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Evidence - Noun: 1. information or signs indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid. 2. Law information used to establish facts in legal investigation or admissible as testimony in a law court. Verb: be or shown evidence of.

So, how much evidence is needed to validate the statement..... American Service personnel from World War II, Korea, the Cold War, Vietnam and the Gulf Wars were held back by the enemy, at the end of each of our wars. We count on the fact that eventually the truth will come out. The fact is.... the truth is already out.
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"There are too many live sighting reports, specifically observations of several Caucasians in a collective farm by Romanians and the North Korean defectors' eyewitness of Americans in DPRK (Democratic Peoples Republic Korea) to dismiss that there are no American POWs in North Korea.” March 1996 - I. O. Lee, analyst with the Defense Prisoner of War Missing Personnel Office (DPMO), March 1996. Mr. Lee could not have drawn such a conclusion without.... evidence.
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"There is evidence, moreover, that indicates the possibility of survival, at least for a small number, after Operation Homecoming...." January 13, 1996 - Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs . The Committee could not have drawn such a conclusion without.... evidence.
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"Americans, including American servicemen, were imprisoned in the former Soviet Union...." Feb. 11, 2005 - 5th Edition of the Gulag Study compiled by the Joint Commission Support Directorate, the investigative arm of the U.S./Russian Joint Commission on POW/MIAs. The JCSD could not have drawn such a conclusion without.... evidence.
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“I personally would be comfortable saying that the number is in the hundreds." Mr. Norman Kass JCSD executive secretary, during a CNN interview, when asked about the number of American’s held in the former Soviet Union. Mr. Kass would not have made such a statement without .... evidence.
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“ Ashley and four crew members, (Turner, Olsen, Shaddick, and Ishida) were known to be alive in Communist hands as of the close of the Korean conflict, Jul 53.” Report prepared by the Escape and Evasion Section of the 6004th Air Intelligence Service Squadron, Oct. 19. 1995. This conclusion could not have been reached without.... evidence
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“Dr. Shields called on 21 May..... he viewed both situations as we did and that it appeared that he should not be adamant in denying that there are no U.S. PWs in SEA (Southeast Asia.) I agreed, adding that the Cambodian situation is also less than clear and conclusive. Memo From John T. Berbrich, Defense Intelligence Agency dated 23, May 1973, to Commander Chuck Trowbridge. Would Mr. Berbrich have made such a statement without... evidence?
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"I am not certain that we have fully clarified everything. I know that quite a few documents were destroyed. However, one document, probably sensational, is still in storage. I have a copy of it. It's content is as follows: at the end of the 1960s the KGB (external foreign intelligence) was given the task of "delivering informed Americans to the USSR for intelligence gathering purposes. When I found this sensational paper in a "special pouch," I immediately went to Y. M. Primakov (Director of Foreign Intelligence). He called in his people. They brought in a copy of this project signed; it seems to me, by Semichastny (I will explain). For a long time, there was a search underway to find traces of this task. These, the traces, as I had expected "were not found." They said that the task had not been accomplished. So how did this happen in fact? The regime was such that one could speculate on the wildest of variants. This remained a secret, which I could not penetrate. I also did not report this to my much-esteemed Ambassador, M. Toon. I am speaking about this now in the hope that these notes will make it into my book Reflections. (Note: in the text the word Reflections is underlined.)" General Dmitri Volkogonov, Chairman Russian side of the U.S./Russian Joint Commission on POW/MIAs. Would General Volkogonov made such a statement without.... evidence?
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“There is also evidence based upon radar plots and intercepted voice messages, as well as upon the recovery of casualties, that a small number of Air Force crews whose missions involved flights over the Sea of Japan during the Korean War were shot down by aircraft based in the Soviet Far East, some of whom are probably held in the Soviet Union. These cases (some 33) are of course not directly relevant to the current negotiations at Geneva. The missions on which these aircraft were flying, while related to the Korean War, are highly classified and the names of these individuals have never been included on any lists for which we have demanded an accounting from the Chinese Communists.” Memo from Office of the Secretary of Defense, Sept. 16th 1995 signed by General G.B. Erskine USMC, Assistant to the Secretary od Defense Special Operations on the Subject of Geneva Negotiations on Prisoner of War, commenting on Cold War losses. “Probably held in the Soviet Union,” would such a comment have been made without... evidence?
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“The regime made it a high priority to capture enemy personnel or recover remains inside Iraqi-controlled territory, and Baghdad would have thoroughly investigated the matter until the pilot was captured or the remains recovered. Baghdad's efforts to recover Coalition airmen downed over Iraqi-controlled territory were highly successful. We judge that Baghdad was aware of January 1991 western press reports that a US aircraft was
shot down over Iraq on the first night of the war and that the pilot was believed to be the first US casualty of Desert Storm. The press reports would have caused Iraqi intelligence to investigate and the information very likely helped Baghdad focus its search for the wreckage and the pilot. We assess LCDR Speicher was either captured alive or his remains were recovered and brought to Baghdad.” Unclassified Intelligence Community Summary on the Case of Lt. Cmdr. Scott Speicher. The conclusion that Speicher was captured alive or his remains recovered by the Iraqi’s would not have been made without.... evidence.
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It was on two occasions during the early meetings of the Four Party Joint Military Team, U.S. members "asked PRG to provide information on a specific MIA when (sic) intelligence sources reported as still being held captive." We have subsequently learned that the MIA referred to is Navy Lt. Cmdr. John Graf. Would the FPJMT have made such a request for information on Graf without.... evidence.
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"First I must ask you to excuse my English, because I cannot speak like you. I learned my English in
concentration camps and my first teachers were kidnaped American officers." Testimony of Avraham Shifrin before the Subcommittee to Investigate the Administration of the Internal Security Act and Other Internal
Security Laws, Committee on the Judiciary United States Senate, February 1, 1973. Firsthand eyewitness statement.... evidence.
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"The United States Government has recently received reports which support earlier indications that
American prisoners of war who had seen action in Korea have been transported to the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics and that they are now in Soviet custody. The United States Government desires to
receive urgently all information available to the Soviet Government concerning these American personnel
and to arrange their repatriation at the earliest possible time." Dispatch No. 947 to the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic from American Embassy Moscow April 5, 1954 (note: on the document April is crossed out and May is handwritten in) signed by E. O'Shaughnessy Would the American Embassy have sent such a message regarding the existence of American POWs held in the Soviet Union without.... evidence.
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“ The fact is an anthropologist with many years of experience rendered a professional opinion that based on the condition of Lt. Mc Kinnie’s (sic) remains, he was alive subsequent to Operation Homecoming....” Joint Casualty Resolution Center Message Traffic 282114Z Jan 92. Would the JCRC have issued such a statement without.... evidence?
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"No matter what terms are agreed upon, it would be unduly optimistic to believe that the DRV [Democratic Republic of Vietnam] and the VC [Viet Cong] will release all U.S. prisoners immediately after conclusion of an agreement in the expectation that the United States will meet its military, political, or monetary commitments. More likely, they will insist on awaiting concrete evidence of U.S. concessions before releasing the majority of American prisoners, and will retain some of them until all U.S. commitments have been fulfilled." Memorandum RM 5729 1-ARPA January 1969 "Prisoners of War in Indochina" by Anita Lauve Nutt for The Rand Corporation. Would Ms. Lauve Nutt have reached such a conclusion without.... evidence?
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The North Vietnamese would look for reasons "for not returning all American prisoners.” CIA Intelligence Information Report – dated 3 November 1970. Would the CIA have reached such a conclusion without.... evidence? Well, maybe we need to think on that one....
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"There is a possibility that as many as 57 Americans could be alive...." Conclusion of the Joint Casualty Resolution Center study titled “Project X” issued April 23, 1976. Would the JCRC have reached such a conclusion without..... evidence
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“We missed the best chance we ever had to find POWS still alive." Former National Security Advisor Richard Allen commenting on the aborted raid at Nhommarath. Would Mr. Allen have made such a statement without.... evidence?
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"We knew of at least 80 instances in which an American serviceman had been captured alive and subsequently disappeared. The evidence consisted either of voice communications from the ground in advance of capture or photographs and names published by the Communists. Yet none of these men was on the list of POWs handed over after the Agreement. Why? Were they dead? How did they die?" I called special attention to the 19 cases where pictures of the captured had been published in the Communist press. Pham Van Dong replied non-committally (sic) that the lists handed over to us were complete..." Dr. Henry Kissinger, former National Security Advisor and Secretary of State, Kissinger Memoirs Vol. II The White House Years. Would Dr. Kissinger have made such a statement without.... evidence?
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"As of now, I can come to no other conclusion,." Former Secretary of Defense and CIA Director James Schlesinger before the Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs, when asked directly if the United States left men behind in Southeast Asia. Would Mr. Schlesinger have made such a statement without.... evidence?
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“Several thousand American soldiers who have not been repatriated were victims of war crimes, died in action, or are presently confined behind the Iron Curtian.” Report of the Senate Committee on Government Operations Subcommittee on “Korean War Atrocities” 1954. Would the United States Senate reached such a conclusion without.... evidence?
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“DIA holds information that establishes the strong possibility of American prisoners of war being held in Laos and Vietnam.” One of the finding of the Tighe Commission, in 1986. Would the commission have made such a statement without.... evidence?
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"Our archives have shown this to be true. Some of them were transferred to the territory of the former U.S.S.R. and were kept in labor camps. We don't have complete data and can only surmise that some of them may still be alive," Former Russian President Boris Yeltsin, in June 1992. In spite of attempts by members of the Bush #41 administration to discredit Mr. Yeltsin’s statements, do we really believe the former Russian President would make such a statement without.... evidence?
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The information presented is but the tip of one very, very, large iceberg.


What about potential evidence, no yet investigated?

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“The 185 Report” - “In November 1993 DPMO received a report that American POWs had been held in SEA after Homecoming, possibly as late as 1976, and that the number was 185. The report was deemed to be so important and possibly credible that the collection representative was directed to follow the situation and to conduct frequent follow-ups which did not happen.”

“During the mid-l 990's a Russian geologist was interviewed and reported that he was told in 1976 by Vietnamese counterparts that the Vietnamese Government at that time was holding live American POWs. Does this report substantiate the earlier reporting? No one knows since neither report has been investigated further or in-depth.” Source Warren Gray, retired DPMO Intelligence Research Officer
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Another source, whose name we are withholding provided the following information:

Item One: In 2001 a high-ranking defector was made available to DPMO for interview, and it was well known that he had extensive information of value in the POW issue. Despite that fact, DPMO stated flatly that it had no interest in the individual. Only after pressure from DIA did DPMO pose questions for the defector, effectively giving lip service to the situation, but after the defector provided 22 new items of intelligence information, DPMO still failed to follow up with the individual, and has continued to ignore the individual and the invaluable information he possesses.

Item Two: During the Gulf War, after it was certain that U.S. Naval officer Michael Scott Speicher survived his aircraft loss incident, DPMO showed little interest in resolving the fate of the missing officer. Despite the receipt of a large number of intelligence reports from sources of varying credibility, DPMO failed to make any sincere efforts to investigate the reports, despite its responsibility to do so, and has never made a credible effort to determine the fate of Captain Speicher. Providing lip service to the matter of an American probably alive in captivity is unacceptable.

Item Three: DPMO's failure to issue intelligence collection requirements to follow up on source interviews such as the defector is inexcusable. DPMO's failure to investigate credible reports regarding Captain Speicher is unbelievable.

But the situation gets worse, far worse.

In 1998, the Directorate of Operations within DPMO received an extremely credible report that American MIAs were still being held in Southeast Asia, and DPMO ignored the report! Not one single action was taken to determine if the report was true, the source was not interviewed further, the Governments in Southeast Asia were not asked to account for the report…nothing.
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We guess this proves the old adage, never ask a question, you don’t want the answer to.

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There is one question we want an answer to....

When will there be a serious effort to gain the release of our Live POWs,

and fully investigate reports of POWs, currently collecting dust at DPMO?

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This will be the last Bits N Pieces for 2005. As we approach this Holiday Season, please keep a special spot in your heart for Scott Speicher and Matt Maupin, held as Prisoner of War somewhere in Iraq, for the American’s reported alive in Southeast Asia in 1998, and our POWs and MIAs in North Korea, China and the former Soviet Union, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

To our Troops Deployed - You are in our prayers, stay safe and may you all be home soon.

To our POW/MIA family member, veterans and concerned citizens, we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving, a Happy Chanukah, a Merry Christmas and a healthy and Happy New Year.

To the Those Present and Former Government Employees who assist us with guidance and information, we thank God for you and bless your hearts..


For this holiday season we, once again, share our favorite poem with you.

"Though we've come a long way, there is much, much more to be done.
The deck is stacked against us. Our adversaries are well-entrenched
and well-financed and scared of any change in the status quo.

In the long run, we will prevail.
We hold the trump card, folks and when the dust clears, and the dense morning fog burns off,
when we clear our wire of sappers, and the gunships go home,
by God, we'll still be there, because what we seek to do is right."

--- Author Unknown



"Thus saith the Lord; Refrain thy voice from weeping,
and thine eyes from tears;
for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord:

and they shall come again from the land of the enemy;
and there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord,
that thy children shall come again to their own border."


JerMIAh 31:16--17:


Let us all work together in the New Year to make the words

"I'll be home for Christmas"

more than just a dream for our POW/MIAs.



TRUTH, JOY, AND PEACE TO US ALL IN 2006.

Dolores and Lynn and the Board of Directors of the National Alliance of Families

Lynn O'Shea
Director of Research
National Alliance of POW/MIA Families
for the Return of America's Missing Servicemen
World War II - Korea - Cold War - Vietnam - Gulf Wars