BITS 'N' PIECES

JANUARY 17, 1998

Another South Korean POW escapes the North - From The Yonhap News Agency - Seoul, Korea - dateline December 29th reports "A South Korean soldier, who has been detained in North Korea since his capture by the North Korean army during the Korean War (1950-53), is known Monday [29th December] to have escaped the socialist country and made his way to South Korea."

From The British Broadcasting Corporation, December 30, 1997 - "Yang Yong-sun, 71 escaped to China to seek food last October and returned to South Korea last Wednesday [24th December]" a government source said. A close investigation into his exile is now under way, the source added."

"Yang became the second South Korean prisoner of war to defect to the South, following Cho Chang-ho in 1994. He had reportedly resided at a concentration camp for South Korean war prisoners in Hangyong Province, North Korea."

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The escape of a second South Korean held Prisoner in the North, reinforces the position of the National Alliance of Families that our POW/MIAs must be part of the Geneva Talks to end the Korean War. There can be no true peace without the repatriation of live POWs on all sides. Each side must agree to an exchange of all POW/MIA related documentation and an immediate return of remains. This must be a top priority.

We call upon the Chinese and North Korean governments to commit to the release of all United Nations Personnel captured during the Korean War, including American and South Korean personnel.

We call upon the South Korean government to commit to the release of all North Korean and Chinese personnel, captured during the Korean War.

We call upon the United States government to do whatever it takes to make this happen.

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Hey, DPMO - do you intend to debrief this returned POW. If South Korean POWs, like Yang and Lt. Cho, can survive in North Korean POW camps, you can bet there are American "survivors." That's what the North Korean's call them - REMEMBER.

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Aid and Trade - From Reuters - " Hanoi, Jan 12 - "U.S. President Bill Clinton will soon recommend waiving a key provision blocking normal trade ties with Vietnam, a visiting U.S. senator said on Monday. John Kerry told a business luncheon in Hanoi that Clinton was about to push ahead with a long-awaited move to declare Vietnam exempt from the terms of the Jackson-Vanik amendment, which restricts business with communist countries."

"The president will recommend a waiver," he said. "I'll go out on a limb to tell you that." Kerry added, however, that Hanoi had to press ahead with the further opening up of its economy and free market reforms, and said demonstrable progress on this would help in securing congressional agreement for the move.

"I think it will be important for Vietnam not to take that (congressional approval) for granted, and to understand the volatility of some congressmen," he said.

The lifting of the Jackson-Vanik amendment would be a key step in progress towards the establishment of full trade relations between the former foes. Once a trade accord is in place exporters to Vietnam will be eligible for financial backing through the Export-Import bank, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and other programmes."

"Hanoi, in turn would benefit from improved access for its goods to U.S. markets through Most Favoured Nation trading status."

Opposing the waiver to Jackson Vanik is Senator Jesse Helms (R-NC). In a November 14th, 1997 letter to Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Senator Helms stated "Vietnam remains a one party communist state. I question seriously whether the U.S. should extend full trade benefits to this regime under any circumstances, but I have no doubt whatsoever that the U.S. should not do so as long it requires the United States to waive the requirement of free emigration."

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We don't often quote Hanoi's Senator Kerry but he makes the point we need "I think it will be important for Vietnam not to take that (congressional approval) for granted, and to understand the volatility of some congressmen," he said.

You know the drill! Send letters, faxes, e-mail's and make phone calls to your Congressmen and Senators. Contact your Congressmen and Senators at 800-522-6721, and state your opposition to a waiver of the Jackson - Vanik amendment for Vietnam.

We remind everyone that every Congressman, all 435 of them, are up for re-election this November. Also up for re-election are 33 Senators.

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Your pocketbook - With the Waiver of Jackson - Vanik, Vietnam becomes eligible for financial backing through the Export-Import bank, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and other programs. No one in De Ceit seems to be concerned with guaranteeing funds for projects in the unstable Asian financial market. Why worry! Vietnamese money would be backed by OPIC, and U.S. corporations would be protected. Their funds would be guaranteed by our funds (translation tax dollars.) Everyone remember the Savings & Loan bail out and what it cost the taxpayers. If you don't remember, contact Senator John Mc Cain and ask him about it.

Vietnam has gotten more than they deserve, in terms of trade concessions and diplomatic relations. Vietnam's demonstrated lack of cooperation on the POW issue should not be further rewarded.

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How He Spent His Congressional Recess - John Kerry spent one week in Hanoi promoting trade with Vietnam and setting the stage for the Congressional battle over the Jackson Vanik Waiver. According to an Associated Press article "Vietnam's emerging economy could offer tremendous rewards for U.S. companies if the communist leadership forges ahead with economic reforms, Sen. John Kerry said Friday."

Another Associated Press Article dated January 10, 1998, by Ian Stewart filed from Hai Doung, Vietnam reads "...The Massachusetts Democrat, one of the most vocal advocates of normalizing diplomatic relations with Hanoi, is now promoting stronger business and economic ties between the United States and Vietnam. "I fought from day one against isolation with Vietnam," Kerry said Saturday while touring the $100 million Ford assembly factory outside of Hanoi. "I said, `If you slam the door on them you are only hurting yourself.'"

So says Hanoi's Senator Kerry.

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Vietnam Repatriates Remains - From the Associated Press By Ian Stewart "Lost for more than 20 years but never forgotten in the jungles and rice paddies of Southeast Asia, seven American servicemen are going home.

Their remains, draped in the Stars and Stripes, were loaded onto a U.S. military transport plane in the Vietnamese capital for a flight to Hawaii today. Pending final forensic testing, their identities have not yet been released."

"... With a heavy mist hanging over Hanoi's international airport on a gray morning, seven shoebox-sized caskets were brought onto the tarmac..."

"... the silver boxes were placed inside full-sized coffins, covered with U.S. flags and loaded aboard the plane."

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Marines, CIL-HI, AFDIL - The clock is ticking.......

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How time changes the story - Captured, Held and Moved to Cambodia or Dead in a Sandy Grave?

On March 17th, 1971, the Joint Personnel Recovery Center (JPRC) issued a memo Recommending a status change be considered an Army MIA. The memo reads:

1. Reference DEMMON, David S., SSG [data] MIA 9 June 1965.

2. "On 11 Dec 70 a JPRC representative met with a Vietnamese refugee, [redacted] concerning the subject of PW's. A that time source stated a PW by the name of Demmon was being held in Cambodia. Source stated that he had seen Demmon several times but the last time was 1 December 1970."

3. "On 7 January 1971, [redacted] positively identified SSG David S. Demmon out of a display of photographs as being the PW mentioned above."

4. Subject was given a polygraph examination on 12 March 1971 (Enclosure 1) with positive results.

5. Based upon the evidence reiterated in paragraph 2 through 4, the JPRC is of the opinion that SSG David S. Demmon is now a captive of the Viet Cong. The JPRC recommends a change in status of SSG DEmmon from MIA to captured be considered.

The memo is signed Gerald E. Mc Ilmoyle, Lt. Col. USAF, Director, JPRC

A second memo dated 6 April 1971 to the Chief, Casualty Division, Department of the Army, Washington D.C. states:

1. Reference Chief, Casualty Division, Department of the Army message DTG 012005Z Mar 71.

2. As requested by reference message, following additional information is forwarded

a. COMUSMACV message DTG 091418Z Jun 65 is the casualty report concerning SGT.

David S. Demmon. Casualty Branch DA message DTG 102000z Jun 66 made official

determination of SGT. David S. Demmon as missing.

b. In April 1966 a Viet Cong rallier, that had served as a guard at a detention camp for U.S.

prisoners from mid September 1965 to about 20 December 1965, gave a description of a PW

that fit Sgt. Demmon (Inclosure 1). This information is not considered conclusive.

c. In early December 1970, JPRC received information that a Vietnamese refugee from

Cambodia had information concerning four U.S. prisoners of war (PW). Source provided

the phonetic name "Phan de Manh" which translates to "family name de Manh". (Inclosure

2), as that of one of the prisoners. Source stated he got name from the prisoner while

talking to him on the first of December 1970. JPRC researched its MIA/POW biographic

files and determined that the name de Manh could be Demmon. On 7 January 1971 source

positively identified SGT. Demmon from a display of a dozen pictures shown to him. Based

on sources information and that camp was located in village in Cambodia a PW raid

was conducted by ARVN troops on 17 January 1971. PW's were not rescued but

later indications are that the PW's possibly were in the village in an underground

bunker during the raid, and subsequently have been moved to an unknown location.

d. The source was given polygraph examination on 12 March 1971 and this examination is the

only recorded testimony establishing his credibility.

3. The above details are the extent of the information concerning SGT. David S. Demmon held by JPRC. Based on this, the JPRC recommends a change of status of SGT. Demmon from MIA to captured."

Credible evidence of capture and detention, a positive photo identification and a favorable polygraph exam all led JPRC to recommend a change in status for Sgt. Demmon. So credible was the evidence that a rescue mission was launched. After the failed rescue, additional information led JPRC to believe the POWs were moved. So, where is David Demmon?

Jump ahead to message traffic dated 22 September 1989, dealing with the "Translation of the Vietnamese Investigation Case List" during the 28-30 August 1989 technical Meeting in Hanoi." In the section titled "Cases in which death clearly occurred but not remains have been recovered," Sub Category "Joint Activities" we find a reference to David Demmon and his crewmate Charles Dale. Of the two the report states "Both men died and were buried in beach sand where there are not longer any signs of the grave. Proposed conclusion: Grave location no longer known."

Captured, Held and Moved to Cambodia or Dead in a Sandy Grave, you decided?

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From deposition summary of Eugene F. Tighe, Jr., Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs February 27th, 1992 - Present Neil Kravits, J. William Codinha (JWC) -

JWC: "Do you think that the policy by the Administration of declaring that there were no more POWs, that they were all dead, set in motion a practice by the services and by the DIA that made that a reality, so that it became a self fulfilling prophecy and nobody was going to look for these people?"

Tighe: "No doubt about it..."

JWC: "Did you feel that the military services were reaching out to DIA for all the information DIA had before they were making these decisions?"

Tighe: "Nope. The Only time I think they were interested is when they had a wife or widow on their hands who was giving them a hard time and they were trying to drag something out, a bone to throw or something of that nature to satisfy the widow."

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Mark your calendars - Rolling Thunder XI "Ride For Freedom, Washington, D.C. Memorial Day Weekend May 24th, 1998. Assemble area: North Pentagon Parking lot 8:00 A.M.

The Ninth Annual Meeting of the National Alliance of Families will be held in Washington, D.C., June 18th, 19th and 20th, 1998.