of January 23, 2013, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 47 (2.36%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 6 (0.30%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2011 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 October 10, 2013, the Defense POW/MIA Office lists 1,643 Americans as still 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 940 Americans accounted for from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 2
1974-1975 Post war years: 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 166
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2ndClinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 44
2013- 2nd Obama Administration
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 640 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 260 Americans accounted-for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven remains were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 940 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 640 Laos 260
China 3 Cambodia 37
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted-for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,003. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
For the latest information, call the League’s Office (703) 465-7432
NATIONAL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN ELIGIBILITY #10218
STATUS OF THE POW/MIA ISSUE: September 12, 2013
1,644 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,276 (VN-469 VS-807); Laos – 308; Cambodia – 53; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters – 7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans may still be alive. As policy, the US Government does not rule out the possibility that Americans could still be held.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential, and still do. In May, 2012, Hanoi responded to earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks to recent renewal of working-level efforts, as well as high level attention by the Departments of State and Defense. These and more recent actions offer real promise for greater success. Although first undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions with the March 2009 League Delegation. Due to the increase in military-to-military relations, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
Until recently, joint field operations in Laos were increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts have slowed due to recent Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and, until recently, denying permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, has increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites and has now renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos and Cambodia, when needed. This time-consuming, expensive process could be partially alleviated with fuller access to relevant archival documents, though Vietnam has dramatically improved working-level archival research efforts. US officials have worked with counterpart Vietnamese to ensure that all opportunities are pursued seriously, and results have improved significantly.
Research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. One full-time Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) POW/MIA specialist (Stony Beach Team) works at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh. The Lao Government finally agreed to allow DIA’s in-country POW/MIA specialist (Stony Beach) to re-engage in field investigations, but not yet as intended on a continuing basis outside of JPAC field operations. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential sources. Vietnam was long ago requested to give, and is still considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists, and the US Ambassador has strongly supported this important move. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions are not further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war, Thankfully, Vietnam has recently begun to be more responsive to renewed US requests for case-specific records on our losses in these countries. Unilateral actions by the respective governments, archival records research, interviews and field operations are the core means of increased accounting for missing Americans. Renewed working-level efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of January 23, 2013, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 47 (2.36%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 6 (0.30%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2011 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 September 11, 2013, the Defense POW/MIA Office lists 1,644 Americans as still 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 939 Americans accounted for from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 2
1974-1975 Post war years: 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 166
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2ndClinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 43
2013- 2nd Obama Administration
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 639 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 260 Americans accounted-for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven remains were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 939 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 639
Laos 260
China 3
Cambodia 37
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted-for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,002. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
June 24, 2013
1,645 Americans are still listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,276 (VN-469 VS-807); Laos – 309; Cambodia – 53; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters – 7. (These numbers occasionally 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. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that 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, it must be assumed that these Americans may still be alive. As policy, the US Government does not rule out the possibility that Americans could still be held.
Historically, Vietnam established a comprehensive wartime and post-war process to collect and retain information and remains; thus, unilateral efforts by them to locate and return remains and provide records offered significant potential, and still do. In May, 2012, Hanoi responded to earlier commitments to provide long-sought archival records with relevant, case-related information, thanks to recent renewal of working-level efforts, as well as high level attention by the Departments of State and Defense. These and more recent actions offer real promise for greater success. Although first undertaken in northern Vietnam in 1985, joint field operations have dramatically changed and are now increasingly effective. Vietnamese officials are participating with greater seriousness and professionalism, achieving increased results. The process now includes both US-led Joint Excavation Teams and Vietnamese Recovery Teams (VRTs), led by Vietnamese and comprised of fewer US personnel. This formula allows a greater number of teams to “increase the pace and scope of field operations,” as requested by Vietnam during discussions with the March 2009 League Delegation. Due to the increase in military-to-military relations, US Navy assets are increasingly allowed to participate in underwater survey and recovery operations. These steps, long advocated by the League, are now coming to fruition and are routinely raised by US officials at all levels.
Until recently, joint field operations in Laos were increasingly productive, even though more difficult than elsewhere. Accounting efforts have slowed due to recent Lao Government attempts to over-price payment for helicopter support and, until recently, denying permission for ground transportation to accessible incident sites. Laos is now showing greater flexibility, has increased the number of US personnel permitted in-country, is allowing ground transportation to accessible sites and has now renewed a business license to a foreign company to provide reliable, smaller helicopter support. Vietnamese witnesses are also allowed to participate in joint operations in Laos and Cambodia, when needed. This time-consuming, expensive process could be partially alleviated with fuller access to relevant archival documents, though Vietnam has dramatically improved working-level archival research efforts. US officials have worked with counterpart Vietnamese to ensure that all opportunities are pursued seriously, and results have improved significantly.
Research and field operations in Cambodia have received excellent support. One full-time Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) POW/MIA specialist (Stony Beach Team) works at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh. The Lao Government finally agreed to allow DIA’s in-country POW/MIA specialist (Stony Beach) to re-engage in field investigations, but not yet as intended on a continuing basis outside of JPAC field operations. Two Stony Beach personnel have for years rotated on temporary duty in and out of Vietnam, collecting information via archival research and interviews of potential sources. Vietnam was long ago requested to give, and is still considering, permanent status for these two POW/MIA specialists, and the US Ambassador has strongly supported this important move. The US Ambassador to Laos has also supported full use of the Lao specialist. It is hoped that the expanded bilateral relationships with Laos and Vietnam will mean positive decisions are not further delayed. All of the Stony Beach specialists are sorely needed to augment the investigation process and facilitate locating additional incident sites for follow-up recoveries.
Over 80% of US losses in Laos and 90% in Cambodia occurred in areas where Vietnam’s forces operated during the war, Thankfully, Vietnam has recently begun to be more responsive to renewed US requests for case-specific records on our losses in these countries. Unilateral actions by the respective governments, archival records research, interviews and field operations are the core means of increased accounting for missing Americans. Renewed working-level efforts may enable significant gaps in information to be filled.
POW/MIA STATISTICS
Live Sighting statistics are provided by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO)
Live Sightings: As of January 23, 2013, 1,995 first-hand live sighting reports have been received since 1975, none recently. 1,942 (97.34%) were resolved: 1,341 (67.22%) equated to Americans previously accounted for (i.e. returned POWs, missionaries or civilians detained for violating SRV codes); 45 (2.26%) correlated to wartime sightings of military personnel or pre-1975 sightings of civilians still unaccounted for; 556 (27.87%) were determined to be fabrications. The remaining 53 (2.66%) unresolved first-hand reports are the focus of continuing analytical and collection efforts: 47 (2.36%) concern Americans reported in a captive environment; 6 (0.30%) are non-captive sightings. The years in which these 53 first hand sightings occurred are listed below:
Pre-1976 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2005 2006-2011 Total
36 3 1 12 1 53
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 June 21, 2013, the Defense POW/MIA Office lists 1,645 Americans as still 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 938 Americans accounted for from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and China since the end of the war in 1975 follows:
1965-1974 War years: (recently identified) 2
1974-1975 Post war years: 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 166
1989-1993 George H.W. Bush Administration 125
1993-1997 1st Clinton Administration 326
1997-2001 2ndClinton Administration 53
2001-2004 1st George W. Bush Administration 63
2004-2008 2nd George W. Bush Administration 62
2008-2012 1st Obama Administration 42
2013- 2nd Obama Administration
According to JPAC, unilateral SRV repatriations of remains with scientific evidence of storage have accounted for only 181 of the 639 from Vietnam; two were mistakenly listed as KIA/BNR in Vietnam in 1968, but remains were actually recovered at that time. All but seven of the 259 Americans accounted-for in Laos since the end of the war have been the result of joint excavations. The seven remains were recovered and turned over by indigenous personnel, six from Laos and one from Vietnam. In addition, three persons identified were recovered in Vietnam before the end of the war. There follows a breakdown by country of the 938 Americans accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975
Vietnam 639 Laos 259
China 3 Cambodia 37
An additional 63 US personnel were accounted-for between 1973 and 1975, a grand total of 1,001. These Americans were accounted for by unilateral US effort in areas where the US could gain access at that time, not due to government-to-government cooperation with the post-war governments of Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia.
Interested in previous copies of the Status of the Issue?
Status of the POW-MIA Issue_6-24-13
Status of the POW-MIA Issue_6-3-13
Status of the POW-MIA Issue_4-25-13
Status of the POW-MIA Issue_6-24-13
Status of the POW-MIA Issue_6-3-13
Status of the POW-MIA Issue_4-25-13
