The Government's Annual Korean/Cold War POW/MIA Briefing

May/2012

WASHINGTON, DC - This year’s briefing took place in April, and was done in its usual professional, respectful manner.  322 family members attended; 121 for the first time. There were a few new twists. Some family members made discoveries. First timers certainly gained perspective. Questions were posed, answers were ventured. In the end, both family and government members left with new insights and awareness of the challenges ahead.

     One new feature the government provided was a way for family members to connect with families of men lost with their own loved one. One son was able to embrace the family of a missing crewman from his father's plane. It took four decades to happen.

     Other news of note:

     *1300 men missing from the Korean War are actually on U.S. soil, waiting to be identified.

     *The government will begin digitizing all of the missing men's case files. The new system will allow access by personnel anywhere in the world, including field search and recovery operations.

     *Beginning this summer, a team of 4 government personnel will be stationed in South Korea on a full-time basis. They will follow up on leads involving the nearly 1000 American servicemen still missing there.

      Please read the upcomingCoalition newsletter, Update and Review, for further insights.

U.S. Suspends the Return of Search & Recovery Teams to North Korea

March/2012

Unfortunately, the humanitarian mission to recover our missing loved ones in North Korea took another political hit. This spring's resumption of scheduled operations was suspended by the United States. The reasons are many-fold, non humanitarian. Both sides seem at fault. It's heartbreaking to have such a positive mission be continually caught up in political storms.

U.S.-North Korea Conclude POW/MIA Talks

October/2011

BANGKOK  - The Department of Defense announced today that the United States and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) officials reached an arrangement to resume recovering the remains of American servicemen missing from the Korean War. The three-day talks held in Bangkok were led by Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for POW/Missing Personnel Affairs Robert J. Newberry.  His negotiating team included representatives from across the Department of Defense, the Department of State, the U.S. Pacific Command and the United Nations Command-Korea. 

         The arrangement calls for U.S. teams to work in two areas in North Korea—Unsan County, about 60 miles north of Pyongyang, and near the Chosin/Jangjin Reservoir—where more than 2,000 soldiers and Marines are believed to be missing.  The arrangement includes details on logistics and matters that will ensure the effectiveness and safety of remains recovery teams operating in the DPRK.  Accounting for Americans missing in action is a stand-alone humanitarian matter, not tied to any other issue between the two countries. The operations in North Korea are expected to begin next year and will mark the first since 2005, when the U.S. halted missions due to increased tensions on the Korean Peninsula.  Prior to that time, U.S. specialists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command conducted operations in that country for 10 years, recovering remains believed to be more than 225 servicemen since 1996. 

          Of the approximately 83,000 Americans missing from all conflicts, more than 7,900 are from the Korean War with 5,500 of those believed to be missing in the DPRK.  For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1420.

SEN. AYOTTE CALLS FOR RENEWED EFFORT TO BRING HOME MISSING KOREAN WAR SERVICE MEMBERS

August/2011

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today called on the Secretaries of Defense and State to resume search and recovery operations in North Korea to find and bring home the remains of American military heroes missing in action from the war in Korea.

A Big Break in a Long Struggle!

August/2011

Teams searching for missing American servicemen may be heading back to North Korea. The Obama administration has authorized DPMO and JPAC to begin negotiations with North Korea to resume the operations suspended in 2005. Talks between the two nations are always precarious. For now, though, let's appreciate an important step taken back to where we once were.

REP. CHARLES RANGEL INTRODUCES RESOLUTION TO REPATRIATE POW/MIAS AND ABDUCTEES FROM NORTH KOREA

July/2011

WASHINGTON, D.C. JULY 27, 2011 – Today, on the 58th Anniversary of the Korean War Armistice Day, Congressman Charles Rangel introduced a resolution calling on North Korea to return Korean War POW/MIAs and abductees to their loved ones.

Sen.John Kerry Calls for the Return Of Search Teams to North Korea

June/2011

Sen. John Kerry wrote an L.A. Times Op-Ed piece advocating the return of  U.S. teams searching for American servicemen missing in North Korea.  The search and recovery operations were suspended by the Bush administration in 2005. The Obama administration has adhered to the same policy, turning a blind eye to the loss of aging family members and N. Korean witnesses to many missing men's fate. (Read the Article)

Remembering My Father

June/2011

By Gail Embery

My earliest memories of my father take me back to when I was five or six years old.  His army picture hung on the dining room wall of the lady I called Miss Julia, my godmother.  I spent summer vacations and Christmas and Easter holidays at her house until I was about ten years old.  My favorite seat in the house was next to the army picture.  I found myself admiring the handsome man in the nice brown uniform every time I was over to visit.  I especially remember those eyes; they were penetrating and seemed to stare back at me.  (Read More)

CNN: North Korea willing to resume U.S. missions to recover remains of MIAs 

January/2011

By Barbara Starr, CNN Pentagon Correspondent

More than 8,000 U.S. personnel are "unaccounted for" from the Korean War Efforts by the United States and North Korea located 229 sets of remains in years past Those efforts were suspended in 2005 by then-Defense Secretary Rumsfeld Now, the North Koreans say "we're ready to resume" searching The complete article can be found at the following link:   (Read More)

The Citizen of Laconia

November/2010

"This issue is not dead. It's very much alive," Downes said Thursday, after addressing residents who gathered for Veterans Day services in Hesky Park in Meredith, the site of the state's original POW/MIA monument. Complete article can be viewed on the following link: (Read More)

Honoring A Promise - Veteran’s Day 2010

November/2010

          In honoring veterans today, we focus on those who have served and stand with us. We say thank you, and admire the courage it takes to face hardships most of us will never realize. So many veterans haven't been able to do that. We honor them, instead, at graveside services. We know what happened to them. They made what we call the ultimate sacrifice. We grieve for them and their families.

         The fate of other veterans isn't as clear. We don't know what happened to them. They are the missing. We don't know whether to grieve for them or not. They could still come home. They are from all wars and they will continue to serve until we learn their fate.

         So shake the hands of veterans you see today, grieve for the one's we've lost, and carry with you the hope that we will learn what happened to the missing. Talk about them. Keep them alive. Ask what can be done to bring them home. They were promised that. Let’s honor that promise.

D.C. Annual Briefing

August/2010

DPMO has moved the Korean War Memorial field trip from Saturday to Thursday evening. So the Coalition board and other family members will be a gathering at the Potomac lounge Wednesday evening, as well. It will be a casual way to learn about other family members. Stop by if you can, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, August 25th and 26th, between 5:30-7:30, in the Sheraton's Potomac Lounge.

Korean War Documentary

August/2010

"Finnigan's War" will commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War. Actor/director Conor Timmis and filmmaker Gary Fierro will honor the men who fought their way through those harsh times, and inform the public of their sacrifice, including those who remain missing so many decades later. The documentary is set to be released in 2011. Visit the "Finnigan's War" website at Road Work Pictures (roadworkpictures.com) and check out the documentary's Facebook page.

Missing Korean War Soldier Identified. 8,023 more to go.

August/2010

It's been nearly sixty years, but Roy Stewart is no longer missing. In 1950, then Cpl. Stewart, U.S. Army, was captured while fighting in North Korea. Once the shooting stopped, both sides exchanged remains of soldiers killed in action, including those claimed to be Roy Stewart's. The Army, however, wasn't able to positively identify him at the time. Cpl. Roy Stewart was buried along with hundreds of other American soldiers as unknown. He lay that way from 1954 until 2008, when he was exhumed and identified. Roy Stewart, of Jackson, Miss., is being buried at Arlington National Cemetery

DPMO's Korean/Cold War POW/MIA annual update meeting

July/2010

The Coalition's board of directors (Rick, Robin, Donna and John) will gather on Thursday, August 26th, between 5:30-7:30, in the Arlington, Virginia, Sheraton National's Potomac Lounge. This will follow the first day's meetings of DPMO's Korean/Cold War POW/MIA annual update at the same hotel. The board members hope each family will have someone attend the government briefings, and then join us in the lounge that first evening to say hello and share our experience. We'll see you there.

Remains Recovery – North Korea (DPRK)

June/2010

There is an important issue going on right now. In the process of agricultural development, North Korea (DPRK) is uncovering remains of American servicemen missing in action during the Korean War. The DPRK has repeatedly asked the U.S. what it wants done. Unfortunately, the Obama administration has been silent on the issue. Meanwhile, remains of our husbands, fathers, and uncles are left exposed to the elements, threatening their eventual identification. The families would like to know when the administration will reinstate remains recovery operations (suspended by President Bush in 2005) as a humanitarian issue, separate from the nuclear disagreement, and investigate these reports.

St. Louis Reception

10/23/09

The Coalition held it's annual reception on Friday, Oct. 23rd, at the St. Louis Hilton Frontenac. This year, we tried something new: A Moment of Remembrance. Coalition members brought along a favorite picture of their missing father, uncle, husband, or grandfather. Everything went great and we're looking forward to many great events in the future!

New Webmaster

9/12/09

It's been awhile since our website has seen some fresh blood, but we are proud to announce that as of today our site will be be managed by Mr. Dru H Knox. Mr. Knox has been working with websites for over 3 years. He has a love of all things computer and we're sure the site is in capable hands!

New President

6/01/09

The Coalition elected a new president today. Robin Piacine has done a marvelous job and we are all truly grateful for her tireless efforts to aid the Coalition and the servicemen it represents. Our new president is Mr. Richard Downes, someone who has been with the Coalition for countless years and promises to stay with us for countless more. Mr. Downes is searching for his father, who was lost in the Korean War.