Rebel Fighters Found In Vietnam Jungle - From Reuters, dateline Hanoi - April 9th "A small group of tribal rebels who once waged a drawn-out guerrilla war against Vietnam's communists has been found deep in the jungle in a southern province, police said on Thursday.

"The French helped create and train FULRO, an acronym for the United Front for the Liberation of Oppressed Races, before colonial rule ended in 1954...."

"... When the Vietnam War ended in communist victory in 1975, FULRO groups continued to attack Vietnamese government and military units from bases in Vietnam's central highlands and across the border in Cambodia and Laos. The officer said four people -- two policemen and two former FULRO fighters -- set out to find the former rebels after a tip-off...."

"...Officials in the area said the most of the rebels had been defeated or persuaded to return to their villages by 1980, but small groups continued to be discovered, the most recent in March 1996."

FURLO fighters survive over 20 years in the Vietnamese jungle... Japanese soldiers survive on remote South Pacific Islands for over 50 years... South Koreans survive 40+ years in North Korea and escapes... Japanese and Koreans survive Russian gulags....

But, according to the United States Government no United States Serviceman could ever survive in a foreign prison.

New Legislation - S 1668 - "A Bill To Encourage disclosure to Congress of certain classified and related information."

Introduced February 23, 1998 by Senator Richard Shelby, this bill would require "the President to inform the employees of a covered agency (or contractor having classified contracts with such agencies) that: (1) the disclosure to a congressional committee having as its primary responsibility the oversight of a Federal department, agency, or element of evidence of a false statement to the Congress on an issue of material fact, of gross mismanagement, waste of funds, abuse of authority, or substantial and specific danger to public health or safety or of a violation of any law, rule, or regulation is not prohibited by law, executive order, or regulation; and (2) members of such committee are presumed to have a need to known and may receive such information only in their capacity as committee members."

This legislation "defines "covered agencies as the Central Intelligence Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Imagery and Mapping Agency, the National Security Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and any other executive agency having as its principal function the conduct of foreign intelligence or counterintelligence activities."

Write fax and/or call your Senators and ask that they co-sponsor and support this legislation.

Senator

United States Senate

Washington, D.C. 20510

or call toll free -- 1-800-504-0031

We always thought had access to classified information. Senator Shelby as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee most definitely should have access to such material. By this legislation, is he telling us he doesn't.

Bring Richard Desautel Home - In late June or early July, President Clinton is expected to visit China. China was deeply involved with POWs from the Korean War, Cold War and the War in Southeast Asia. Many POWs, from these wars, were taken to China, never to be heard from again.

Is there any chance we can get Clinton to ask for Korean War POW Richard Desautel? No fewer than 19 former Korean War POWs saw Richard Desautel alive during captivity or at the time of repatriation. Many saw him in the hands of the Chinese.

"The above mentioned POW was taken into China... He returned to Camp No. 5, in March 1952, at that time he mentioned if he should disappear to make inquires concerning his whereabouts with the proper military authorities...." Statement of former POW Joseph [last name unreadable] - 16 June 1954.

"He was taken away cause he could speak Chinese... So they took him away and when I was released I saw him in Pyoktong village. He must of been held." Statement of former POW Richard Grenier - 12 June 1954.

President Clinton, when you are in China, will you ask the Chinese President about Richard Desautel? Write, call and/or fax President Clinton and Secretary of State Albright at:.

NATO and the Former Eastern Bloc Countries --- What do they know? The following is excerpted from a FBIS Report dated April 7th, the title "Poland: Former Polish Correspondent in Vietnam on US POWs" From an interview with Monika Warnenska, former Trybuna Ludu correspondent, by Pawel Wronski; "According to [Polish] authorities, our archives contain no information on missing U.S. soldiers. Maybe Polish journalists know something. Monika Warnenska was in Vietnam during the war as a Trybuna Ludu correspondent...."

[Wronski] Did you speak with U.S. POWs in Vietnam? [Warnenska] Many times, only with pilots, and mainly in Hanoi. They called it the Hanoi Hilton. It was a bitter joke because the POWs had to dig shelters from U.S. raids on their own. The first man I spoke with in August 1967 was pilot Robert Daughtrey. Afterwards, I happened to speak with a pilot shortly after he ejected from his plane. He was so stunned and shocked that he was unable to say much. mentioned the names of all the pilots with whom I talked in my books...."

"...Each soldier had with him a piece of nylon material with a request for help written in several languages. I still have such a nylon cloth with the U.S. flag and No. 60515S...."

[Wronski] Have the Americans that are now looking for traces of information on the POWs contacted you? [Warnenska] In Poland, the U.S. experts searched primarily documents of the truce Oversight and Control Commission. It makes no sense because the commission had nothing to do with the POWs. Our military were interested primarily in U.S. technology. The Americans have not contacted me. Two years ago, I was contacted by an American woman, Shelby Quast, who searched for her father. I could not help her much....

Ms. Warnenska makes it clear in the interview that she does not believe American POW's survive in Vietnam. On that topic, she is wrong. The interview clearly indicates that she does have information on one POW and is in possession of his "Blood Chit." Does DOD have the records of who was issued Blood Chit No. 60515S - or were those records "Lost" also.

Remains Designated - Remains designated U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Donald V. Davis, of Salisbury, N.C. AND Captain Carey A. Cunningham, U.S. Air Force, of Collinsville, Ala. have been declared identified. At the families request the name of a U.S. civilian lost in Laos will not be released.

Notably Absent - Once Again, no mention was made regarding the use of mt-DNA testing to identify remains associated with LTC Davis and Capt. Cunningham. Prior to January of this year, DPMO had no hesitation about touting mt-DNA identification. Now, any mention of mt-DNA testing is conspicuously absent.

The Known - As of this writing, The Department of Defense still has not made a decision to exhume the remains of Michael J. Blassie, from the Tomb of the Unknowns, and return him to his family.

CBS Evening News - continued their investigation into the decision to inter Michael Blassie as the Vietnam Unknown. This week's piece aired with the title "Anatomy of a Cover-Up."

Our Position - The National Alliance of Families totally supports the exhumation of Michael Blassie, from the Tomb of the Unknown, and the immediate return of those remains to the Blassie family..

CIL-HI Slight of Hand - Animal Bones to Human - Remains currently under consideration for designation as Air Force Capt. Victor J. Apodaca have a questionable history. The Comprehensive Case Review, prepared by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO) in 1995, referenced both remains repatriations. Of the 1988 repatriation, DPMO states: "SRV unilaterally repatriated remains of Busch (backseater), plus box alleged to contain Apodaca remains. Also turned over at the time was a mutilated dogtag of Apodaca and a map. SRV forewarned U.S. that Apodaca remains were believed to be non-human. Busch remains were identified; CIL-HI confirmed that Apodaca remains were non-human."

Of the 1989 repatriation, DPMO stated: "unilateral repatriation included container alleged to contain Apodaca remains SRV said remains were acquired for HCM City (Ho Chi Minh City) smuggler by Public Security. Remains determined to be human, race undetermined. Nothing else...." "No indication why SRV associated remains with Apodaca."

"Remains determine to be be human, race undetermined" was not what the Commander of the Joint Casualty Resolution Center said. According to message traffic, dated September 22, 1989, the Commander of JCRC stated:

"APODACA, VICTORY J. JR; 0727; QUANG BINH: RECOVERED FROM REMAINS DEALERS. REPATRIATED TO THE U.S. TWICE WITH DOG TAG. THE U.S. SIDE REPORTS THE REMAINS WERE ANIMAL BONES."

No explanation has been offered to the Apodaca family regarding the transformation from animal bones to human bones.

The National Alliance of Families Ninth Annual Meeting is scheduled for June 18 - 20th, 1998 in Washington, D.C. Once again, we will meet at the Sheraton City Centre Hotel in Washington D.C. Room rates are $103.00 per night double occupancy. To make reservations, call 800-526-7495.

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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