DASD Position - As of this writing no public decision has been made with regard to filing the position of Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for POW/MIA Affairs. As you know, the National Alliance of Families, along with the Korea/Cold War Families of the Missing, the Korean War POW/MIA Network, the Coalition of Families of Korean & Cold War POW/MIAs, the POW Network, Help Free POW*MIA's Now, the Northeast POW/MIA Network, the Prisoner of War/ Missing in Action CT Forget-Me-Nots, Inc., Task Force Omega of Ky., Heart of Illinois, have all endorsed Mr. Norman Kass for the position of Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for POW/MIA Affairs.

Make your voices heard on this important decision. Send emails and faxes to:	Fax your letters to:
The President at president@whitehouse.gov Presidential Personnel Office The White House Washington, DC 20502 Fax: 202-456-1121	Mr. Jim O'Beirne C/O Ms. Margaret Hemenway White House Liaison Dept of Defense Pentagon Rm 3D964 Fax: 703-693-6908

President Appoints New Co-Chair for the U.S. Russian/Joint Commission – On April 25th, the President announced his intention "to appoint retired Air Force General Robert H. Foglesong, of West Virginia, to be Co-Chairman of the United States-Russian Joint Commission on POW/MIAs."

We, at the National Alliance of Families, offer General Foglesong our congratulations on his appointment to the U.S./Russian Joint Commission and we look forward to working with him in the future.

An Interesting Conversation – We recently located a document on the letterhead of the National Security Council. Once marked "Top Secret/Sensitive/Codeword," the subject of the document is the "Minutes of the Washington Special Actions Group Meeting of March 13, 1973." Present at this meeting were Dr. Henry Kissinger, listed as the groups Chairman, and representatives of the Departments of State and Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Central Intelligence Agency and National Security Council. The names of all these representatives are redacted. Unfortunately, the subject is misleading, as the document provides only a "Summary of Conclusions."

During the March 13th meeting the group discussed options with regard to Laos concluding; "the best military option appears to be a resumption of bombing the trails in Laos as soon as possible after the third tranche of POWs is released." The document also notes that "the final decision will be made by the President."

The document continues discussing the withdrawal of American troops from Vietnam stating; "the withdrawal of the remainder of the troops will not begin until we have received the list of the last group of POWs and the withdrawal will not be completed until all our POWs, including those in Laos have been released."

The next portion of the document is redacted with the notation "Not related to POW / MIA." The document resumed with a short transcription of a contestation among the meetings participants. That conversation follows:

State Dept. Representative: "You won't complete the withdrawal until the Lao prisoners are released."

Mr. Kissinger: Yes, that's right.

Defense Dept. Representative: "How many are there in Laos?"

NSC Staff: "They've told us they hold more American prisoners than the eight on the list we received from North Vietnam."

Mr. Kissinger: "They have? They've told us they hold more than eight?"

NSC Staff: "That's right."

State Dept. Representative: "We've had contact with the Pathet Lao several times."

Mr. Kissinger: "And they have admitted they hold more?"

State Dept. Representative: "Yes."

Mr. Kissinger: "I didn't know that. How many more?"

State Dept. Representative: "They haven't said. They've been giving us the runaround on the details. This is something you may want to keep in mind. You may want to notify the DRV that the Pathet Laos have told us this and ask them to be more forthcoming on POWs in Laos."

Defense Dept. Representative: "(to Mr. Kissinger) Will you handle this through your [word unreadable]?"

Was the State Department representative convinced that the Lao continued to hold POWs based solely on the statements of Pathet Lao spokesman Soth Petrasy, who stated the Lao held "tens of tens" of American POWs? Did the Pathet Lao admitting to holding additional POWs in other private contacts with the U.S. Government? Had the U.S. Government negotiated directly with the Lao for our Prisoners of War, as they insisted, wouldn't the Lao have had to produce POWs? Where would those POWs come from if the Lao weren't holding any?

Once Declared Dead, Japanese Soldier Living in the Ukraine Returns From World War II – The following is excerpted from the Independent Online by by David McNeill. "A former soldier with the Japanese army, long presumed dead, came home yesterday 63 years after leaving to fight in the Second World War."

"Ishinosuke Uwano, 83, arrived at Japan's main international airport with his eldest son Anatoly, who was born in Ukraine, followed by a swarm of reporters asking questions about his mysterious past. Mr Uwano, who looked fit and healthy, said he "felt good but very tired". "I haven't spoken Japanese in 60 years," he said, "and first of all I would like to say konnichiwa [hello]."

"Mr Uwano was still a teenager when he was drafted into the Imperial Army and sent to the Russian Far East. He ended the war on Sakhalin Island, which was seized and occupied by Russia, and later moved to the Ukraine, where it is thought he married a local woman and raised three children."

"His last official sighting was in 1958. Six years ago his relatives gave up hope of finding him alive and officially removed his name from their family register."

"A spokesman for Japan's Health Ministry said he contacted a Japanese embassy in Ukraine last year to ask for help in searching for surviving relatives. The spokesman said the ministry had no idea why it took him so long to come forward, and added: "We're looking forward to hearing his story...."

We're all looking forward to hearing Mr. Uwano's story. Japanese POW's, from World War II surviving in the former Soviet Union, South Korean POW's, from the Korean War, surviving in North Korea.....

Memorial Day Is Fast Approaching – If you live in the Milwaukee Wisconsin area you are invited to participate in the "Wisconsin's 9th Annual POW-MIA National Balloon Launch."

WHERE: Veterans Park-Milwaukee Wisconsin's Lakefront North Side of the War Memorial Center

TIME: Ceremonies begin after the Memorial Day Parade which will take place at 2:00 p.m., downtown Milwaukee (4th & Wisconsin)

Contact Julie Spangler-Coordinator if you plan to attend: POWMIABalloonLaunch@yahoo.com

View the 2006 Balloon Launch Web Site for more information: www.war-veterans.org/Wlaunch.htm

If Your Not Listening You Should Be – For the latest POW/MIA information, tune in to POW/MIA Radio, with Rod Utech, Sunday afternoons at 5 PM EDT on your computer at http://www.americanewsnet.com

South Korea Works for Return of its POWs – April 13, 2006 from Chosun Ilbo, "The Defense Ministry is trying to determine the exact number of Korean soldiers taken to North Korea as prisoners of war right before the armistice on July 27, 1953, as part of efforts to bring survivors home."

"A ministry official said Friday the government is considering bringing back first POWs who were not included in the repatriation list at the time of the armistice agreement. They were captured between July 1951, when negotiations started, and July 1953, when the truce was concluded." "The ministry said when negotiations to repatriate POWs between the South and North started in 1951, UN Command estimated the number of South Korean soldiers missing in action at more than 82,000, but only 8,343 were actually returned home. In a report submitted to the National Assembly last year, it said that as of September last year, 546 South Korean POWs believed alive in the North, 845 deceased and 260 missing. Some 60 POWs have escaped the North to return to the South, and 60 percent of them had been captured right before the truce was finalized in 1953....."

Why Does Johnie Webb still have a job!!!!!!!!

National Alliance of Families 17th Annual Forum is scheduled for June 22th - 24th, 2006. We have no idea if DPMO will again hold a concerned citizens briefing. As soon as we hear anything, we will let you know.

Our forum is conducted to coincide with the Government's annual Vietnam POW/MIA Family Briefings. We urge all family members to attend this years government briefings. The government will provide free airfare to two family members to attend the government briefings. There is no charge or registration fee to attend these briefings and you DO NOT have to belong to an organization to attend the government briefings.

This year the Alliance meeting will be held at the Sheraton Crystal City located at 1800 Jefferson Davis Highway, in Arlington Va. Rate for single or double occupancy for is $99.00 per night plus tax. This rate applies to Thursday, Friday and Saturday. If you are arriving on Wednesday rate is $109.00 plus tax. Parking is $10.00 per day. The Sheraton is located across the street from both the Crystal City Underground Food Court and the Metro Stop. The Sheraton is within a short walking distance of the hotel hosting the government briefings. The Alliance is working on transportation between hotels for those who prefer to ride. To make your reservations, call 703-486-1111 or 800-864-7666 and remember to say you want the special National Alliance of Families rate. Reservations must be made by May 25th to get the special Alliance rate.

The Alliance is an all volunteer organization. Our meetings are open to all, without charge. At this time of year, we actively seek contributions to finance our forum. If you wish to contribute, donations may be mailed to: