Operation Just Cause... ...for as long as it takes
Sent in by Lynn O'Shea of The National Alliance of Families
First, let us thank you for your response to our request for help. DPMO is gearing up for the final abandonment of our POW/MIAs. We must do everything we can, to try and stop them.
Our greatest weapon is our professionalism. Our letters must reflect that we are a determined, reasonable, and logical group of people. Professionalism and Facts will keep us credible. Foul language and baseless accusations will allow DPMO to paint us all as "kooks" and "crazies." WE CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN.
As individuals, we ask that you contact both your senators and your congressional representative. If your represent an organization, we ask that your organization contact your senators. Also contact the congressman representing the district where your organization is based.
Family members, when you use these letter insert the name of your loved one. Refer to him as my brother, son, husband, father.... make it personal.
Consider visiting your congressman's local office. Most district congressional offices have at least one night of evening hours. Call and make an appointment. Go prepared with documentation showing that men were left behind. Be prepared to leave copies. (A good case would be Capt. John McDonnell, alive in February 1973, who did not come home. See Bits N Pieces September 11, 1999. We can e-mail you a copy if needed)
This is an election year. All 435 congressional representatives and 33 Senators are up for re-election, in November 2000. Consider visiting the offices of those challenging your current representatives. Try to get their commitment to support POW/MIA legislation and investigations, if elected. We need to force Congressional interest in the POW issue.
Be prepared to defend your position that the families are not getting a truthful accounting and that Congress has been mislead on the POW/MIA issue.
Example:
The Defense POW/MIA Office's weekly update of January 14th states "Since the end of the Vietnam War, the remains of 552 servicemen have been recovered, identified and returned to their families for burial with full military honors."
The remains of 552 servicemen, recovered, identified and returned to their families.... Not by our count.... The following servicemen were NOT recovered, NOT identified and NOT returned to their families for burial.... James Preston, William L. Madison; Kenneth D. McKenney; Lavern G. Reilly; Marshall L. Tapp; George W. Thompson; James E. Williams; Jacob Mercer; Richard Nyhof; Robert Wilson; Leon A. Hunt; Larry J. Newman; Paul F. Gilbert; Stanley Lehrke; Robert Harrison; Donald H. Klinke; Richard M. Cole; Gerald F. Ayres; Charles Rowley; Ronnie Hensley; Robert Ireland; Stephen Harris; Donald Lint; William Brooks; Charles B. Davis; Donald G. Fisher; John C. Towle; Thomas Adachi; Peter Matthes; Joseph Matejov, Dale Brandenburg, and Todd Melton. Yet, all are included in the number 522
This list was compiled off the top of our heads. There are others. This list does not include the 1/2 tooth identification of Peter Cressman, or the one and two teeth ID's of Mark Danielson, Robert Simmons or others..
Nor did we include the crew of Specter 17, Thomas Hart, Rollie Reaid; George D. MacDonald; John Winningham; Francis Walsh; James R. Fuller; Robert T. Elliott; Robert L. Liles; Harry Lagerwall; Paul Meder; Delma Dickens; Stanley Kroboth; Charles Fenter. Of the thirteen "identifications" only two were based on acceptable scientific practices. Through court action, the Defense Department, rescinded the identification of Tom Hart and George MacDonald. Yet, all are included in the number of 522.
We ask that organizations issue Press Releases to their local media (print, tv and don't forget radio, especially the all news stations. They are always looking for fillers. We are forwarding a sample press release, edit and make it personal to your organization and area. If your organizations membership includes family members, see if you can get a quote regarding their feelings about the ending of POW/MIA investigations as we know them.
IF you get no response, send the press release again. Follow-up with a phone call. Use the same one, just change the date. Keep sending it until they respond.
Sample Letters follow - Change them around. Make them personal or write your own letter.
The Letters MUST BE MAILED OR FAXED. E-mails are generally ignored except for the automatic responses, which mean nothing.
Addresses:
Send Senate Letters To:
Your Senator's Name
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Send Congressional Letter To:
Your Representative's Name
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Senator ___________:
I am writing this letter to express my concern over Defense Department plans to restructure its operations regarding investigations and recovery of un-accounted for servicemen from World War II, Korea, Cold War, Vietnam and the Gulf.
As currently scheduled, the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO) plans by year 2004 to move "from the way the US government conducts the business of recovery and accounting." This move seems consistent with their efforts to avoid the truth about American POWs last known alive. It is my opinion that investigating the fate of known Prisoners of War, such as Korean War POWs, Roger Dumas, and Richard Desautels, and Vietnam War POWs Charles Shelton, David Hrdlicka, John McDonnell, and others should not be hampered by time limitations.
The failure of DPMO to implement essential "first step" unanimous recommendations of the 1991-1992 Senate Select POW/MIA Committee illustrates their lack of sincerity in pursuing the fate of these men. Seven years have gone by while DPMO steadfastly refuses to pursue crucial distress symbols found in U.S. satellite imagery.
Clearly, the countries holding information on the fate of our men are not cooperating with U.S. investigators. To put a time limit on U.S. investigations will provide these uncooperative nations with little incentive to provide information on our POW/MIA's. All they have to do is stall. North Korea, China, Russia, and Vietnam excel at stalling.
There can be no time limit on finding the truth!
While we support gathering of information and our servicemen in the field, we cannot accept the current level of inaccuracy of information created by DPMO and CILHI (the U.S. government remains identification organization). These two organizations have been unable to correct deep flaws within their organizations, and need to be replaced with credible organizations with trustworthy leaders, supported by the POW/MIA families.
I ask that you intercede with the Department of Defense, and express displeasure at any plans to further limit investigations regarding our Prisoners and Missing. Additionally, I ask that you support efforts to revamp current investigative procedures to insure a full and truthful accounting of our prisoners and missing from World War II, Korea, Cold War, Vietnam and the Gulf.
Very truly yours,
Your Name
Your Address
Letter to your Congressional Representative
Dear
I am writing this letter to express my concern over Defense Department plans to restructure it operations regarding investigations and recovery of un-accounted for servicemen from World War II, Korea, Cold War, Vietnam and the Gulf.
As currently scheduled, the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO) plans by year 2004 to move "from the way the US government conducts the business of recovery and accounting." This move seems consistent with their efforts to avoid the truth about American Prisoners of War (POWs) last known alive. It is my opinion that investigating the fate of known Prisoners of War, such as Koren War POWs Roger Dumas, and Richard Desautels, and Vietnam War POWs Charles Shelton, David Hrdlicka, John McDonnell, and others should not be hampered by time limitations.
The failure of DPMO to implement essential "first step" unanimous recommendations of the 1991-1992 Senate Select POW/MIA Committee illustrates their lack of sincerity in pursuing the fate of our men. Seven years have gone by while DPMO steadfastly refuses to pursue crucial distress symbols found in U.S. satellite imagery.
Clearly, the countries holding information on the fate of these men are not cooperating with U.S. investigators. To put a time limit on U.S. investigations will provide these uncooperative nations with little incentive to provide POW/MIA information. All they have to do is stall. North Korea, China, Russia, and Vietnam excel at stalling.
There can be no time limit on finding the truth!
While we support gathering of information and our servicemen in the field, we cannot accept the current level of inaccuracy of information created by DPMO and CILHI (the U.S. government remains identification organization). These two organizations have been unable to correct deep flaws within their organizations, and need to be replaced with credible organizations with trustworthy leaders supported by the POW/MIA families.
I ask that you intercede with the Department of Defense, and express displeasure at any plans to further limit investigations regarding our Prisoners and Missing. Additionally, I ask that you support efforts to revamp current investigative procedures to insure a full and truthful accounting of our prisoners and missing from World War II, Korea, Cold War, Vietnam and the Gulf.
This issue is very important to me and my family. With elections coming up, I will be seeking the candidate whose views on the POW/MIA issue most closely match my own.
Very truly yours,
Name & Address
Sample Letter for Organizations - Use for Both Senate and House -
Dear
We write this letter on behalf of the members of [ insert your organizations name] to express our concern over Defense Department plans to restructure it operations regarding investigations and recovery of un-accounted for servicemen from World War II, Korea, Cold War, Vietnam and the Gulf.
As currently scheduled, the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO) plans by year 2004 to move "from the way the US government conducts the business of recovery and accounting." This move seems consistent with their efforts to avoid the truth about American Prisoners of War (POWs) last known alive. It is our opinion that investigating the fate of known Prisoners of War, such as Korean War POWs - Roger Dumas, Richard Desautels, and Vietnam War POWs -, Charles Shelton, David Hrdlicka, John McDonnell, and others should not be hampered by time limitations.
The failure of DPMO to implement essential "first step" unanimous recommendations of the 1991-1992 Senate Select POW/MIA Committee illustrates their lack of sincerity in pursuing the fate of our men. Seven years have gone by while DPMO steadfastly refuses to pursue crucial distress symbols found in U.S. satellite imagery.
Clearly, the countries holding information on the fate of these men are not cooperating with U.S. investigators. To put a time limit on U.S. investigations will provide these uncooperative nations with little incentive to provide POW/MIA information. All they have to do is stall. North Korea, China, Russia, and Vietnam excel at stalling.
There can be no time limit on finding the truth!
While we support gathering of information and our servicemen in the field, we cannot accept the current level of inaccuracy of information created by DPMO and CILHI (the U.S. government remains identification organization). These two organizations have been unable to correct deep flaws within their organizations, and need to be replaced with credible organizations with trustworthy leaders supported by the families.
Our membership asks that you intercede with the Department of Defense, and express our displeasure at any plans to further limit investigations regarding our Prisoners and Missing. Additionally, we ask that you support efforts to revamp current investigative procedures to insure a full and truthful accounting of our prisoners and missing from World War II, Korea, Cold War, Vietnam and the Gulf.
Very truly yours,
Press Release (On organization letterhead)
Date
Contact: Your Name
Phone Number (This should be a day time number, for easy access)
The [Name of Your Organization,] protests Defense Department plans to end POW/MIA investigations by 2004.
The [insert your organizations name ] is concerned over Defense Department plans to restructure it operations regarding investigations and recovery of Servicemen Prisoner and Missing from World War II, Korea, Cold War, Vietnam and the Gulf.
As currently scheduled, the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO) plans, by year 2004, to move "from the way the US government conducts the business of recovery and accounting." It is our opinion that investigating the fate of known, Prisoners of War, such as Korean War POWs Roger Dumas and Richard Desautels, and Vietnam POWs Charles Shelton, David Hrdlicka, John McDonnell and others should not be hampered by time limitations.
The failure of DPMO to implement essential "first step" unanimous recommendations of the 1991-1992 Senate Select POW/MIA Committee illustrates their lack of sincerity in pursuing the fate of these men. Seven years have gone by while DPMO steadfastly refuses to pursue crucial distress symbols found in U.S. satellite imagery.
Clearly, the nations holding information on the fate of our men are not cooperating with U.S. investigators. To put a time limit on U.S. investigations, will provide these uncooperative nations with little incentive to provide POW/MIA information. All they have to do is stall, and that is something that North Korea, China, and Vietnam excel at.
We support gathering of information and our servicemen in the field, we cannot accept the current level of inaccuracy of information created by DPMO and Central Identification Lab - Hawaii (the U.S. government remains identification organization). These two organizations have been unable to correct deep flaws within their organizations, and need to be replaced with credible organizations with trustworthy leaders supported by the families.
Instead of winding down, the Defense POW/MIA Office should be gearing up to do their job, the way it should be done.
