National Alliance of Families

For the Return of America’s Missing Servicemen

World War II – Korea – Cold War – Vietnam – Gulf Wars

Dolores Alfond --- 425-881-1499

Lynn O’Shea ------ 718-846-4350

Web Site -- www.nationalalliance.org

Email ------ lynn@nationalalliance.org

January 26, 2008            Bits N Pieces             

The National Alliance of Families mourns the passing of Erma Hasenbeck, mother of one of the 19 New POWs Pfc Paul A. Hasenbeck.    We met Erma only once but that was enough to tell us she was a very special lady.  To her large and extended family we offer our deepest sympathy.

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Truth Squads – If you’ve been watching the news and reading newspapers lately you have heard a lot about “truth squads.”   Well, we have our own kind of truth squad.   Anytime a politician, regardless of party, makes a statement regarding the POW/MIA issue that is misleading or untrue, we feel obligated to correct the record.

Such is the case with a statement made by Senator John McCain.   According to an article by Todd J. Gillman, published January 19^th in the Dallas Morning News, Senator McCain is quoted as stating: “There is a record of the POW-MIA commission which unanimously reported that there is no compelling evidence that there's Americans alive in Southeast Asia .  I'm proud of the work that we did on a bipartisan basis.  The recognition of Vietnam . I'm proud of my record there."

The “POW-MIA commission” Senator McCain refers to is well known to our readers as the Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs.   Equally well known to our readers is the most important conclusion of that committee.

The following comes directly from the committee's report, published January 13, 1993.

[Begin Quote] -- "In 1976, the Montgomery Committee concluded that because there was no evidence that missing Americans had survived, they must be dead. In 1977, a Defense Department official said that the distinction between Americans still listed as "POW" and those listed as "missing" had become "academic". Nixon, Ford and Carter Administration officials all dismissed the possibility that American POWs had survived in Southeast Asia after Operation Homecoming."

"This Committee has uncovered evidence that precludes it from taking the same view. We acknowledge that there is no proof that U.S. POWs survived, but neither is there proof that all of those who did not return had died. There is evidence, moreover, that indicates the possibility of survival, at least for a small number, after Operation Homecoming:

First, there are the Americans known or thought possibly to have been alive in captivity who did not come back; we cannot dismiss the chance that some of these known prisoners remained captive past Operation Homecoming.

Second, leaders of the Pathet Lao claimed throughout the war that they were holding American prisoners in Laos . Those claims were believed--and, up to a point, validated--at the time; they cannot be dismissed summarily today.

Third, U.S. defense and intelligence officials hoped that forty or forty-one prisoners captured in Laos would be released at Operation Homecoming, instead of the twelve who were actually repatriated. These reports were taken seriously enough at the time to prompt recommendations by some officials for military action aimed at gaining the release of the additional prisoners thought to be held.

Fourth, information collected by U.S. intelligence agencies during the last 19 years, in the form of live-sighting, hearsay, and other intelligence reports, raises questions about the possibility that a small number of unidentified U.S. POWs who did not return may have survived in captivity.

Finally, even after Operation Homecoming and returnee debriefs, more than 70 Americans were officially listed as POWs based on information gathered prior to the signing of the peace agreement; while the remains of many of these Americans have been repatriated, the fates of some continue unknown to this day."

[End Quote]

McCain’s statement that “there is no compelling evidence that there's Americans alive in Southeast Asia” is a far cry from the committee’s conclusion: “…We acknowledge that there is no proof that U.S. POWs survived, but neither is there proof that all of those who did not return had died. There is evidence, moreover, that indicates the possibility of survival, at least for a small number, after Operation Homecoming….” 

We should all remember, and remind the media and anyone else who will listen, that John McCain signed the final report of the Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs, a report which stated; “There is evidence, moreover, that indicates the possibility of survival, at least for a small number, after Operation Homecoming….” 

We’d like to find the reporter that would ask the next question…. Senator McCain, what have you done since 1993 to help learn what happened to that “small number” with evidence that indicated “the possibility of survival?”  We all know the answer to that question…. Nothing!

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Why We Need H. Res 111 – calling for a Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs in the House of Representatives.    There are many, many reasons but for today, we will offer only one…. James Dooley.

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Is It or Isn’t It -- Our regular readers are well aware of our complaint and the complaint of many POW/MIA family members that reports of unreturned POWs are routinely “re-evaluated” to correlate to a returned POW.

One of the most egregious and publicly debated of these “re-evaluations” occurred in the case of Navy LCDR James Dooley, Case 0872.   Dooley was originally report as an over water loss and placed in Category 5 indicating the enemy would have no knowledge as to Dooley’s fate and that his remains were non-recoverable. 

In January 1987, a refugee provided a detailed description of the shoot down and capture of a pilot.   According to the source; “he heard an explosion and saw a single person descending under a fully deployed, tri-color parachute (red, white and blue) and land on the beach approximately 50 meters east of the Do Son airfield….  The pilot attempted to evade by swimming out into the water….. No one was wounded or injured during the capture.  The man was escorted to land and was loaded into a sidecar which transported him across the Do Son airfield.   On the west side of the airfield, the man was moved into a Chinese auto which drove away….”

The source then provided a physical description of the man stating:  “The pilot appeared to be 24-25 years of age had short, very light brown or blond hair, was approximately 1.8 meters tall, approximately 70 kilograms in weight, was in good physical condition, did not wear eyeglasses, and wore a one piece uniform that had a long zipper in the front and was the color of rice plant leaves.”

The biographical site report prepared by the Joint Task Force – Full Accounting (JTF-FA is the predecessor of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command), dated January 27, 1998, James Dooley is described this way:

“Race - Caucasian, Sex - male, Hair - Grey - Eyes Blue, Height – 68in/ 1.73 mtre, Weight 150 lb/ 67.99 kg.”   Dooley was one month short of his 25^th birthday when shot down.

Based on the description of the incident, the pilot, and general time frame the Joint Casualty Resolution Center (JCRC was the predecessor of the Joint Task Force – Full Accounting) the report, designated HK86-102, was correlated to the Dooley loss.

If the source was accurate and the JCRC correlation was accurate and there was no reason to doubt either, James Dooley had survived his incident and was captured.  But, the late 1980’s was not a time when the government was looking to add POWs to the list.   Instead, they were looking to remove names using convoluted accounting methods.

By July of 1988, “JCRC initiated a complete reevaluation of all incidents which occurred in the area reported by the source….. As a result of this review, we must rescind the correlation…. to Lt. Dooley.  The circumstances of loss described…. more closely relate with Commander Hickerson’s incident.”  [Source – JCRC Message 260812Z  JUL 88]  Hickerson returned during Operation Homecoming in 1973.

With a stroke of the pen Jim Dooley was no longer captured and was once again lost at sea.

As part of an investigation conducted by the Minority Staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee into the POW/MIA issue, the Dooley case came under scrutiny.  Lead investigator for the Minority Staff Tracy Usry became convinced that the enemy, in fact, captured Dooley.   In addition to the report of capture, a returned POW reported either seeing or hearing of Dooley’s name scratched onto a cell wall.   

According the “Summary of All Non-Returnees Reported Vol 3 Navy Personnel Not returned from Southeast Asia” based on the debriefing of returned POWs  “Source [returned POW Lenard  Daugherty]  thought Perricone had mentioned seeing Dooley’s name scratched into wall at camp nicknamed Paradise Garden.  Neither Perricone or source had firsthand information.    Addl Info – Apr 73 – No contact.  Either saw name on wall or was told about name by Richard Perricone”

Additionally, the refugee report HK86-102 would not go away.   Dooley’s former fiancé contacted Commander Hickerson to confirm that the report did, in fact, describe his incident of loss. 

In a letter dated April 24, 1989, Hickerson stated; “My name is Captain J. M. Hickerson, USN (Ret) – POW 22 December 1967 to 14 March 1973.   I do not believe that the captured American pilot, subject of JCRC Report HK86-102, was me.   There are too many discrepancies between the JCRC Report HK86-102 and my capture….”

Hickerson went on to detail various and blatant discrepancies which included the following:

            “My parachute was all white, not red, white and blue.”

            “If I had landed 50 meters from an airfield, I would have been aware of it.”

            “I did not attempt to use my pistol.”

“I was transported away on the back of a bicycle, not in a sidecar, and I was never in an automobile.”

“I was wearing Marine fatigues (2 piece), not a one piece flight suit.”

Hickerson ended his letter stating;   “Despite the fact that the location and date of the described capture was approximately mine considering the above, I do not believe that the captured pilot reported in JCRC Report HK86-102, was me.”

The Dooley’s case became a linchpin in the final report issued by the Minority Staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Report., commonly referred to as the “Grassley-Helms Report” or simply the “Helms Report.”  

It also became a target for the Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs and specifically one of its members, Senator John McCain.

Senator McCain was more than aggressive in his challenge of the conclusions reached on the Dooley case by the Minority Staffs lead investigator Tracy Usry.   McCain challenged the presentation of information regarding the Dooley case.   Specifically, the information obtained from returned POW Lenard  Daugherty and the way in which it was presented in the Helms Report. 

One of the many confrontational exchanges between Senator McCain and Mr. Usry went this way.

Senator McCain:  “That has nothing to do with my questions, Mr. Usry.  That was very illuminating.  It has nothing to do with my question.  My question was: Where did you get the information that a U.S. POW, which you state as fact in your report, said he saw Dooley’s name written on the wall of a prison cell in Hanoi ?

Mr. Usry:  That’s in the information that’s provided to the family members and I would be more than happy to research that and provide you and answer for the record, Senator.”

Senator McCain:  “In other words you do not know at this moment?”

Mr. Usry:  “I don’t know every nuance of this report in my head at this particular time, since it was published in May, no sir.”

Usry appeared before the committee again, one week later to provide written answers to the questions supplied by the committee.  In the end, despite a vigorous defense of the Dooley case, by Mr. Usry, the challenge to the case led by Senator McCain firmly put Jim Dooley in the water, lost at sea.

Why bring this up now?   The reason is simple.  Based on newly found government reports it looks like Jim Dooley may, once again, be out of the water.

JPAC Message Traffic dated 24023Z JUN 05 states in part; “The information contained in this article correlates to unresolved case 0872, based on general timeframe, time of day, location and known circumstances.  The date in the article (22 November 1967), however, is one month different than the actual incident date of 22 October 1967.  The translation also states the unit took part in a battle on 22 October 1967, but did not shoot down a U.S. aircraft.  Although there is no record of a shoot down in this area on 22 November 1967, the author of the articles may have inadvertently transposed the dates.”

“…In addition, in February 1997 the VNOSMP presented a U.S. Team with a photograph annotated with the following:  “Aircraf” wreckage, A4E, piloted by Dooley, James Edward, Rank first Lieutenant, Air force, shot down at Hai Phong 22-10-67, pilot missing.”    The report noted; “The item was found in a military museum.”

The message ended saying; “ Despite multiple indicators that the case 0872 aircraft crashed at sea the combination of the above article, which says the aircraft crashed on land, and the photography, which provides evidence of Vietnamese knowledge of the aircraft wreckage and pilot’s name, might warrant further investigation.”

A follow-up investigation is described in JPAC message 202010Z NOV 06.   According to the message;

“During the 83^rd Joint Field Activity (JFA) (13 October 14 November 2005), a Vietnamese Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP) Team conducted advance work for case 0872 pursuant to U.S. requirements.  The VNOSMP team interviewed four witnesses who provided information regarding a number of U.S. aircraft loss incidents in Hai Phong.  Two of the witnesses, Messrs. Dang Duc and Le Van Duc, described the 22 October 1967 shoot down of a U.S. aircraft, possibly correlating to case 0872.   According to Mr. Dang Duc, the pilot of that Aircraft was captured.”

In his interview Duc is reported to have stated: “the Enterprise Self-Defense unit along with the militia captured a pilot, who they later turned over to higher authorities.”  Another witness reported his participation “in the capture and turnover of two pilots one from an aircraft that crashed in the ocean in Thuy Trieu village and one from an aircraft that crashed in Lap Le Village.” 

Perhaps someone might want to ask Senator McCain about Jim Dooley and the fact that new Vietnamese witnesses are now reporting the capture of a pilot that once again is being correlated to Dooley?   Or, they might want to ask Senator McCain what he will do about bringing Jim Dooley and all our POWs and MIAs home?

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257 Co-Sponsors for H.Res 111 --That’s right!  Thanks to your efforts H.Res 111 calling for the formation of a Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs in the House of Representatives is so much closer to becoming a reality.

We’ve got the votes!   Our next hurtle is getting H.Res 111 out of the Rules committee.  To do this we need to keep the pressure on Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Chairperson of the Rules Committee, Louise McIntosh-Slaughter.    Please send letters to both Speaker Pelosi and Chairperson McIntosh-Slaughter stressing the need for a new look at the POW/MIA issue.    Send your letter to:

Honorable Nancy Pelosi                                   Tel: 202-225-0100 or Toll Free at 866-727-4894

Office of the Speaker                                        Fax: 202-225-8259

H-232, US Capitol                                                   202-225-4188

Washington , DC 20515

And don’t forget Rules Committee Chairperson

Honorable Louise McIntosh-Slaughter

2469 Rayburn Bldg                                          Tel: 202-225-3615 or Toll Free at 866-727-4894

Washington D.C. 20515                                    Fax: 202-225-7822

As we work on Speaker Pelosi and Chairperson McIntosh Slaughter, please continue to gather co-sponsors.   For a list of Congressional Representatives visit www.nationalalliance.org/legis/index.htm   Check to see if your representative is a co-sponsor of H.Res 111.   If he or she is not highlighted in red, contact them and ask that they co-sponsor H. Res 111.

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New Book To Be Released –      “Perfidy” -  The Government Cabal That Knowingly Abandoned Our POW’s  And Left Them To Die  by John (Top) Holland is about to be released.   Place your order now!   To Pre-order contact The American Free Press at 202-544-5977 or truthhound2@yahoo.com

We haven’t seen the book but based on Top’s many years of experience in the POW/MIA issue, we are sure this will be a great read.

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South Korea Has a Bold Idea – the President elect of South Korea has elevated the POW issue in his country to  a high national priority.   Don’t laugh!   Unlike his U.S. counterparts over the years, it looks like president-elect Lee Myung-bak means it.

An article published in Chosunilbo states:  “As it was being briefed a few days ago by the Defense Ministry, president-elect Lee Myung-bak's Transition Committee said it views resolving the plight of South Korean prisoners of war held in North Korea as a prime responsibility of the state, and the situation demands priority. As a result, the Defense Ministry has decided to consistently raise this issue in military talks with North Korea and to take steps to verify the existence of South Korean POWs in North Korea and seek their return.”

“Since 1990, 59 South Korean POWs have fled North Korea and returned to the South. And based on their accounts, around 560 more are still believed to be held. Yet North Korea is refusing to even acknowledge the existence of South Korean POWs there. Their attitude will not change overnight.”

“But still, that South Korea has announced that it is its prime responsibility to bring back the POWs is of tremendous significance.  That's because it is a pledge by the government to carry out its basic responsibilities to its people. A country that is incapable of protecting and saving its own people is not worthy of existence. And a country like that has nothing to say to its people who were imprisoned while fighting for their homeland.”

A follow-up article stated South Korea was considering sending aid to North Korea for the return of their POWs.  According to the article “The Unification Ministry is considering a West Germany-style offer of economic aid to North Korea in return for the release of South Korean prisoners of war. Before unification, West Germany cajoled East Germany to hand over political prisoners for economic aid.”

“ Seoul believes that there are some 560 South Korean POWs and 480 abduction victims in the North.  An official said his ministry reported to the presidential transition committee four or five ways of offering economic aid to the North to ensure the safety of South Korean POWs and abductees, promote meetings with their relatives in the South, and ultimately achieve their return.”

 “The West German government gave some W1.7  trillion (US$1=W937) to East Germany and brought 34,000 political prisoners to the West between 1963 and 1989. Bonn first gave cash but later provided coffee, oil and copper.”

“A ministry official said in addition to the West German way, Japanese and U.S.-style solutions were being suggested to the transition team. Japan exercised political pressure and offered rice to the North to bring back some of the Japanese kidnapped by the communist country in the 1960s and 1970s. The U.S. traded the remains of its soldiers in North Korea killed during the Korean War for cash.  North Korea officially denies there are South Korean POW there, using the ambiguous expression “people whose fate became unknown during or after the war" instead of POWs or abduction victims.

The only difference between the U.S. approach and the approach under consideration by the South Koreans is that the South Koreans are going after LIVE POWs.

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Officials search for POW/MIAs on Wake Island – in an article by Tech. Sgt. Chris Vadnais, Air Force News Agency reports:  “A team of anthropologists sent by Joint Prisoner of War Missing in Action Accounting Command officials began to dig on Wake Island to determine if they have found World War II prisoners of war.”

“When a contractor doing asbestos abatement work on the island discovered what appeared to be human remains, Wake Island officials contacted JPAC.”

“Wake Island was the site of a fierce World War II battle, coinciding with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor . American forces surrendered the island on Dec. 23, 1941, and the Japanese held it until September 1945, when a Marine detachment regained control for America .”

“The remains may be those of 98 American civilian contractors, who were held as prisoners of war to perform forced labor for the Japanese and then executed in 1943.”

"We're looking to see if we have found little bits of human bone or even possibly artifacts that might be related to the incident," he said. "So I'm looking for anything from shells to rounds to buttons, any sort of personal effects, coins, and they really stand out against the background of shell debris."

“The job is tantamount to looking for a needle in a haystack, only you're not sure there is a needle in the haystack. It's a tedious process that takes time -- and on this overnight trip, time is the one thing this team doesn't have much of.

"We've got five hours of daylight today and maybe three tomorrow," Mr. Berg said. "We're moving at max speed to get this done. We sent out two anthropologists to tackle this because we knew we had such a short period of time."

“And after hours of digging and sifting, the team's efforts paid off. After excavating only a one meter square section of earth, they've bagged-and-tagged the lower quarter of the skeleton. They suspect there is more to be found in the area.  They'll fly the remains back to Hickam AFB, where scientists will analyze the remains.”

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Why does Johnie Webb still have his job???