Correction -- In the last edition of Bits 'N' Pieces (Nov. 1st) we wrote about Cpl. Desautels, left behind at the end of the Korean War. We alternately referred to Cpl. Desautels as Robert and Richard. His full and correct name is Richard George Desautels. We apologize for the error. We considered firing the typist and proof reader. However, if we did that the rest of this page and the pages that follow would be blank.

Under Consideration -- Robert L. Jones, Assistant to deputy secretary herschel gober at the Department of Veterans' Affairs, is under consideration to replace James Wold, as head of the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO.) The National Alliance of Families was asked to endorse Mr. Jones for that position. Based on the limited information available to us and a phone conversation with Mr. Jones, we could not in good conscience endorse Mr. Jones as a candidate to head DPMO.

On the evening of November 7th, a conversation occurred between Mr. Jones and Alliance Board Member and former POW Michael Benge. Mike was totally unimpressed with Mr. Jones. During conversations with both Dolores Alfond and Lynn O'Shea, Mike voiced his concerns about Mr. Jones. According to Mike, Mr. Jones is "a hybrid of Liotta, Destatte and Trowbridge." During their brief exchange Mr. Jones denied seeking support for his appointment to head DPMO. He also denied the purpose of his conversation with Alliance Chairperson Dolores Alfond, was to seek the Alliance's endorsement for his appointment to head DPMO.

Folks, he did not call Dolores Alfond to talk about the weather!

A letter stating the Alliance position was issued November 6th, 1997. The letter stated, in part: "After careful consideration, we are unable to support your decision to endorse Mr. Jones as the new head of DPMO. Mr. Jones has failed to demonstrate any knowledge or commitment to the POW/MIA issue. His official biography from the Department of Veterans Affairs, while citing many accomplishments within the Veterans community, does not even mention the POW/MIA issue. His support of normalization of relations with Vietnam is in direct opposition to the position of the National Alliance of Families. As assistant to under Deputy VA Secretary Hershel Gober, Mr. Jones has written statements praising Vietnam's "full cooperation" on the POW/MIA issue. We know that this statement is simply not true."

The letter continued: "Recently, Hershel Gober withdrew his name from consideration as Secretary of Veterans' Affairs. Among the reasons for his withdrawal was his assumption that the Senate would find him too political. Based on his background, we, at the National Alliance of Families, would find Mr. Gober's right hand man, Robert Jones "too political" to head DPMO."

The letter concluded stating "DPMO needs strong objective leadership. We do not believe Mr. Jones can provide that objectivity. His position on Vietnamese "full cooperation" on the POW/MIA issue clearly indicates his mindset. We do not need another politician to head DPMO. We need a "top cop," a trained investigator, to lead trained investigators....."

Anyone wishing additional information for Jane's "Project Birthday" plans can call her at 941-792-0841.

Years ago, one casualty officer told a family member that he and other casualty officers went to bed each night thanking God Kenny Plumadore was a Marine and they did not have to deal with this case. Heads up.... casualty officers, you are not out of the woods, yet. Are the mis-identifications spilling over to other branches of the service? Ask the Marines and CIL-HI! They know, but will they tell!

Marine Corp., CIL-HI, et al: Give Mark Judge's mother, Mary Judge Jellison, the testing and records she wants. If this case goes to court, you are going to have to set up phone banks to field the call from family members. You know the questions they will be asking.

What we don't understand is why CIL-HI and the Marine Corp., continue to maintain this fraud forcing us to dig for more information. The more we dig, the more we find. We'll give you a hint.... "Dead Man Walking" (FYI - CIL-HI and the Marine Corp. the typographical error excuse will not work on this one.)

Riddle me this.... two anthropologists examine remains, one anthropologist described a set of remains as having weak mastoid bones. The other anthropologist described the remains as having strong, well developed mastoid bones. Two sets of remains or incompetent anthropologists.....

The next time we discuss this case maybe we will talk about what we really know about the mt-DNA testing process.

Records and testing is all Mary Judge Jellison wants. The evidence is there to disprove the identification of the CIL-HI remains as Mark Judge. It's in the words and documentation of official government reports and records. The lid is slipping on Pandora's Box.

H.R. 2267 Departments of Commerce, Justice, and States, The Judiciary and Related Agencies Appropriations Act 1998, has been sent to the White House for President Clinton's signature. Among the provisions contained in the legislation is Sec. 609 which states "None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be obligated or expended to pay for any cost incurred for (1) opening or operating any United States diplomatic or consular post in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; that was not operating on July 11, 1995; (2) expanding any United States diplomatic or consular post in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam that was operating on July 11, 1995; or (3) increasing the total number of personnel assigned to the United States diplomatic or consular posts in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam above the levels existing on July 11, 1995, unless the President certifies within 60 days the following:

(A) Based upon all information available to the United States Government, the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is fully cooperation in good faith with the United States in the following:

(i) resolving discrepancy cases, live sightings and field activities

(ii) resolving and repatriating American remains

(iii) Accelerating efforts to provide documents that will help lead to fullest possible accounting of prisoners of war and missing in action.

(iv) providing further assistance in implementing trilateral investigations with Laos.

(B) The remains, artifacts, eyewitness accounts, archival material, and other evidence associated with prisoners of war and missing in action recovered from crash sites, military actions and other locations in Southeast Asia are being thoroughly analyzed by the appropriate laboratories with the intent of providing surviving relatives with scientifically defensible, legal determinations of death or other accountability that are full documented and available in unclassified and unredacted for to immediate family members."

We welcome this legislation and hope President Clinton signs this bill into law.

Thanks to Senator Bob Smith for all all his hard work on Sec 609 of the "Commerce, Justice, and States, The Judiciary and Related Agencies Appropriations Act 1998."

If you are looking for a new web site to check out, try this one. You may find it of interest.

http://www.livefreeordie.org