HONORS WELL DESERVED - On Saturday, May 3rd, 1997, the United States Navy launches its new destroyer named in honor of Vietnam Prisoner of War and Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Donald G. Cook, USMC. Christening ceremonies will take place at the at the Bath Iron Works in Bath Maine. Ceremonies start at 9:30 AM with the USS Cook setting sail about one hour later, at high tide.

Capt. Donald Cook was captured by the Viet Cong on December 31, 1964.

The following is excerpted from the bio of Capt. Cook: "During his years of captivity in camps north of Saigon, Cook set an example difficult to emulate by his fellow POWs. He jeopardized his own health and well-being by sharing his already meager supply of food and scarce medicines with other prisoners who were more ill than he. According to one released POW Cook was so hard-nosed that he "would have stopped sh**ing if he had thought Charlie was using it for fertilizer." Cook became nearly legendary in his refusal to betray the Military Code of Conduct."

At the conclusion of the Vietnam War, the Provisional Revolutionary Government (PRG) announced that Donald Cook was among the POWs who died while in captivity. According to the PRG, Capt. Cook died on December 8th, 1967, while being moved from one camp to another.

While the Vietnamese admit that Donald Cook died in captivity, they have not returned his remains.

AMBASSADOR TO VIETNAM - Ambassador Designee, Douglas "Pete" Peterson will be sworn in on April 29th, 1997, during State Dept. ceremonies. During an April 14th CNN interview Mr. Peterson was asked "What are your immediate priorities? You were telling me you hope to be there by the early part of May." Peterson responded "Probably first week in May, sometime of the time frame. Clearly the M.I.A.-P.O.W. issue is clearly way up on my list of priorities. It isn't , in fact, our nation's most important issue as our relation with Vietnam as it goes ahead. But there are other issues as a result of some of the cooperation we have had."

Mr. Ambassador get it right, its P.O.W.-M.I.A. What is the United States highest priority?

LEGISLATION NEEDING SUPPORT -- Again we ask you to contact your congressman to ask his support of H.R. 409 the "POW/MIA Protection Act." We need Co sponsors. Without a strong show in the House, it will be extremely difficult to convince a Senator, any Senator, to introduce the legislation in the Senate. Any POW legislation introduced in the Senate will face an uphill battle. With a large House support, our position with the Senate will be just a tiny, tiny bit stronger. So, please work on your congressman. Get him/her to sign on this legislation. Send letters to your congressman at: U.S. House of Representatives, Washington D.C. 20515. Also contact Committee Chair Stephen Buyer at: 326 Cannon Office Building, Washington D.C. 20515. We need hearings and cosponsors.

HOW STRONG IS OPPOSITION TO POW LEGISLATION, IN THE SENATE? This will give you an idea. On April 8th, Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R.-Co.) introduced the "National POW/MIA Recognition Act of 1997." According to the Dear Colleague letter, this legislation would require the "POW/MIA flag to be displayed over military installations, post offices and war memorials and at other appropriate places of significance on Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day, National POW/MIA Recognition Day, and on the last business day before each of those holidays."

In closing Senator Campbell stated: " Those who have been captured deserve to be honored with dignity and devotion. Flying the POW/MIA flag on designated days of national celebration would be a way of expressing our pride in their sacrifice."

It has been reliably reported to us, that one Senator has already voiced objection to the legislation. His comment.... flying the POW flag should not be mandatory. The Senators name, John Mc Cain.

THE U.S.-RUSSIAN JOINT COMMISSION ON POW/MIAs will meet in Washington D.C to brief family members on Saturday May 14th, 1997. The meeting will be held at the Sheraton Crystal City Hotel, in Arlington Va. Family members interested in attending should contact their service casualty office no later than May 2nd.

THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF FAMILIES IS PLEASED TO JOIN WITH FORMER POW, COL. TED GUY IN SUPPORT OF "OPERATION JUST CAUSE." The purpose of "Operation Just Cause" is to bring the POW/MIA issue up close and personal to Congress. "Just Cause" operates from the web site "The Meadows." To support "Just Cause" all you need to do is adopt a POW and write your congressman asking about that POW. Upon your adoption, "The Meadows" webmaster, Gunny Fallon, will supply you with a bio of your adopted POW and a sample letter to congress. By contacting your congressman and senators about your POW, it is hoped that the issue of our missing will become more personal to those in Washington De Ceit.

You can reach "The Meadows" website, by link, from the National Alliances of Families website at: http://www.nationalalliance.org

You can e-mail Gunny at gfallon@nji.com

For those who do not surf the net, you can adopt your POW by sending a self addressed stamped envelope to: Gunny Fallon, 18 Beech Drive, Stockholm, NJ 07460

THEY ARE NOT FORGOTTEN, BY THOSE WHO CARE -- Lee Scurlock, John Carroll, Stephen Armistead, Charles Finney, Stephen O'Laughlin, Jerry Pool, John Boronski, Gary Harned, and Lewis Sowles POW/MIA Korea.

Finally.. A Document - Unfortunately, this document which relates to many cases, by reference number, is quite lengthy. For that reason we will offer it in installments. The first section deals with North Vietnam. The full text of the document will be available on our website. See what the governments assessment of Vietnam losses was, in August of 1985. The memo is on the letterhead of the Pentagon Telecommunications Center, dated August 25th, 1985. From the JCS, the memo is directed to Richard Childress at the National Security Council. Text of the memo follows:

SUBJ: CATEGORIZATION OF LOSS INCIDENTS: IN VIETNAM

NSC FOR MR. CHILDRESS

1. This message provides the results of a JCRC analysis of all the loss incidents of Americans remaining unresolved in Vietnam. The JCRC initiated this study in order to determine:

----- The number of cases involving crash or ground sites which must be surveyed and those which are most likely to require excavation, based upon available file evidence.

----- Those cases in which a site-survey or excavation would be of negligible value, without prior receipt of additional information from the Vietnamese. (This category includes cases involving personnel who Died in Captivity, ejected from the aircraft before it crashed, and were lost in inland waters. Also included are personnel for whom loss locations were not established and those for whom the Vietnamese have provided material evidence.)

----- Losses at sea, which have little chance of resolution. 2; The JCRC analytical breakdown of the Crash / Ground sites (by REFNO NUMBER) in Vietnam follows. These sites are categorized first by location. I.E.. In North Vietnam, South Vietnam or losses at sea. Sub Categories are determined by the circumstances surrounding the incident.

A. There are a total of 335 loss incidents in North Vietnam.

(1) 0f these, 105 are crash sites involving incidents in which the crew was out of the aircraft. These include cases where parachutes were sighted, oral contact was established, captures were reported, beepers were heard, or there was some other firm indication that the aircraft crashed without a crew aboard. In general, these are the cases for which the Vietnamese would be expected to possess significant information. Most of the cases discussed in the technical meetings (I.E. Warehouse Cases) have been selected form this category. Refnos are as follows:

0080 0092 0105 0107 0114 0133 0147 0158 0168 0179
0215 0247 0277 0329 0356 0357 0400 0412 0413 0425 0430
0431 0435 0441 0453 0459 0471 0489 0517 0527 0531 0533 0540 0541
0542 0544 0575 0589 0619 0629 0641 0644 0650 0658 0659
0667 0677 0679 0680 0691 0705 0711 0727 0751 0754 0804
0805 0815 0826 0840 0855 0873 0892 0897 0909 0911 0913
0914 0918 0945 0969 0970 0986 1004 1048 1075 1095 1207
1214 1242 1243 1248 1269 1295 1307 1311 1327 1329 1388
1553 1809 1843 1850 1870 1872 1882 1890 1908 1914 1930
1934 1942 1951 1958 1975

(2) Seventy-three cases are those for which there is no reliable locating data. In most instances, these cases where a location has never been established provide no operationally sound bases for conducting a site survey or excavation. Refnos are as follows:

0065 0162 0164 0175 0183 0220 0243 0245 0259 0264 0265
0279 0309 0313 0317 0319 0338 0367 0402 0465 0492 0510
0512 0538 0539 0570 0621 0654 0656 0681 0692 0701 0721
0774 0829 0838 0847 0903 0904 0927 0952 0954 0958 0968
0992 0996 0998 1001 1063 1156 1234 1250 1267 1304 1309
1312 1484 1715 1828 1858 1878 1898 1910 1912 1929 1936
1945 1946 1950 1965 1973 1979 0720

(3) Two are water site cases involving aircraft which crashed into rivers with crew members aboard. One occurred near shore in the Gulf of Tonkin; the other was in the mouth of the Nguon May River. Refnos are as follows:

0067 0289

to be continued in the next edition of Bits N Pieces

View the full document here

The National Alliance of Families Eighth Annual Forum is scheduled for June 19th - 21st, 1997. Once again, we will meet at the Sheraton City Centre Hotel in Washington D.C. Room rates are $99.00 per night double occupancy. To make reservations, call 800-526-7495.

DPMO will brief the Korea-Cold War families held at the Sheraton City Centre Hotel. The Alliance will provide DPMO with a meeting room. Korea-Cold War families are asked to contact the Alliance, if they plan to attend. Call or fax 206-881-1499.

Remember our meetings are open to all, at no charge. In order to make this Forum a reality, funds are needed. Please consider a contribution to The National Alliance of Families. The Alliance is registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a charitable organization. All donations are tax deductible. Contributions may be mailed to The National Alliance of Families, P.O. Box 40327, Bellevue Washington 98015-4327.

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