Department Convention POW/MIA Resolutions
Saturday 19 July 2008 at 11:19
by NC Sentinel
Below are resolutions adopted by the NC Department Convention:
RECOVER THE REMAINS OF THE HOT AS HELL CREW
WHEREAS, on 25 January 1944, a B-24J aircraft named “Hot As Hell” flew a resupply mission from Kunming, China to Chabua, India known as “The Hump”; and
WHEREAS, the crew of eight, 1LT William A. Swanson (VT), Flight Officer Sheldon L. Chambers (PA), 1LT Irwin G. Zaetz (VT), 1LT Robert E. Oxford (GA), SSG Charles D. Ginn (IL), SSG Harry B. Queen (MA), SGT James A. Hinson (NC), SGT Alfred H. Gerrans, Jr. (NC), did not arrive at their destination and were declared dead on 20 November 1944; and
WHEREAS, Clayton Kuhles is commended for finding the wreckage of the “Hot As Hell” on 7 December 2006, during a personal expedition to specifically research downed WWII aircraft in this area; and
WHEREAS, Larry Zaetz, brother of 1LT Irwin Zaetz, and Gary Zaetz of Cary, NC, nephew of 1LT Zaetz, have spent painstaking time researching and contacting family members of the “Hot As Hell” crew; and
WHEREAS, the “Hot As Hell” family led by Larry and Gary Zaetz have been the driving force between the governments of India and the United States renewing humanitarian efforts to recover remains of unaccounted for Americans from WWII; therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States strongly supports the efforts of U.S. and Indian government officials in re-establishing humanitarian efforts for the recovery of the “Hot As Hell”; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we strongly urge the Congress to direct the Department of Defense to carry out this recovery mission as quickly as possible and to fully fund efforts to locate and return to U.S. soil all recoverable remains from this theater of operation.
KOREAN WAR: MOVE TO RENEW POW/MIA DISCUSSIONS
WHEREAS, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States has supported and continues to advocate for the accounting of U.S. personnel previously listed as prisoner of war, missing in action, killed in action/body not recovered for from the Korean War and all our nation’s wars; and
WHEREAS, in May 2005 the U.S. Government temporarily suspended remains recovery efforts in North Korea and recognizes the time and effort involved in re-establishing bilateral talks between the U.S. and DPRK to restore joint field activities;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States supports the renewal of bilateral talks with the DPRK to reach an agreement for the purpose of resuming humanitarian operations to recover unreturned Korean War Veterans.
VIETNAM WAR: UNILATERAL SRV ACTIONS NEEDED
WHEREAS, the Administration’s determination dated 7 March 2008 was submitted to Congress as defined in Section 109 of the Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act 2008; and
WHEREAS, in this determination Vietnam is called upon to work aggressively to improve tangibly its unilateral provision of POW/MIA related documents and records, focused initially on archival data pertaining to Americans captured, missing, or killed in areas of Laos and Cambodia under wartime Vietnamese control; and
WHEREAS, Vietnam should also focus grater attention on locating and providing information on discrepancy cases, with priority on those last known alive in captivity or in immediate proximity to capture, and to locating and repatriating the remains of those who died while in Vietnamese control that have not yet been returned;
BE IT RESOVLED, that the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States calls upon SRV Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and all Vietnamese leaders to authorize officials in the SRV government to locate and release immediately to the United States all records related to Americans still missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam conflict; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States also calls on the leaders of the SRV to locate and release, if deceased, remains of Americans last known alive in captivity or in immediate proximity to capture by their forces that are in SRV possession which have not yet been returned to United States control.
U.S. – RUSSIA JOINT COMMISSION ON POW/MIA AFFIARS
WHEREAS, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States has faith in the abilities of the US-Russia Joint Commission (USRJC) on POW/MIAs, also known as JCSD (Joint Commission Support Directorate), their unique expertise and commitment to the mission; and
WHEREAS, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States recognizes the meritorious efforts of U.S. Chairman General Robert Foglesong, USAF (Ret), Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) serving as Senate Republican Commissioner and Representative Sam Johnson (R-TX) as the House Republican Commissioner; and
WHEREAS, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is disappointed by the abandonment of the Senate Democrat Commissioner and the House Democrat Commissioner which is vacant; now
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States strongly recommends Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Speaker of the House Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to name a qualified Member of the House and of the Senate to serve as Commissioners who will fulfill the mission objectives and support the POW/MIA families and our nation’s veterans; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States urges Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev to commit to the agreement made between our governments when the U.S.-Russia Joint Commission on POW/MIA Affairs was established, and requests full cooperation on all humanitarian objectives of this committee.
VIETNAM WAR: USE OF U.S. NAVY VESSEL FOR UNDERWATER ACCOUNTING ACTIVITIES
WHEREAS, in November 2003, the USS Vandergrift docked in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, symbolizing an improvement in military ties between the United States and Vietnam; and
WHEREAS, despite the improvement in military ties, Vietnam refuses to honor requests by the U.S. to permit United States Navy vessels to conduct humanitarian underwater recovery missions as agreed in principle between the U.S. and Vietnam in the fall of 2006;
WHEREAS, it is recognized that the humanitarian POW/MIA accounting mission in Vietnam should capitalize the use of the latest and safest technology for the mission objectives;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States urges the government of Vietnam to respond positively to the 2006 agreement and permit a U.S. Navy vessel to conduct humanitarian underwater recovery missions in the territorial waters of Vietnam; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States requests the President, the Secretaries of State and Defense and the PACOM Commander to immediately implement the terms of this agreement reached for using a U.S. Navy vessel to conduct humanitarian underwater recovery missions in the territorial waters of Vietnam that could help account for Americans lost during the Vietnam War.
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Classmates remember missing soldier
Saturday 5 July 2008 at 12:24
by NC Sentinel
Winston-Salem Journal - Winston-Salem, NC, USA
Classmates remember missing soldier
Ceremony will honor pilot of Huey helicopter that went down in Vietnam in 1968
By Heather Wilkerson
Published: July 5, 2008
WILSON - Early one spring morning, five gray-haired men, who long ago graduated from Lucama High School, gathered around a six-man table at Bojangles.
There was a symbolic empty seat. Someone was missing. That someone was a classmate and friend who has been missing for more than 40 years. That morning, his friends vowed that even though he is gone, he will never be forgotten.
On March 13, 1968, U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Jimmy Lee Watson was piloting a Huey helicopter when it was struck by small-arms fire, causing him to make an emergency landing in Thua Thien Province of South Vietnam.
Of the 10 men onboard, five returned safely to camp. Search teams were unable to find the other five men, or any evidence of the helicopter. Two weeks later, on March 28, a unit of the 101st Airborne found two of the five missing soldiers buried in shallow graves. Watson was not one of them.
He and the two other soldiers were considered missing in action.
Watson would turn 62 this month, and although he is not here to celebrate his birthday or the coming Lucama High School Class of 1964 reunion, he will be the center of attention at a recognition service planned in his honor.
James Boyette, who now resides in Tallahassee, Fla., and Chris Raper of Elm City are spearheading the service.
"When our class is gone, he will be forgotten," Boyette said. "We're not going to let that happen."
At 4 p.m. on July 19, at the Lucama Elementary School auditorium, Watson will be remembered and honored by his classmates. There were 32 people in the class of 1964.
The guest speaker for the ceremony will be retired U.S. Army Col. Walter Joseph Marm Jr. Marm also served in Vietnam and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his service.
When the planning process for this service began many months ago, Boyette and Raper realized that not knowing what happened to Watson had an effect on all of their classmates.
"There is a huge hole individually and collectively," Boyette said. "We want to know what happened to him. We want to move on as a class. The hole will always be there, but we want some closure."
With renewed interested, Raper began a more diligent search for answers.
Although there has never been any official word from the military to the Watson family, Raper's extensive research of declassified U.S. government files has been able to shed some light on those dark days in Vietnam.
One document revealed information reported on Nov. 11, 1974, to John G. Rogers with the Joint Casualty Resolution Center. The information, based on analysis of witness statements, was that, "there is strong, confirming testimony that in fact, all five Americans were killed and buried...."
A 1995 letter to the sister of one of the missing five crew members, Sgt. Steven W. Heitman, from James W. Wold, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for POW/MIA Affairs, stated: "Five of the crewmen walked to the camp while Sergeant Heitman and four others remained behind to secure the helicopter. These men were subsequently attacked and killed by a large enemy force."
In 1973, a "data plate" from the missing helicopter was found near the emergency-landing site. Other declassified reports gave names and statements of both participants and witnesses of the battle that may have led to their deaths. The reports also detailed possible burial locations for Watson and the two other missing soldiers. The validity of these reports led to several archaeological digs by U.S. teams during the mid-1990s. Excavations of those areas failed to find any evidence of the missing soldiers.
For Boyette and Raper, the documentation provides at least some of the closure they are seeking.
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WAR STORIES - Leave No One Behind - 06 JUL 08
Saturday 5 July 2008 at 09:19
by NC Sentinel
FOXNews - USA
NEW EPISODE: Leave No One Behind
July 6 at 8 p.m. ET
Re-airs Sunday, July 6 at 11 p.m. ET and Monday, July 7 at 3 a.m. ET
Hosted by Oliver North
“Leave no one behind.” It’s a sacred promise our military makes to all who serve in uniform. To keep that pledge, the U.S. Armed Forces created the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command – JPAC – an elite unit committed to one mission: finding and bringing home America’s missing in action – no matter where they were lost.
From their headquarters at Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii, JPAC investigators, scientists and active-duty military personnel deploy around the globe in the daunting task of locating, identifying and returning missing soldiers, sailors, airmen, Guardsmen and Marines to their loved ones. Traversing trackless deserts, snake infested jungles, remote mountain ranges and ocean depths are just part of the challenge. Success also requires cutting-edge forensic technology, age-old detective work – and sometimes the skill of an explosive ordnance technician.
For the first time in this riveting episode of “War Stories,” you will accompany JPAC search and recovery teams on their often high-risk missions; meet scientists devoted to the task of identifying the remains of those who have fallen; and hear the powerful story of Lt. Fredrick Joel Ransbottom, an Oklahoma native missing in action in Vietnam since 1968. His family recounts the 38 years spent searching for answers and a fellow brother in arms describes what happened to the young Lieutenant that fateful day.
You’ll also learn how the dedicated sleuths of JPAC tackled one of the most enduring mysteries of World War II – the whereabouts of 19 Marine Raiders lost on Makin Island in 1942.
The JPAC motto – “Until they are home” – is more than just a slogan. It is a deeply held, intensely personal commitment for every member of a unique military unit – unlike any other in the world. “Leave No One Behind” is their story. It depicts the best of America: the heroism of those who wear the uniform and the debt we owe those who make the ultimate sacrifice.
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Army vet honored to throw out first pitch
Friday 4 July 2008 at 12:18
by NC Sentinel
Philadelphia Phillies - phillies.com - Philadelphia, PA, USA
07/04/2008 7:40 PM ET
Army vet honored to throw out first pitch
Ferraro part of 'Welcome Back Veterans' national campaign
By Kevin Horan / MLB.com
PHILADELPHIA -- Marc Ferraro has been working on his pitching skills for the past week, trying to learn a breaking ball from his son, an Amateur Athletic Union baseball player.
"But it wasn't working," Ferraro said with a smile.
Ferraro, a 24-year Army veteran and resident of Cherry Hill, N.J., was preparing to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Friday's game between the Phillies and Mets at Citizens Bank Park. He has been a commander of the 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team since March 2007.
All Major League teams hosting games this weekend are participating in a "Welcome Back Veterans" national fundraising and awareness campaign. A veteran threw out the first pitch at each park before Friday's games.
A pregame ceremony at Citizens Bank Park also included a presentation of 50 state flags along with a POW/MIA flag. Commemorative bases and home plates -- imprinted with "Welcome Back Veterans" -- were used in Friday's games throughout Major League Baseball.
Ferraro is spending the summer at home, but he will leave for Iraq in September. He said he was surprised when offered the chance to throw out the first pitch. Once he walked out to Citizens Bank Park's infield, the "emotions were going."
"It's just an honor to represent everybody," Ferraro said. "Those that served before us, those serving now and those getting ready to go over."
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