Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command
Public Affairs Office
(808) 448-1934
www.jpac.pacom.mil
Pao_mail@jpac.pacom.mil
Contact:  Elizabeth C. Feeney
             
Aug. 17, 2010
Release # 10-12  
Downloadable Media: Adobe pdf Release

~ NEWS RELEASE ~

POW/MIA RECOVERY, INVESTIGATION TEAMS RETURN
JPAC teams return from extensive search for missing Americans from Vietnam War, WWII

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (Aug. 17, 2010) – Several archeological teams from the U.S. Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) returned to Hawaii recently after searching for fallen Americans in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the Republic of Vanuatu, and Europe.

Investigation and recovery teams successfully uncovered evidence and information associated with Americans missing from the Vietnam War and World War II.

Recovery teams searched for human remains, life support, and other material evidence (personal and military issued items). All possible human remains found were “repatriated” with military honors and have since been transported to JPAC’s Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii for analysis.

Investigation teams authenticated leads from eye witnesses, conducted field research, and gathered information to determine whether or not there will be a return visit for excavation at a later date.

Three Vietnam War recovery teams searched in the Khammouan and Xekong provinces for four missing aircrew members. This was the 115th Joint Field Activity in Laos.

Four recovery teams searched for WWII remains: two in the South Pacific—Espiritu Santo, Republic of Vanuatu—and two in Germany and France, searching for a total of 14 MIA’s. The investigation team conducted interviews, research and fieldwork in Germany, Austria, Ukraine, France and Bulgaria searching for 25 Americans who never made it home.

Falling directly under the U.S. Department of Defense, the jointly-manned organization of more than 400 military and civilian specialists has investigated and recovered missing Americans since the 1970’s. To date, close to 1,700 Americans are still listed as Missing in Action from the Vietnam War with approximately 74,190 missing from World War II.

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. Visit JPAC’s photo gallery at www.jpac.pacom.mil to view mission photos.

"Until They Are Home"

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For more information, please visit the JPAC website.

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