Until They Are Home
Captain America
for Americans missing from the Vietnam War and previous wars.
While some of the locations mentioned in the newsletter below have
romantic sounding names and exotic landscapes, the fact is, the men
and women on the excavation teams work very hard under demanding and
at times dangerous conditions, and have very little, if any, free time
when deployed.
The young men and women on these recovery teams were not even born
when the men they are recovering were lost. In fact, the young
soldiers, sailors, and airmen on these recovery teams are the children
and grandchildren of WW II and Vietnam War vets.
Note that the three teams that will be working in Vietnam “marks the
104th Joint Field Activity in Vietnam.”
These Joint Field Activities -- JFA -- started in September 1988. The
number of teams deployed varies from one JFA to the next, but each JFA
has a duration of at least 30 days. Thus, since 1988, American
investigation and excavation teams have been on the ground in Vietnam
for the equivalent of more than 8 1/2 years.
This number does not include the many JFAs conducted in Laos,
Cambodia, and other locations around the globe.
Check out JPAC’s website at: http://www.jpac.pacom.mil/
From: Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command
[mailto:PAO_...@JPAC.PACOM.MIL]
Sent: Friday, August 12, 2011 5:36 PM
To: ADDRESSEES DELETED FOR PRIVACY
Subject: JPAC teams search for unaccounted-for Americans from the
Vietnam War, World War II
Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command
Public Affairs Office
(808) 448-1934
www.jpac.pacom.mil
Pao_...@jpac.pacom.mil
Contact: Elizabeth Feeney
Aug. 12, 2011
Release # 11-15
~ NEWS RELEASE ~
POW/MIA RECOVERY TEAMS SEARCH FOR MISSING AMERICANS JPAC teams search
for unaccounted-for Americans from the Vietnam War, World War II
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (Aug. 12, 2011) – Several
archeological recovery and investigation teams from the U.S. Joint
POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) recently deployed to the Socialist
Republic of Vietnam, Canada, the Republic of Vanuatu, the Federal
Republic of Germany, and the Independent State of Papua New Guinea
searching for Americans that remain unaccounted-for from the Vietnam
War and World War II. About 100 JPAC team members deployed from Joint
Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, to investigate and excavate several
ground and aircraft crash sites in search of more than 35 Americans.
Recovery teams search for human remains, life support items, and other
material evidence (personal and military issued items) that may lead
to the identification of Americans missing from past U.S. conflicts.
Investigation teams authenticate leads from eyewitnesses, conduct
field research, and gather information throughout the various
locations to determine whether or not there will be a return visit for
excavation at a later date.
Vietnam: Approximately 35 JPAC team members will excavate multiple
sites associated with Vietnam War losses. Three recovery teams will
search in the Quang Tri, Quang Nam, and Quang Ngai provinces at burial
and aircraft crash sites for five Americans. The approximately 35-day
long undertaking marks the 104th Joint Field Activity in Vietnam.
Canada: More than 25 personnel from JPAC and the U.S. Navy’s Mobile
Diving and Salvage Unit Two, Company 2-5, from Virginia Beach, Va.,
deployed to Botwood Harbor recently to search for three Americans that
remain unaccounted-for from World War II. The team will conduct
underwater excavations for 30 days at an aircraft crash site just
north of Botwood in the Newfoundland province.
Vanuatu: A JPAC recovery team will search at two sites in Espiritu
Santo for about 45 days. The team will excavate two aircraft crash
sites in search of nine Americans that have been missing for more than
65 years.
Germany: A JPAC recovery team will excavate an aircraft crash site
near the town of Bettenfeld for about 30 days in search of two
Americans that have been missing for more than 65 years. In addition
to JPAC members, military and civilian volunteers from Spangdahlem Air
Base, Germany, have volunteered to assist the team with excavation and
logistical operations.
Papua New Guinea: Two JPAC teams will investigate and excavate
multiple sites in the Morobe and East Sepik provinces which are
associated with World War II losses. An investigation team will
authenticate eyewitness leads generated through historical research
and conduct field research for 10 cases and more than 30 individuals
in the East Sepik province. The recovery team will search an aircraft
crash site in the Morobe province where nine Americans may have
perished.
These missions were the last scheduled missions to deploy for Fiscal
Year 2011.
Falling directly under the U.S. Pacific Command, JPAC is a
jointly-manned organization of more than 400 military and civilian
specialists that has, with its predecessor organizations, investigated
and recovered missing Americans since the 1970’s.
The ultimate goal of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, and of the
agencies involved in returning America’s heroes home, is to achieve
the fullest possible accounting of Americans lost during the nation’s
past conflicts.
"Until They Are Home"
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