This bulletin update contains the following articles:

U.S. Personnel Missing From The Vietnam War
Vietnam Approves Use Of U.S. Navy Ship For Underwater Recoveries
DASD Charles Ray Returns From Southeast Asia
Family Member Delegation Readied
Update On JPAC Operations
38th Annual Meeting Date & Location Set

U.S. Personnel Missing From The Vietnam War: There are still 1,787 US personnel listed as missing and unaccounted for by the Department of Defense. The identifications of four Americans previously missing/unaccounted for from the Vietnam War were recently announced:

• Colonel Norman D. Eaton, USAF, OK, MIA 1/13/69, Laos, RR 12/16/05, ID 11/20/06
• Lt Colonel Paul E. Getchell, USAF, ME, MIA 1/13/69, Laos, RR 12-16-05, ID 11/20/06
• Major Benjamin F. Danielson, USAF, USA, MN, MIA 12/5/69, Laos, RR 11/12/03, ID 8/6/06
• Sergeant First Class Lewis C. Walton, RI, MIA 5/10/71, SVN, RR 10/19/04, ID 10/23/06

The League extends best wishes to the families and friends of these men and hopes that these final answers bring long-awaited peace of mind. The accounting for these Americans brings to 795 the number of US personnel accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. Over 90% of the 1,787 still listed as missing were lost in Vietnam or in areas of Laos and Cambodia under Vietnamese wartime control.

Vietnam Approves Use Of U.S. Navy Ship For Underwater Recoveries: After more than a decade of consistent League efforts, reinforced in more recent years by former Commanders of the US Pacific Command, ADM Tom Fargo (now retired) and ADM William J. Fallon, now Commander of the US Central Command, the Vietnamese leadership approved using US Navy vessels. The detailed approval process utilized for recent official USN port calls will be required, as will details of the specific mission proposed for such a recovery. Utilizing this US Navy asset won't be necessary for most shallow-water recoveries, but commitment from both governments to support the process is a significant policy change by Vietnam, deeply appreciated by the League. We were pleased that ADM Gary Roughead, Commander of the US Pacific Fleet, raised this issue during his recently concluded visit to Vietnam as part of the evolving military-to-military bilateral relationship, as did Ambassador Charles Ray, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for POW/MIA Affairs.

DASD Charles Ray Returns From Southeast Asia: Ambassador Ray recently completed his first visits to Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam since being appointed DASD late last year. Southeast Asian government officials, US Ambassadors and JPAC were known to be eagerly anticipating his involvement and leadership on the issue. Ambassador Ray plans to hold a briefing on his trip in mid-February for family and veterans group representatives. Late last year, he visited Moscow to reinforce to the Russian Government the importance of naming a Russian Chairman as counterpart to US Chairman General Robert H. Foglesong, USAF (Ret).

Family Member Delegation Readied: A League-organized family member trip to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia will take place March 19-27th. The group will be led by League Chairman of the Board Jo Anne Shirley, sister of Major Bobby M. Jones, MD, USAF, MIA in SVN since 11-28-72. Participating will be Sue Scott, Board Secretary and sister of Captain Douglas D. Ferguson, USAF, MIA in Laos since 12/30/69; Pam Cain, VA State Coordinator and daughter of Colonel Oscar Mauterer, USAF, MIA in Laos since 2-15-66; and Karoni Forrester Gonzales, TX Assistant State Coordinator and daughter of Major Ronald W. Forrester, USMC, MIA 12/27/72 in NVN. Participants have been encouraged to raise funds from local citizens, churches, veterans and other interested friends and neighbors to help defray the estimated $10-12,000 cost per person, so try to help if you can, and clearly mark your donation. The League is a nonprofit, 501 [c] 3 humanitarian organization, Federal Tax ID #23-7071242.

Update On JPAC Operations: The 37th joint recovery operations in Cambodia recently concluded, and an extended period of joint investigations has now begun. For the 97th time, joint operations in Laos, begun on January 9th recently concluded, and the 98th will begin in early March. The 87th joint operations in Vietnam will also begin in early March. Such operations in Vietnam are on a much larger scale and for a longer period than the other two Indochina countries. At long last, the US completed action on a two-year assignment cycle for Commanders of JPAC Detachment III in Laos. This step was long ago approved by the Lao Government, but slowed by the Pentagon bureaucracy. POW/MIA Consultations in Laos were held February 19th, and the Lao Government responded very positively to US proposals for upcoming field operations in the northern provinces of Xiengkhoang and Houaphan. Technical talks in Vietnam were held last week, resulting in some positive movement, in particular preliminary steps to implement recent high level agreement to use a US Navy ship for underwater survey/investigation operations along Vietnam’s coastline.

Field operations related to WWII are now ongoing in Thailand and are continuing in Papua New Guinea and Palau. A DPMO-led team recently completed talks in Beijing focused on pursuing an archival research program and restoring field operations there. There was little to report on specific results; however, the PRC agreed to consider all issues raised by the US, and it likely will take talks at a higher level to get a more positive reaction. Finally, a JPAC team recently returned from South Korea and discussions on renewed joint operations to begin later this year, plus discussions are ongoing for agreement with Japan to pursue remains recovery at a highly visible site on Iwo Jima.

The above clearly demonstrates the breadth and scope of US accounting efforts around the world. It would be most helpful and facilitate the accounting if all allocated personnel billets at JPAC were filled to help deal with the backlog of identifications to be made and sites to be investigated, surveyed and excavated. It is difficult to pursue expansion with foreign governments if the US has insufficient personnel to handle the diverse requirements.

38th Annual Meeting Date & Location Set: Many have asked about the date and location of the League’s 38th Annual Meeting, now set for June 22-24th at the Hilton Crystal City Hotel, Arlington, VA. There will be two very full days of League and US Government presentations, both policy and operational, on Friday, June 22nd and Saturday, June 23rd, followed by a Candlelight Service and League business session wrap-up on Sunday morning, June 24th.

Registration & Hotel Reservations: The two forms will soon be distributed with the League Newsletter and also be available to download on the League’s web site.

Special Events: The 38th Annual Dinner will be on Friday, June 22nd, and a combined Casino and Bingo Night will take place on Saturday, June 23rd. On Thursday before the 38th Annual Meeting convenes, we urge all possible to participate in visits to Capitol Hill.

Transportation: As authorized by Congress, the Department of Defense will likely again implement transportation for two family members, representing each missing and unaccounted for US serviceman or civilian, to travel to Washington, DC, to attend the annual meeting and hear official presentations. Sadly, in the past, there have been some who abuse this privilege, and those who have jeopardize travel for all others, as the objective is not to tour Washington, DC, or play golf.

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

Elections: There will be elections for the 2007-2009 Board of Directors. Applications will be distributed shortly and available to download from the League website.