This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here

Category: Historical

  • 40 years ago today

    40 years ago today

    Saigon-hubert-van-es

    Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, fell 40 years ago today. The picture above was actually taken the day before, also the last two Americans killed in the war in Vietnam, Charles McMahon and Darwin Judge were killed forty years ago yesterday when the North Vietnamese regulars shelled Tân Son Nhut Airport;

    Charles_McMahon_and_Darwin_Judge

    The Vietnamese call the date April 30th “Reunification Day”, but the United States should call it “Abandonment Day”. By the articles of the Paris Accords, the US had a responsibility to prevent the fall of the South Vietnamese government, but the country and the politicians were weary of the war and just let it tip over to the Communists instead of making good on our promises. The fall of the South Vietnamese government was followed by the establishment of reeducation camps and years of terror culminating in the mass exodus of “boat people” from the country.

    Communist Vietnam tried to prove the justification of the “Domino Theory” that led the US into that war in the beginning when they tried to invade Laos in the late 70s, but they were turned back by Chinese troops.

    58,000 Americans died as a result of their participation in the war in Vietnam, about 18,000 were draftees, 5900 were Reservists, 101 were National Guardsmen, 8 were women – 1 woman was KIA. 2.6 million Americans served within the borders of Vietnam from January 1, 1965 to March 28, 1973. Another 50,000 had served there before 1965. About 7500 were women. More than 2300 Americans were Missing In Action at the end of US participation in hostilities in Vietnam.

  • Non-Vietnam POWS: A Few Others

    I said in an earlier article I was not going to attempt a comprehensive list of POWs taken in terrorist incidents. That’s still true; I simply don’t have the time to conduct a comprehensive review of terrorist incidents to determine if any US military personnel were taken prisoner in same and later declared POWs.

    However, in the interest of completeness I decided I’d post the information that I do have concerning the subject.

    PLEASE NOTE THAT THE INFORMATION BELOW IS NOT – I REPEAT, NOT – TO BE REGARDED AS COMPREHENSIVE.

    While I believe the information below to be correct, I do NOT claim that what follows is a full and complete listing of US military personnel who were taken prisoner in Cold War and terrorist incidents and later formally declared to be POWs by DoD. There is IMO a very good chance I’ve missed one or more individuals that should be listed here. As new information becomes available, I’ll modify this article accordingly.

    What’s Not Here

    Not listed below are POWs held by 3rd countries due to the Vietnam and Korean Wars.  The two US military personnel who were detained by China while participating in combat operations in conjunction with the Vietnam War were accorded POW status as Vietnam War POWs. I discussed that in the notes to this previous TAH article.

    Additionally, published reports indicate that a number of US military personnel were detained by China (as opposed to by Chinese forces assisting North Korea) as the result of their participation in combat operations during during the Korean War; those same published reports indicate that at least 11 US military personnel were released by China in mid-1955. It is my understanding that these US military personnel were later recognized as Korean War POWs; they’re thus not listed here either.  (I’ve not yet been able to locate anything more than a number and date of release for these individuals.  If anyone has additional information concerning this group – or a by-name list of these individuals – please indicate that fact in the comments section.)

    US military personnel taken prisoner by insurgent forces In Iraq or Afghanistan are also not listed here.  (None are known to have survived such captivity.)  They are listed in a previous article in this series.

    That said:  what follows is the pertinent information I have collected so far regarding US personnel taken prisoner during Cold War hostile fire and post-Vietnam terrorist incidents who have been formally declared by DoD to have been POWs.  The names of the individuals who appear to be deceased as of the date of publication of this article are in italics.

    Cold War China

    At least one US sailor is known to have been taken prisoner by Communist Chinese forces under circumstances related to neither the Korean nor Vietnam Wars. He was later formally accorded POW status by DoD.

     NAME  Service  Rank Date Captured  Circumstances
    BLAIR, Donald R. USN unk 3-Dec-46 Held prisoner by Communist Chinese forces after being captured IVO Tsingtao, China, while training Nationalist Chinese forces. Held 44 days, then released. Died in an auto accident on 16 May 2000.

     

    Cold War Soviet Union

    At least three personnel captured by the Soviet Union during Cold War hostile fire incidents have been formally accorded POW status.

     NAME  Service  Rank Date Captured  Circumstances
    POWERS, Francis Gary USAF Capt 1-May-60 Held prisoner in USSR 1960-1962 after U-2 shot down IVO Sverdlosk. Died in 1977. Military records corrected in 1977 to show continuous military service vice break in service for CIA employment. Died in a helicopter crash, 1 August 1977.
    OMLSTEAD, Freeman Bruce USAF Capt 1-Jul-60 Held prisoner in USSR after RB-47 shot down over Barents Sea, 1960-1961. Four other crew members KIA.
    McKONE, John R. USAF Capt 1-Jul-60 Held prisoner in USSR after RB-47 shot down over Barents Sea, 1960-1961. Four other crew members KIA. Died of old age, 31 October 2013.

    Post-Vietnam Terrorist Incidents

    A minimum of seven US military personnel have been taken prisoner in post-Vietnam terrorist incidents (as opposed to by insurgent forces during the GWOT) who were later formally accorded POW status by DoD.

     NAME  Service  Rank Date Captured  Circumstances
    BOWEN, Kenneth USN PO2 14-Jun-85 Held prisoner by Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad terrorists for 17 days (TWA 847 incident).
    DAHL, Stewart USN PO1 14-Jun-85 Held prisoner by Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad terrorists for 17 days (TWA 847 incident).
    INGALLIS, Jeffrey USN PO1 14-Jun-85 Held prisoner by Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad terrorists for 17 days (TWA 847 incident).
    STETHAM, Robert D. USN PO2 14-Jun-85 Held prisoner by Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad terrorists for 2 days (TWA 847 incident).   Executed by captors, 15 June 1985.
    SUGGS, Clinton USN PO2 14-Jun-85 Held prisoner by Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad terrorists for 17 days (TWA 847 incident).
    WATSON, Tony USN PO1 14-Jun-85 Held prisoner by Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad terrorists for 17 days (TWA 847 incident).
    HIGGINS, William R. USMC LtCol 17-Feb-88 Held prisoner by Hezbollah terrorists in Lebannon, 1988-1990.  Executed by captors, exact date unknown.  Declared dead 6 July 1990.

    Two Unclear Cases

    Two other well-known cases are at this point unclear. The first is that of US Army MG James L. Dozier. Then-BG Dozier was abducted by Italian Red Brigades terrorists on 17 December 1981; he was held captive until rescued by Italian police on 28 January 1982. It is not clear if MG Dozier has ever been formally declared a POW by DoD.

    Similarly, it is also unclear whether the crew of the US EP-3 detained by China in 2001 have ever been formally declared POWs.  They were held captive for 11 days after their aircraft was damaged in a midair collision with a Chinese military aircraft and landed on Hainan Island on 1 April 2001.

    I have found nothing indicating that these 25 individuals have ever been formally declared by DoD to have been POWs, and I don’t believe they have been.  However, I am not certain that is the case. If someone has definitive information either way, I would appreciate you passing links to that info to me in comments below.

     

    A final point:  some of the above links discussing a specific individual’s POW status (or lack thereof) are to documents from sources other than DoD.  If anyone has links to DoD-published documents verifying or refuting the formal POW status of the individuals discussed above, or of any other individuals I’ve missed, please post them in the comments section below and I’ll update the links/article above accordingly.  Thanks in advance for the assist to anyone who might be able to help out here.

  • Post-Vietnam POWs: Addendum – the Tehran Embassy Seizure

    On 4 November 1979, Iranian “student demonstrators” broke into and occupied the US Embassy in Tehran, Iran.  The Government of Iran shortly afterwards backed the seizure, and took the US Embassy staff – plus one private citizen – prisoner.

    The seizure of the US Embassy in Tehran was not a “terrorist act”, as many have erroneously described it.  A nation’s embassy overseas is that nation’s sovereign territory.  Forcibly occupying an embassy is thus technically the occupation of another nation’s sovereign territory – which is an act of war.  The only reason I can come up with that we did not go to war at some point in the next 444 days was that the      ball-less wonder, Jimmuh the Clueless, and the Group of Fools he called his Administration        “wonderfully righteous and peaceful man” named James Earl Carter, Jr., was POTUS.  Apparently he made the determination that protecting America’s national honor was not worth a fight.

    A total of sixty-five US government employees and one other US citizen were held prisoner by the Government of Iran after the seizure of the US Embassy.  An additional six US Embassy personnel evaded capture and were sheltered by foreign governments in their embassies in Tehran.

    Of these, 26 individuals were military personnel.

    Here is a by-name list of US personnel held prisoner by Iran the Iranian seizure of the US Embassy in Tehran.  With the exception of the six personnel who were sheltered by friendly foreign governments and later spirited out of Iran by the CIA (with a huge assist from the Government of Canada), all were taken prisoner by Iran on 4 November 1979.  Military personnel on this list are in italics.

    Released by Iran on 19-20 November 1979

    Kathy Gross, Cambridge Springs, PA. Secretary.
    Sgt James Hughes, USAF, Langley Air Force Base, VA. Administrative Manager.
    Lillian Johnson, Elmont, NY. Secretary.
    Sgt Ladell Maples, Earle, USMC. Marine Guard.
    Elizabeth Montagne, Calumet City, IL. Secretary.
    Sgt William Quarles, USMC, Washington, DC. Marine Guard.
    Lloyd Rollins, Alexandria, VA. Administrative officer.
    Capt Neal (Terry) Robinson, USAF, Houston, TX. Administrative officer.
    Terri Tedford, South San Francisco, CA. Secretary.
    Sgt Joseph Vincent, USAF, New Orleans, LA. Administrative Manager.
    Sgt David Walker, USMC, Prairie View, TX. Marine Guard.
    Joan Walsh, Ogden, UT. Secretary.
    Cpl Wesley Williams, USMC, Albany, NY. Marine Guard.

    Released by Iran on 11 July 1980 due to illness:

    Richard I. Queen, New York, NY. Vice consul.

    Released by Iran on 20 January 1981 – shortly after Ronald Reagan was sworn in as POTUS

    Thomas L. Ahern, Jr., McLean, VA. Narcotics control officer.
    Clair Cortland Barnes, Falls Church, VA. Communications specialist.
    William E. Belk, West Columbia, SC. Communications and records officer.
    Robert O. Blucker, North Little Rock, AR. Economics officer specializing in oil.
    Donald J. Cooke, Memphis, TN. Vice consul.
    William J. Daugherty, Tulsa, OK. Third secretary of U.S. mission.
    LCDR. Robert Englemann, USN, Hurst, TX. Naval Attaché.
    Sgt William Gallegos, USMC, Pueblo, CO. Marine Guard.
    Bruce W. German, 44, Rockville, MD. Budget officer.
    Duane L. Gillette, 24, Columbia, PA. Navy communications and intelligence specialist.
    Alan B. Golancinksi, 30, Silver Spring, MD. Security officer.
    John E. Graves, 53, Reston, VA. Public affairs officer.
    CWO Joseph M. Hall, US Army, Elyria, OH. Military attaché
    Sgt Kevin J. Hermening, USMC, Oak Creek, WI. Marine Guard.
    SFC Donald R. Hohman, US Army, Frankfurt, West Germany. Medic.
    COL Leland J. Holland, US Army, Laurel, MD. Military attaché.
    Michael Howland, Alexandria, VA. Security aide, one of three held in Iranian Foreign Ministry.
    Charles A. Jones, Jr., Communications specialist and teletype operator. Only African-American not released by Iran in November 1979.
    Malcolm Kalp, Fairfax, VA. Position unknown.
    Moorhead C. Kennedy Jr., Washington, DC. Economic and commercial officer.
    William F. Keough, Jr., Brookline, MA. Superintendent of American School in Islamabad, Pakistan, visiting Tehran at time of embassy seizure.
    Cpl Steven W. Kirtley, USMC, Little Rock, AR. Marine Guard.
    Kathryn L. Koob, Fairfax, VA. Embassy cultural officer; one of two women hostages.
    Frederick Lee Kupke, Francesville, IN. Communications officer and electronics specialist.
    L. Bruce Laingen, Bethesda, MD. Chargé d’affaires. One of three held in Iranian Foreign Ministry.
    Steven Lauterbach, North Dayton, OH. Administrative officer.
    Gary E. Lee, Falls Church, VA. Administrative officer.
    Sgt Paul Edward Lewis, USMC, Homer, IL. Marine Guard.
    John W. Limbert, Jr., Washington, DC. Political officer.
    Sgt James M. Lopez, USMC, Globe, AZ. Marine Guard.
    Sgt John D. McKeel, Jr., USMC, Balch Springs, TX. Marine Guard.
    Michael J. Metrinko, Olyphant, PA. Political officer.
    Jerry J. Miele, Mt. Pleasant, PA. Communications officer.
    SSgt Michael E. Moeller, USMC, Quantico, VA. NCOIC of Marine Guard unit.
    Bert C. Moore, Mount Vernon, OH. Counselor for administration.
    Richard H. Morefield, 51, San Diego, CA. U.S. Consul General in Tehran.
    Capt Paul M. Needham, Jr., USAF, Bellevue, NE. Air Force logistics staff officer.
    Robert C. Ode, Sun City, AZ. Retired Foreign Service officer on temporary duty in Tehran.
    Sgt Gregory A. Persinger, USMC, Seaford, DE. Marine Guard.
    Jerry Plotkin, Sherman Oaks, CA. Private businessman visiting Tehran.
    MSG Regis Ragan, US Army, Johnstown, PA. Defense Attaché staff.
    Lt Col David M. Roeder, USAF, Alexandria, VA. Deputy Air Force attaché.
    Barry M. Rosen, Brooklyn, NY. Press attaché.
    William B. Royer, Jr., Houston, TX. Assistant director of Iran-American Society.
    Col Thomas E. Schaefer, USAF, Tacoma, WA. Air Force Attaché.
    COL Charles W. Scott, US Army, Stone Mountain, GA.  Military Attaché.
    CDR Donald A. Sharer, USN, Chesapeake, VA. Naval Air Attaché.
    Sgt Rodney V. (Rocky) Sickmann, USMC, Krakow, MO. Marine Guard.
    SSG Joseph Subic, Jr., US Army, Redford Township, MI.  Defense Attaché staff.
    Elizabeth Ann Swift, Washington, DC. Chief of embassy’s political section; one of two women hostages.
    Victor L. Tomseth, Springfield, OR. Senior political officer; one of three held in Iranian Foreign Ministry.
    Phillip R. Ward, Culpeper, VA. Administrative officer.

    Spirited out of Iran by the CIA (with the assistance of the Canadian Government) on 28 January 1980:

    Robert Anders, Port Charlotte, FL. Consular officer.
    Mark J. Lijek, Falls Church, VA. Consular officer.
    Cora A. Lijek, Falls Church, VA. Consular assistant.
    Henry L. Schatz, Coeur d’Alene, ID. Agriculture attaché.
    Joseph D. Stafford, Crossville, TN. Consular officer.
    Kathleen F. Stafford, Crossville, TN. Consular assistant.

    Anyone not listed above who claims to be one of the “1979 US Iranian Embassy Hostages” is, bluntly, a liar.

    The vast majority of the US military personnel taken prisoner during the seizure of the Iranian Embassy were initially awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal for their actions while in Iranian captivity.  (One of them – SFC Hohman – also was awarded the Soldiers Medal for an act of noncombat heroism occurring during his captivity.)  They were also later accorded formal POW status (and formally awarded the POW Medal) by DoD.

    The sole exception was Joseph Subic, Jr., former SSG, US Army.

    Then-SSG Subic received no award whatsoever for his time in Iranian captivity.  He was later the sole former military Iranian hostage denied recognition as a POW by the Army in 2003 because “his character of service was determined not to be consistent with POW Medal policy.”

    During captivity then-SSG Subic apparently collaborated with his captors.  He is known to have appeared in at least one propaganda film for them, and reportedly also cooperated in other ways.  On return to US control, he was reportedly subjected to administrative sanctions, apparently over the objections of the Army Chief of Staff (who reputedly wanted to court-martial Subic), and was also apparently discharged from the Army well prior to the scheduled end of his enlistment.

    In Subic’s case, it looks like the Army made the right call.  According to the articles here and here, his post-Iran life has been somewhat less than stellar – even if he did apparently manage to con his way back into the Florida National Guard (one wonders if he disclosed all the pertinent details concerning his prior active duty when he reenlisted).  He’s now a former LEO and a convicted criminal, having pleaded guilty to multiple counts of insurance fraud in 2008.

     

    Author’s footnote:  the following US military personnel died in a ground accident on 25 April 1980 after the decision was made to abort Operation Eagle Claw at its planned intermediate landing site, Desert One. This cancellation was due to the loss of three of the mission’s eight RH-53D aircraft due to mechanical problems. 

    Operation Eagle Claw was an attempt to rescue the 52 remaining US personnel held by Iran.

    Capt. Richard L. Bakke, USAF, Long Beach, CA
    Sgt. John D. Harvey, USMC, Roanoke, VA
    Cpl. George N. Holmes, Jr., USMC, Pine Bluff, AR
    SSgt. Dewey L. Johnson, USMC, Jacksonville, NC
    Capt. Harold L. Lewis, USAF, Mansfield, CT
    TSgt. Joel C. Mayo, USAF, Bonifay, FL
    Capt. Lynn D. McIntosh, USAF, Valdosta, GA
    Capt. Charles T. McMillan II, USAF, Corrytown, TN

    Rest in peace, gentlemen.  Rest in peace.

  • US POWs Since Vietnam

    Since the end of conflict in Southeast Asia, AKA the Vietnam War – and, in some cases, concurrent with it – US military forces have been involved in other conflicts. In a few cases, US personnel have been taken captive by America’s enemies.

    The numbers involved are not large. However, when there’s a benefit to be gained – as we’ve seen far too many times here – someone will eventually       lie through their teeth       falsely claim to have “been there, done that”.

    For other than the Vietnam War DPAA does not seem to publish lists of those US personnel who returned alive after being held as POWs. However, the numbers are small enough that I’ve been able to put together lists.  I believe these to be reasonably complete and accurate, with a couple of caveats:

    1. The lists which follow do not include US military personnel taken captive by terrorists in peacetime terrorist incidents. (Examples would include the captivity of US Army BG James Dozier and the temporary captivity and execution of US Navy PO2 Robert Stethem on TWA Flight 847.) Sorry, compiling such a list and verifying it to any degree of accuracy would be a massive undertaking that would take a great deal more time than I have available at present.
    2. The lists which follow do not include personnel taken prisoner during Cold War intelligence operations. (An example would be Gary Powers, captured and held prisoner by the Soviets after his U2 was shot down over the USSR on 1 May 1960.) That too is a major undertaking, and one for which some pertinent details and names may possibly not yet be declassified.

    With those caveats, let me describe what follows. The article is broken into 4 sections. The first is a section that lists known POWs returned alive, by conflict, since the Vietnam War. The second section is a special section discussing Korea since the armistice. The third section lists US military personnel known to have been taken POW since the Vietnam War, but who did not return alive. The last section lists some “dogs and cats” – e.g., a small number of questionable cases, plus those personnel (civilian and military) who were lost during US conflicts since Vietnam but who are still not formally accounted for.

     

    I: POWs Since Vietnam Who Returned Alive

    Dominican Republic – none.

    1979 US Tehran Embassy Seizure

    See the follow-on article linked here for a list of personnel taken captive (and, for the military personnel taken captive, later accorded POW status) during the 1979 US Tehran Embassy seizure.  Please note that one of the individuals taken captive was NOT accorded recognized POW status – the linked article provides the rationale for that determination.

    Grenada – none.

    Lebanon

    One US Naval Officer was taken POW and returned alive in Lebanon.

    Rank Name Service Date Captured Circumstances Status
    LT GOODMAN, Robert O. USN 4-Dec-83 Captured by Syrian forces after the A6 in which he was Bombadier/ Navagator was downed during operations in Lebanon. Released by Syria on 3 Jan 84.  Aircraft’s pilot was KIA.

    Panama – none.  However, given the ridiculous loophole in the definition of a “former POW” in current Federal law – specifically, in 38 USC 101(32)(B) – it’s an open question whether the incident described here might qualify.  (IMO Congress really needs to tighten up this loophole by requiring DoD – not the VA Secretary – formally to declare someone a POW before the VA can authorize that individual benefits as a former POW.  The VA has proven it is absolutely institutionally incompetent to make that determination.)

    Gulf War

    DoD recognizes a total of 21 individuals to have been taken prisoner and released alive by Iraq at the end of the Gulf War (see p. A-13 of the linked document).

    Rank Name Service Date Captured Circumstances Status
    Lt Col ACREE, CLIFFORD M. USMC 18-Jan-91 Captured after the OV-10 he was piloting was shot down over Kuwait. Released by Iraq March 1991
    Capt ANDREWS, WILLIAM USAF 27-Feb-91 Captured after his F16 was shot down over Kuwait or southern Iraq and rescue attempts were unsuccessful. Released by Iraq March 1991
    Capt BERRYMAN, MICHAEL C. USMC 28-Jan-91 Captured after his AH8B was shot down over Kuwait Released by Iraq March 1991
    MAJ CORNUM, RHONDA US Army 27-Feb-91 Capured by Iraqi Armed Forces after helicopter crashed during attempt to rescue downed USAF pilot William Andrews. Released by Iraq March 1991
    SGT DUNLAP, TROY 27-Feb-91 Capured by Iraqi Armed Forces after helicopter crashed during attempt to rescue downed USAF pilot William Andrews. Released by Iraq March 1991
    Col EBERLY, DAVID WILLIAM USAF 17-Jan-91 Captured after the F15E he was piloting was shot down during the early portion of the Gulf War air campaign. Released by Iraq March 1991
    Lt Col FOX, JEFFREY USAF 19-Feb-91 Captured after his A10 was shot down over Kuwait Released by Iraq March 1991
    Maj GRIFFITH, THOMAS EDWARD JR. USAF 17-Jan-91 Captured after the F15E in which he was weapons systems officer was shot down during the early portion of the Gulf War air campaign. Released by Iraq March 1991
    CWO HUNTER, GUY L. JR. USMC 18-Jan-91 Captured after the OV-10 in which he was a crewmember was shot down over Kuwait. Released by Iraq March 1991
    SPC LOCKETT, DAVID US Army 30-Jan-91 Captured by Iraqi Armed Forces after vehicle became stuck in sand IVO Khafji, Saudi Arabia, while attempting to turn around after taking a wrong turn. Released by Iraq March 1991
    SPC RATHBUN-NEALY, MELISSA US Army 30-Jan-91 Captured by iraqi Armed Forces after vehicle became stuck in sand IVO Khafji, Saudi Arabia, while attempting to turn around after taking a wrong turn. Released by Iraq March 1991
    Capt ROBERTS, HARRY MICHAEL USAF Jan-91 Captured after his F16 was shot down over Iraq prior to 20 Jan 1991, exact date unavailable.. Released by Iraq March 1991
    Capt SANBORN, RUSSELL A.C. USMC 9-Feb-91 Captured after his AV8B was shot down over Kuwait. Released by Iraq March 1991
    LT SLADE, LAWRENCE RANDOLPH USN 21-Jan-91 Captured after the F14 in which he was RIO was shot down over Iraq. Released by Iraq March 1991
    Maj SMALL, JOSEPH III USMC 25-Feb-91 Captured after the observation aircraft he was piloting was shot down over southern Iraq or Kuwait. Released by Iraq March 1991
    SSG STAMARIS, DANIEL J. JR. US Army 27-Feb-91 Capured by Iraqi Armed Forces after helicopter crashed during attempt to rescue downed USAF pilot William Andrews. Released by Iraq March 1991
    LT STORR, RICHARD D. USAF 31-Jan-91 Captured after his A10 was shot down over Kuwait or southern Iraq Released by Iraq March 1991
    1stLt SWEET, ROBERT JAMES USAF 15-Feb-91 Captured after his A10 was shot down over Iraq Released by Iraq March 1991
    Maj TICE, JEFFREY SCOTT USAF Jan-91 Captured after his F16 was shot down over Kuwait or southern Iraq prior to 20 Jan 1991. Released by Iraq March 1991
    LT WETZEL, ROBERT USN 18-Jan-91 Captured after the A6E he was piloting was shot down over Iraq Released by Iraq March 1991
    LT ZAUN, JEFFREY NORTON USN 18-Jan-91 Captured after the A6E in which he was RIO was shot down over Iraq Released by Iraq March 1991

    Two other US military personnel apparently ended up in Iraqi custody under unclear circumstances, and were also released by Iraq in early March 1991. They do not appear on the list of POWs in the DoD document linked in the previous table.

    Rank Name Service Date Captured Circumstances Status
    PVT JEFFRIES, LEM US Army unk Detained by Iraqi Armed Forces under unclear circumstances. Released by Iraq March 1991
    1LT RICE, KEVIN US Army unk Detained by Iraqi Armed Forces under unclear circumstances. Released by Iraq March 1991

    That’s it. No other individuals were taken captive by Iraqi Armed Forces during the Gulf War and released alive afterwards.

    Somalia.

    One US soldier was taken POW and returned alive in Somalia.

    Rank Name Service Date Captured Circumstances Status
    CW2 Durant, Michael J. US Army 3-Oct-93 Captured by Somali militia forces after his UH60 was downed during Operation Gothic Serpent. Released by Somali militia forces on 14 Oct 93.

    Bosnia/Kosovo.

    A total of 3 individuals were taken prisoner and later released alive by Serbian forces during our involvements in Bosnia and Kosovo.

    Rank Name Service Date Captured Circumstances Status
    SSG STONE, Christopher J. US Army 31-Mar-99 Captured by Serb forces Mar 1999. Released alive May 1999
    SPC RAMIREZ, Andrew A. US Army 31-Mar-99 Captured by Serb forces Mar 1999. Released alive May 1999
    SPC GONZALES, Steven M. US Army 31-Mar-99 Captured by Serb forces Mar 1999. Released alive May 1999

    Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan, 2001-present)

    No living POWs from the current conflict in Afghanistan are known to exist.  (At this point, there’s no way in hell I’m going to list Bergdahl here. I’ll let a court-martial decide if that . . . individual was a POW or a wartime deserter first.)

    Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq, 2003-2010) and later Iraq Operations

    A total of eight personnel were rescued or recovered by US forces during OIF and follow-on operations.

    Rank Name Service Date Captured Circumstances Status
    SPC HERNANDEZ, Edgar US Army 23-Mar-03 Captured by Iraqi Armed forces during ambush of 507th Maint Co convoy in Nasyriah after convoy took wrong turn Recovered alive by US forces 13 Apr 2003
    SPC HUDSON, Joseph US Army 23-Mar-03 Captured by Iraqi Armed forces during ambush of 507th Maint Co convoy in Nasyriah after convoy took wrong turn Recovered alive by US forces 13 Apr 2003
    SPC JOHNSON, Shoshana US Army 23-Mar-03 Captured by Iraqi Armed forces during ambush of 507th Maint Co convoy in Nasyriah after convoy took wrong turn Recovered alive by US forces 13 Apr 2003
    PFC LYNCH, Jessica US Army 23-Mar-03 Captured by Iraqi Armed forces during ambush of 507th Maint Co convoy in Nasyriah after convoy took wrong turn Rescued by US forces 1 Apr 2003
    PFC MILLER, Patrick US Army 23-Mar-03 Captured by Iraqi Armed forces during ambush of 507th Maint Co convoy in Nasyriah after convoy took wrong turn Recovered alive by US forces 13 Apr 2003
    SGT RILEY, James US Army 23-Mar-03 Captured by Iraqi Armed forces during ambush of 507th Maint Co convoy in Nasyriah after convoy took wrong turn Recovered alive by US forces 13 Apr 2003
    CWO WILLIAMS, David US Army 24-Mar-03 Captured by Iraqi Armed Forces after AH-64 shot down over central Iraq Recovered alive by US forces 13 Apr 2003
    CWO YOUNG, Ronald Jr. US Army 24-Mar-03 Captured by Iraqi Armed Forces after AH-64 shot down over central Iraq Recovered alive by US forces 13 Apr 2003

    That’s it.  Other than post-Armistice Korea, the total is a maximum of 35 – 21 from the Gulf War (23 if JEFFRIES and RICE are given the benefit of the doubt), 1 from Somalia, 3 from Kosovo, and 8 from the GWOT.

     

    II.  Post-Vietnam POWs Known to Have Died in Captivity

    A small number of US military personnel are known to have been taken prisoner, but to have died in captivity since the end of the Vietnam War.

    Rank Name Service Date Captured Circumstances Status
    PFC PIESTEWA, Lori US Army 24-Mar-03 Captured by Iraqi Armed forces during ambush of 507th Maint Co convoy in Nasyriah; died of injuries shortly thereafter. Captured; died in captivity of injuries/wounds received while attempting to evade capture
    SGT WATERS, Donald Ralph US Army 24-Mar-03 Captured by Iraqi Armed forces during ambush of 507th Maint Co convoy in Nasyriah; later separated from other POWs and executed. Taken POW by Iraqi forces; later executed by captors
    SSG AL-TAIE, Achmed Kousay US Army 23-Oct-06 Taken prisoner by Iraqi insurgents in Baghdad after leaving base without authority, likely to visit family. Held prisoner for undetermined number of months, then executed.
    SSG MAUPIN, Keith Matthew US Army 9-Apr-04 Taken prisoner during KBR convoy ambush IVO Baghdad International Airport. Taken POW by Iraqi insurgents; executed by captors
    PFC MENCHACA, Kristian US Army 16-Jun-06 Taken prisoner during insurgent raid on checkpoint IVO Yusufiyah, Iraq. Executed by captors within days of capture.
    PFC TUCKER, Thomas L. US Army 16-Jun-06 Taken prisoner during insurgent raid on checkpoint IVO Yusufiyah, Iraq. Executed by captors within days of capture.
    CPT FREEMAN, Brian Scott US Army 20-Jan-07 Taken prisoner in insurgent raid on Karbala Provincial HQ. Held prisoner for short period, executed and body dumped by captors.
    1LT FRITZ, Jacob Noel US Army 20-Jan-07 Taken prisoner in insurgent raid on Karbala Provincial HQ. Held prisoner for short period, executed and body dumped by captors.
    SPC CHISM, Jonathan Bryan US Army 20-Jan-07 Taken prisoner in insurgent raid on Karbala Provincial HQ. Held prisoner for short period, executed and body dumped by captors.
    PFC FALTER, Shawn Patrick US Army 20-Jan-07 Taken prisoner in insurgent raid on Karbala Provincial HQ. Held prisoner for short period, executed and body dumped by captors.
    SPC JIMENEZ, Alex Ramon US Army 12-May-07 Taken prisoner during insurgent raid on checkpoint IVO Mahmoudiyah, Iraq. Executed by captors; body recovered from shallow grave approx 12.5 mi from capture site on 9 July 2008.
    PVT FOUTY, Byron Wayne US Army 12-May-07 Taken prisoner during insurgent raid on checkpoint IVO Mahmoudiyah, Iraq. Executed by captors; body recovered from shallow grave approx 12.5 mi from capture site on 9 July 2008.   Autopsy indicated body showed signs of torture over a 4-mo period from May-Sep 2007.
    PFC ANZACK, Joseph J. Jr US Army 12-May-07 Taken prisoner during insurgent raid on checkpoint IVO Mahmoudiyah, Iraq. Executed by captors; body recovered from Euphrates river 23 May 2007.

    Afghanistan, 2001-present

    Rank Name Service Date Captured Circumstances Status
    CS2 NEWLOVE, Jarod US Navy 23-Jul-10 Taken prisoner by Taliban during vehicular movement. Held by Taliban for short period of time, then died or was executed. Remains recovered OA 27 Jul.

     

    III.  Post-Armistice Korea

    Post-Armistice Korea is an interesting case.  Because of the legal requirement for the individual’s capture to occur during a “period of war”, it is unclear if all personnel taken prisoner by North Korea qualify as “POWs” or not.  Nonetheless, I personally consider anyone captured and held captive by North Korea to have a legitimate claim to POW status.

    A minimum of 86 DoD personnel – 84 military and 2 civilians – have been taken captive by Korea since the 1953 Armistice ending hostilities on the Korean peninsula.

    Rank Name Service Date Captured Circumstances Status
    multiple captured members of the crew of the USS Pueblo (81 mil, 2 civ) (Note: honorary crew members excluded.) US Navy 23-Jan-68 Ship seized by NK forces in international waters off eastern NK coastline. Released 23 Dec 1968.   One sailor was KIA during seizure.
    CW2 SCHWANKE, Glen W. US Army 14-Jul-77 US Army CH-47 shot down after straying into NK airspace. 3 Killed, 1 captured Released alive during July 1977. Other 3 crew KIA.
    CWO HALL, Bobby Wayne US Army 17-Dec-94 Aircraft shot down after navigational error took it several miles into NK. Released alive 29 Dec 1994. Co-pilot killed in shoot down and crash.

    Post-Armistice Korea was – and remains – a dangerous place.  That was particularly true from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s.  A fascinating page maintained by USFK documents many of the incidents that have caused US KIAs since the Armistice, including the two helicopter downings referenced above.

    Including post-Armistice Korea and the USS Pueblo incident, the total of post-Vietnam POWs returned alive to US custody rises to at most 120.

     

    IV.  Uncertain Cases

    A number of other cases have circumstances such that it is unclear whether or not the individuals concerned  were taken POW.

    Gulf War

    Rank Name Service Date Missing Circumstances Status
    SPC BUSH, DAVID US Army N/A Became separated from unit, later returned. Returned to duty; does not appear to have been held as POW.
    SSG RICKETT, CRYSTAL L. US Army N/A Became separated from unit, later returned. Returned to duty; does not appear to have been held as POW.d

    Iraq, 2003-2010

    Rank Name Service Date Captured Circumstances Status
    SGT KRAUSE, Elmer US Army 9-Apr-04 Disappeared during KBR convoy ambush IVO Baghdad International Airport. Possibly taken POW and died of wounds/was executed shortly thereafter; body recovered from shallow grave 23 April 2004.
    SGT PADILLA-RAMIREZ, Fernando USMC 28-Mar-03 Disappeared during convoy operations in Iraq. Possibly taken POW; body recovered 10 Apr 2003, may have been executed by captors

     

    Finally:  a total of six US personnel – 3 military, and 3 civilian contractors – remain unaccounted for from Operation El Dorado Canyon (Libya 1986), the Gulf War, and OIF.  This page from DPAA has the details concerning these individuals.

     

    Summary.

    As far as I can tell, that’s all.  While this list is not guaranteed to be 100% comprehensive and complete, I believe it to be reasonably so – subject to the caveats stated above.  Should anyone have verifiable information about any cases I’ve missed, please email the info and references to Jonn and ask him to forward same to me.  Once I’ve double-checked it, if it checks out I’ll add it above.

    I would regard any claims of “I was a POW” from Lebanon, the Gulf War, Somalia, Bosnia/Kosovo, or the GWOT that don’t check out above to be, well, bullsh!t; ditto for post-Armistice Korea.  I’d personally require a load of independently verifiable proof before I would accept any such claims as fact.

     

    (Author’s Note:  this article is also linked to the TAH “Military Records” page as a reference.)

  • About “Former POW” Claims

    There are very few instances of Stolen Valor that bother me more than a fake claim to POW status. People making such claims are, in my opinion, among the absolute lowest of the low.

    DoD goes to great lengths to account for its personnel. It also goes to great lengths to recover personnel taken captive – or to confirm their death and recover their remains. People sometimes die in those rescue, recovery, and confirmatory efforts.

    And what some former POWs went through . . . well, it can only be described as hell on earth.

    There is a new DoD Agency – the the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) – tasked with the POW/MIA accounting mission. It inherited the mission and assets of the former Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office, or DPMO, which is no more. (If you were familiar with the old DPMO website – well, bad news. The new agency’s website is rather different than its predecessor, and finding things there may take some re-learning.)

    Unfortunately, DoD doesn’t appear to maintain and post official DoD POW lists from all of our nation’s wars. Don’t ask me why. It would seem to me that that data should be readily available in DoD’s archives for every war since at least Korea – if not from World War I or the Spanish-American War forward.

    As you’ve guessed (or already knew), that means we have a problem. There are plenty of low-lifes out there “rockin’ the lie” when it comes to fake POW claims. We feature some of them every so often here at TAH.

    Moreover, Federal law itself IMO contributes to the problem. Federal law allows the VA – not DoD – to determine whether or not an individual is an “official former POW” for the purposes of VA benefits.  We all know just how “oh-so-thoroughly and accurately” the VA verifies each and every claim they get.

    Indeed, current Federal law does not technically even require that a person be held prisoner by our nation’s enemies for the VA to determine them to be an “official former POW” for VA benefits purposes. Here’s the text of 38 USC 101(32), where the term “former prisoner of war” for VA purposes is defined. I’ve added emphasis where I felt it was needed.

    (32) The term “former prisoner of war” means a person who, while serving in the active military, naval or air service, was forcibly detained or interned in line of duty—

    (A) by an enemy government or its agents, or a hostile force, during a period of war; or

    (B) by a foreign government or its agents, or a hostile force, under circumstances which the Secretary finds to have been comparable to the circumstances under which persons have generally been forcibly detained or interned by enemy governments during periods of war.

    The “Secretary” referenced above is the VA Secretary – not the SECDEF. And a liberal interpretation of the law could mean that a GI who got erroneously thrown into a nasty local jail run by one of our ALLIES during a period hostilities might qualify under that criteria. Last time I checked, Middle Eastern and Oriental jails are reputedly pretty damned harsh.

    Sound like a huge loophole? You betcha. The VA can – and often does – declare people to be “former POWs” who were never held prisoner by our nation’s enemies.

    The VA very obviously does not bother to consult DoD lists of persons held by the enemy to verify claims of former-POW status. As Jonn has documented here: in 2009 only approximately 570 individuals actually taken captive by our enemies during Vietnam and the Gulf War were still living; the VA at the time was granting benefits as “former POWs” of those two conflicts to over 1,200 people. That means that in 2009 well over half of the VA’s “offical former POWs” were never actually held prisoner by our nation’s enemies.

    Or, in simpler terms: that means that using the commonly-understood definition of POW, over half of them weren’t really POWs at all as the term is commonly understood. They managed to get declared POWs due to another reason – one that the VA bought.

    Because of the above, the fact that an individual has been granted a “former POW status” by the VA doesn’t really mean squat regarding the validity of a claim of being a POW as the term is commonly understood. Further, most if not all states accept a letter from the VA declaring an individual to be a “former POW” as “proof” that the individual is indeed a “former POW”. Convince the VA you qualify as a “official former POW” and you can get “Former POW” license plates for your car in most states with just a piece of paper from the VA. So those “former POW” license plates don’t necessarily prove squat, either.

    Why do people      lie through their teeth       do stuff like this? Hey, car tags are damned expensive in some states. So is medical care – which former POWs receive from the VA with most or all co-payments waived (they’re in Priority Group 3).  There’s also  a list of presumptive conditions for former POWs that are automatically held to be “service connected” – many of which are also conditions routinely associated with normal aging.  When those conditions appear or worsen with age, poof!  Instant disability rating – and compensation.

    You do the math.

    Unfortunately, there aren’t any good, comprehensive, published DoD lists of POWs from World War II or Korea.  Figuring out if a “former POW” claim for vets of those wars is legit can be problematic.

    However, for the war in Southeast Asia (AKA the “Vietnam War”) the situation is different. DPAA does have and post a list of former SEA POWs – as well as a list of those who are and are not formally accounted for. Specifically, it maintains four lists.

    • The first list contains the names of those POWs who returned alive at the end of the Vietnam War. That list may be found here.

    • The second list contains the names of those POWs who escaped enemy captivity in Southeast Asia. That list may be found here.

    • The third list contains the names of those who have been formally accounted for. This list includes the names on the previous two lists, plus the names of those whose remains have been recovered and positively identified. That list may be found here.

    • The fourth list contains the names of personnel who have not yet been formally accounted for. These are individuals’ whose remains have never been recovered. That list may be found here.

    DPAA also maintains other lists sorted by home state at their website. But the four lists above – which are sorted alphabetically – are generally IMO the most useful.

    Verifying Vietnam War POW claims is thus actually fairly easy.  All you need to do is check the first two lists above.  If someone isn’t on the first two lists above, according to DoD they were never held as a POW by enemy forces in Southeast Asia. I personally wouldn’t buy anyone’s claim of being a “former ‘Nam POW” if they’re not on one of those first two lists.

    A future update – or perhaps a second article – will discuss US POWs taken captive in the Gulf War and later conflicts.  Short version:  there aren’t many.

     

    Author’s Note: For ease of future reference, this article is linked to the Site Banner’s “Military Records” article.

  • Lest We Forget . . . .

    Forty-six years ago today – just before midnight EDT on 14 April 1969 – Deep Sea 129 was shot down by North Korea.

    Burn in hell, Kim Il-Sung. Burn in hell.

  • Another Purple Heart Returned

    During World War II, Raymond Ferrer served in the US Army. He served in the European Theater.

    During the Battle of the Bulge, Ferrer was wounded. He was awarded the Purple Heart.

    He returned home after the war. Eventually, he apparently passed away.

    At some point in time – exactly when is unknown, even to his family – Ferrer’s Purple Heart medal was lost. It ended up in a Connecticut pawn shop.

    I’m sure longtime readers can see where this is heading. Yeah, you’re right. Enter CPT Zachary Fike and Purple Hearts Reunited.

    The Ferrer’s Purple Heart has now been returned to Mr. Ferrer’s descendants – specifically, to his grandson. He in turn plans to pass it along to his son in the future.

    I don’t often plug nonprofits. But if you have a spare coin or two and want to donate to a worthy and military-related cause, maybe you should look at Purple Hearts Reunited. IMO you could certainly do worse.

    Well done, CPT Fike. Damn well done.

  • GHW Bush escaped being a meal for Japanese captors

    GHW Bush escaped being a meal for Japanese captors

    GHW Bush

    Everyone knows the story of President George Herbert Walker Bush’s narrow escape from capture when he was forced to ditch his aircraft into the Pacific when it was shot down during an air raid on Japanese forces at an island named Chichi Jima. American pilots drove off the Japanese boats that were steaming out to capture the 20-year-old future president and he was ultimately rescued by the submarine USS Finback.

    The UK’s Telegraph reveals newly uncovered, unclassified, and grisly details of some of the other pilots’ fates in his flight who weren’t so fortunate.

    The former President George Bush narrowly escaped being beheaded and eaten by Japanese soldiers when he was shot down over the Pacific in the Second World War, a shocking new history published in America has revealed.

    The book, Flyboys, is the result of historical detective work by James Bradley, whose father was among the marines later photographed raising the flag over the island of Iwo Jima.

    […]

    The horrific fate of the other eight “flyboys” was established in subsequent war crimes trials on the island of Guam, but details were sealed in top secret files in Washington to spare their families distress.

    The details of the rest of the article are pretty gruesome, so you shouldn’t read the story at the link after a meal. I had two great-uncles who fought in the Pacific. I still won’t buy a Japanese car or television because of the stories they told me when I was younger. Yeah, I hold a grudge.