-Caveat Lector- UPDATE LINE: August 16, 2001 According to the Department of Defense, there are still 1,957 Americans missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War. On July 31st, the League was informed that two Americans, initially listed as MIA on January 21, 1968, are now accounted for. The remains of US Army Reserve Warrant Officer 2nd Class William Kimsey and his co-pilot, a US Marine whose family declined to publicly release his name, were jointly recovered in North Vietnam on January 1, 1998. On July 19th, the League learned that five Americans whose remains were jointly recovered in South Vietnam were also identified. The remains of one, a KIA/BNR on October 6, 1969, were jointly recovered on November 20, 2000, but his family requested that his name not be publicly announced. The other four were lost on August 3, 1967 in South Vietnam, and their remains were jointly recovered on June 8, 1994. Their names are Corporal Thomas A. Gopp, USMC, of OH, Seaman James P. McGrath, USN, of IL, Lance Corporal John B. Nahan, III, USMC, of MI and Corporal Jack Wolpe, USMC, of NY. On July 16th, the League learned that two Americans whose remains were jointly recovered in Laos and repatriated on February 11, 2000 are now accounted for. One, Major Luther A. Lono, USMC, was from WA State, and the NOK of the other requested that his name not be publicly announced. The accounting for these Americans brings the number still missing and unaccounted for in Vietnam to 1,474, with 415 in Laos, 60 in Cambodia and 8 in the territorial waters of the PRC. Over 90% of the 1,957 Americans still missing from the Vietnam War were lost in areas under Vietnam's wartime control. During Secretary of State Colin Powell's July visit to Vietnam for the Assn. of SEA Nations conference, he had bilateral discussions with senior officials of all attending countries. The Hanoi byline in Reuters coverage on July 26th stated, "Powell hails effort to find men lost in Vietnam." The report quotes Secretary Powell as stating, "All of my buddies came home, even those who died. We got the remains. But for those we didn't find, there's still a longing in the hearts of their family members and their fellow veterans." The article goes on to state, "The MIAs are still Washington's top foreign policy priority with Hanoi." As previously noted, the League is confident that Bush Administration policy includes POW/MIA accounting as an integral issue, a problem from the past that still requires future actions. Such actions include a focus on unilateral steps by Vietnam to locate and return remains, as well as continuing to improve the quality and effectiveness of joint field operations. The Bush Administration has not yet formally announced the new Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for POW/MIA Affairs; however, the League was informed that Mr. Jerry Jennings will soon be named. He is highly qualified and in our view will be the first person with the necessary background and experience to hold the position. The League looks forward to working closely with Mr. Jennings and other Bush Administration officials to achieve POW/MIA goals. The new JTF-AF Commander, Air Force BG Steven Redmann, assumed command from BG Harry Axson, USA, during a July 23rd ceremony presided over by Admiral Dennis Blair, US Commander of Pacific Forces. This is the first time that the Air Force has commanded the organization. General Redmann recently completed an introductory swing through Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. Joint US-Lao operations began on August 9th and will continue for about one month. POW/MIA car-window decals are available at a cost of $20 per 100 by sending a check to the League office at 1001 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 919, Washington, DC 20036. POW/MIA lapel pins are also available at $3 each or 2/$5. 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