{"id":59340,"date":"2015-04-18T10:55:32","date_gmt":"2015-04-18T14:55:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/valorguardians.com\/blog\/?p=59340"},"modified":"2015-04-19T20:04:43","modified_gmt":"2015-04-20T00:04:43","slug":"us-pows-since-vietnam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/?p=59340","title":{"rendered":"US POWs Since Vietnam"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since the end of conflict in Southeast Asia, AKA the Vietnam War \u2013 and, in some cases, concurrent with it\u00a0\u2013 US military forces have been involved in other conflicts. In a few cases, US personnel have been taken captive by America\u2019s enemies.<\/p>\n

The numbers involved are not large. However, when there\u2019s a benefit to be gained \u2013 as we\u2019ve seen far too many times here \u2013 someone will eventually \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 lie through their teeth<\/del> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 falsely claim to have \u201cbeen there, done that\u201d.<\/p>\n

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\u2019ve been able to put together lists.\u00a0 I believe these to be reasonably complete and accurate, with a couple of caveats:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. The lists which follow do not<\/span> include US military personnel taken captive by terrorists in peacetime terrorist incidents. (Examples would include the captivity of US Army BG James Dozier<\/a> and the temporary captivity and execution of US Navy PO2 Robert Stethem<\/a> 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.<\/li>\n
  2. The lists which follow do not<\/span> 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.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    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 \u201cdogs and cats\u201d \u2013 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.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    I: POWs Since Vietnam Who Returned Alive<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    Dominican Republic<\/span> \u2013 none.<\/p>\n

    1979 US Tehran Embassy Seizure<\/span><\/p>\n

    See the follow-on article linked here<\/a> 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.\u00a0 Please note that one of the individuals taken captive was NOT accorded recognized POW status – the linked article provides the rationale for that determination.<\/p>\n

    Grenada<\/span> \u2013 none.<\/p>\n

    Lebanon<\/span><\/p>\n

    One US Naval Officer was taken POW and returned alive in Lebanon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
    Rank<\/span><\/td>\nName<\/span><\/td>\nService<\/span><\/td>\nDate Captured<\/span><\/td>\nCircumstances<\/span><\/td>\nStatus<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    LT<\/td>\nGOODMAN, Robert O.<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nUSN<\/td>\n4-Dec-83<\/td>\nCaptured by Syrian forces after the A6 in which he was Bombadier\/ Navagator was downed during operations in Lebanon.<\/td>\nReleased by Syria on 3 Jan 84.\u00a0 Aircraft’s pilot was KIA.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    Panama<\/span> \u2013 none.\u00a0 However, given the ridiculous loophole in the definition of a \u201cformer POW\u201d in current Federal law – specifically, in 38 USC 101(32)(B)<\/a> – it\u2019s an open question whether the incident described here<\/a> might qualify.\u00a0 (IMO Congress really needs to tighten up this loophole by requiring DoD – not the VA Secretary – formally to declare someone a POW before<\/span> the VA can authorize that individual benefits as a former POW.\u00a0 The VA has proven it is absolutely institutionally incompetent to make that determination.)<\/p>\n

    Gulf War<\/span><\/p>\n

    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).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Rank<\/span><\/td>\nName<\/span><\/td>\nService<\/span><\/td>\nDate Captured<\/span><\/td>\nCircumstances<\/span><\/td>\nStatus<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Lt Col<\/td>\nACREE, CLIFFORD M.<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nUSMC<\/td>\n18-Jan-91<\/td>\nCaptured after the OV-10 he was piloting was shot down over Kuwait.<\/td>\nReleased by Iraq March 1991<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Capt<\/td>\nANDREWS, WILLIAM<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nUSAF<\/td>\n27-Feb-91<\/td>\nCaptured after his F16 was shot down over Kuwait or southern Iraq and rescue attempts were unsuccessful.<\/td>\nReleased by Iraq March 1991<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Capt<\/td>\nBERRYMAN, MICHAEL C.<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nUSMC<\/td>\n28-Jan-91<\/td>\nCaptured after his AH8B was shot down over Kuwait<\/td>\nReleased by Iraq March 1991<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    MAJ<\/td>\nCORNUM, RHONDA<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n27-Feb-91<\/td>\nCapured by Iraqi Armed Forces after helicopter crashed during attempt to rescue downed USAF pilot William Andrews.<\/td>\nReleased by Iraq March 1991<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SGT<\/td>\nDUNLAP, TROY<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n27-Feb-91<\/td>\nCapured by Iraqi Armed Forces after helicopter crashed during attempt to rescue downed USAF pilot William Andrews.<\/td>\nReleased by Iraq March 1991<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Col<\/td>\nEBERLY, DAVID WILLIAM<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nUSAF<\/td>\n17-Jan-91<\/td>\nCaptured after the F15E he was piloting was shot down during the early portion of the Gulf War air campaign.<\/td>\nReleased by Iraq March 1991<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Lt Col<\/td>\nFOX, JEFFREY<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nUSAF<\/td>\n19-Feb-91<\/td>\nCaptured after his A10 was shot down over Kuwait<\/td>\nReleased by Iraq March 1991<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Maj<\/td>\nGRIFFITH, THOMAS EDWARD JR.<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nUSAF<\/td>\n17-Jan-91<\/td>\nCaptured after the F15E in which he was weapons systems officer was shot down during the early portion of the Gulf War air campaign.<\/td>\nReleased by Iraq March 1991<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    CWO<\/td>\nHUNTER, GUY L. JR.<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nUSMC<\/td>\n18-Jan-91<\/td>\nCaptured after the OV-10 in which he was a crewmember was shot down over Kuwait.<\/td>\nReleased by Iraq March 1991<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SPC<\/td>\nLOCKETT, DAVID<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n30-Jan-91<\/td>\nCaptured by Iraqi Armed Forces after vehicle became stuck in sand IVO Khafji, Saudi Arabia, while attempting to turn around after taking a wrong turn.<\/td>\nReleased by Iraq March 1991<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SPC<\/td>\nRATHBUN-NEALY, MELISSA<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n30-Jan-91<\/td>\nCaptured by iraqi Armed Forces after vehicle became stuck in sand IVO Khafji, Saudi Arabia, while attempting to turn around after taking a wrong turn.<\/td>\nReleased by Iraq March 1991<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Capt<\/td>\nROBERTS, HARRY MICHAEL<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nUSAF<\/td>\nJan-91<\/td>\nCaptured after his F16 was shot down over Iraq prior to 20 Jan 1991, exact date unavailable..<\/td>\nReleased by Iraq March 1991<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Capt<\/td>\nSANBORN, RUSSELL A.C.<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nUSMC<\/td>\n9-Feb-91<\/td>\nCaptured after his AV8B was shot down over Kuwait.<\/td>\nReleased by Iraq March 1991<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    LT<\/td>\nSLADE, LAWRENCE RANDOLPH<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nUSN<\/td>\n21-Jan-91<\/td>\nCaptured after the F14 in which he was RIO was shot down over Iraq.<\/td>\nReleased by Iraq March 1991<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Maj<\/td>\nSMALL, JOSEPH III<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nUSMC<\/td>\n25-Feb-91<\/td>\nCaptured after the observation aircraft he was piloting was shot down over southern Iraq or Kuwait.<\/td>\nReleased by Iraq March 1991<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SSG<\/td>\nSTAMARIS, DANIEL J. JR.<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n27-Feb-91<\/td>\nCapured by Iraqi Armed Forces after helicopter crashed during attempt to rescue downed USAF pilot William Andrews.<\/td>\nReleased by Iraq March 1991<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    LT<\/td>\nSTORR, RICHARD D.<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nUSAF<\/td>\n31-Jan-91<\/td>\nCaptured after his A10 was shot down over Kuwait or southern Iraq<\/td>\nReleased by Iraq March 1991<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    1stLt<\/td>\nSWEET, ROBERT JAMES<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nUSAF<\/td>\n15-Feb-91<\/td>\nCaptured after his A10 was shot down over Iraq<\/td>\nReleased by Iraq March 1991<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Maj<\/td>\nTICE, JEFFREY SCOTT<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nUSAF<\/td>\nJan-91<\/td>\nCaptured after his F16 was shot down over Kuwait or southern Iraq prior to 20 Jan 1991.<\/td>\nReleased by Iraq March 1991<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    LT<\/td>\nWETZEL, ROBERT<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nUSN<\/td>\n18-Jan-91<\/td>\nCaptured after the A6E he was piloting was shot down over Iraq<\/td>\nReleased by Iraq March 1991<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    LT<\/td>\nZAUN, JEFFREY NORTON<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nUSN<\/td>\n18-Jan-91<\/td>\nCaptured after the A6E in which he was RIO was shot down over Iraq<\/td>\nReleased by Iraq March 1991<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Rank<\/span><\/td>\nName<\/span><\/td>\nService<\/span><\/td>\nDate Captured<\/span><\/td>\nCircumstances<\/span><\/td>\nStatus<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    PVT<\/td>\nJEFFRIES, LEM<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\nunk<\/td>\nDetained by Iraqi Armed Forces under unclear circumstances.<\/td>\nReleased by Iraq March 1991<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    1LT<\/td>\nRICE, KEVIN<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\nunk<\/td>\nDetained by Iraqi Armed Forces under unclear circumstances.<\/td>\nReleased by Iraq March 1991<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    That’s it. No other individuals were taken captive by Iraqi Armed Forces during the Gulf War and released alive afterwards.<\/p>\n

    Somalia.<\/span><\/p>\n

    One US soldier was taken POW and returned alive in Somalia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
    Rank<\/span><\/td>\nName<\/span><\/td>\nService<\/span><\/td>\nDate Captured<\/span><\/td>\nCircumstances<\/span><\/td>\nStatus<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    CW2<\/td>\nDurant, Michael J.<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n3-Oct-93<\/td>\nCaptured by Somali militia forces after his UH60 was downed during Operation Gothic Serpent.<\/td>\nReleased by Somali militia forces on 14 Oct 93.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    Bosnia\/Kosovo.<\/span><\/p>\n

    A total of 3 individuals were taken prisoner and later released alive by Serbian forces during our involvements in Bosnia and Kosovo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Rank<\/span><\/td>\nName<\/span><\/td>\nService<\/span><\/td>\nDate Captured<\/span><\/td>\nCircumstances<\/span><\/td>\nStatus<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SSG<\/td>\nSTONE, Christopher J.<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n31-Mar-99<\/td>\nCaptured by Serb forces Mar 1999.<\/td>\nReleased alive May 1999<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SPC<\/td>\nRAMIREZ, Andrew A.<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n31-Mar-99<\/td>\nCaptured by Serb forces Mar 1999.<\/td>\nReleased alive May 1999<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SPC<\/td>\nGONZALES, Steven M.<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n31-Mar-99<\/td>\nCaptured by Serb forces Mar 1999.<\/td>\nReleased alive May 1999<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan, 2001-present)<\/span><\/p>\n

    No living POWs from the current conflict in Afghanistan are known to exist.\u00a0 (At this point, there’s no way in hell I’m going to list Bergdahl here. I\u2019ll let a court-martial decide if that . . . individual was a POW or a wartime deserter first.)<\/p>\n

    Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq, 2003-2010) and later Iraq Operations<\/span><\/p>\n

    A total of eight personnel were rescued or recovered by US forces during OIF and follow-on operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Rank<\/span><\/td>\nName<\/span><\/td>\nService<\/span><\/td>\nDate Captured<\/span><\/td>\nCircumstances<\/span><\/td>\nStatus<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SPC<\/td>\nHERNANDEZ, Edgar<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n23-Mar-03<\/td>\nCaptured by Iraqi Armed forces during ambush of 507th Maint Co convoy in Nasyriah after convoy took wrong turn<\/td>\nRecovered alive by US forces 13 Apr 2003<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SPC<\/td>\nHUDSON, Joseph<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n23-Mar-03<\/td>\nCaptured by Iraqi Armed forces during ambush of 507th Maint Co convoy in Nasyriah after convoy took wrong turn<\/td>\nRecovered alive by US forces 13 Apr 2003<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SPC<\/td>\nJOHNSON, Shoshana<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n23-Mar-03<\/td>\nCaptured by Iraqi Armed forces during ambush of 507th Maint Co convoy in Nasyriah after convoy took wrong turn<\/td>\nRecovered alive by US forces 13 Apr 2003<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    PFC<\/td>\nLYNCH, Jessica<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n23-Mar-03<\/td>\nCaptured by Iraqi Armed forces during ambush of 507th Maint Co convoy in Nasyriah after convoy took wrong turn<\/td>\nRescued by US forces 1 Apr 2003<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    PFC<\/td>\nMILLER, Patrick<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n23-Mar-03<\/td>\nCaptured by Iraqi Armed forces during ambush of 507th Maint Co convoy in Nasyriah after convoy took wrong turn<\/td>\nRecovered alive by US forces 13 Apr 2003<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SGT<\/td>\nRILEY, James<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n23-Mar-03<\/td>\nCaptured by Iraqi Armed forces during ambush of 507th Maint Co convoy in Nasyriah after convoy took wrong turn<\/td>\nRecovered alive by US forces 13 Apr 2003<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    CWO<\/td>\nWILLIAMS, David<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n24-Mar-03<\/td>\nCaptured by Iraqi Armed Forces after AH-64 shot down over central Iraq<\/td>\nRecovered alive by US forces 13 Apr 2003<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    CWO<\/td>\nYOUNG, Ronald Jr.<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n24-Mar-03<\/td>\nCaptured by Iraqi Armed Forces after AH-64 shot down over central Iraq<\/td>\nRecovered alive by US forces 13 Apr 2003<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    That’s it.\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    II.\u00a0 Post-Vietnam POWs Known to Have Died in Captivity<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Rank<\/span><\/td>\nName<\/span><\/td>\nService<\/span><\/td>\nDate Captured<\/span><\/td>\nCircumstances<\/span><\/td>\nStatus<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    PFC<\/td>\nPIESTEWA, Lori<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n24-Mar-03<\/td>\nCaptured by Iraqi Armed forces during ambush of 507th Maint Co convoy in Nasyriah; died of injuries shortly thereafter.<\/td>\nCaptured; died in captivity of injuries\/wounds received while attempting to evade capture<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SGT<\/td>\nWATERS, Donald Ralph<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n24-Mar-03<\/td>\nCaptured by Iraqi Armed forces during ambush of 507th Maint Co convoy in Nasyriah; later separated from other POWs and executed.<\/td>\nTaken POW by Iraqi forces; later executed by captors<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SSG<\/td>\nAL-TAIE, Achmed Kousay<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n23-Oct-06<\/td>\nTaken prisoner by Iraqi insurgents in Baghdad after leaving base without authority, likely to visit family.<\/td>\nHeld prisoner for undetermined number of months, then executed.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SSG<\/td>\nMAUPIN, Keith Matthew<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n9-Apr-04<\/td>\nTaken prisoner during KBR convoy ambush IVO Baghdad International Airport.<\/td>\nTaken POW by Iraqi insurgents; executed by captors<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    PFC<\/td>\nMENCHACA, Kristian<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n16-Jun-06<\/td>\nTaken prisoner during insurgent raid on checkpoint IVO Yusufiyah, Iraq.<\/td>\nExecuted by captors within days of capture.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    PFC<\/td>\nTUCKER, Thomas L.<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n16-Jun-06<\/td>\nTaken prisoner during insurgent raid on checkpoint IVO Yusufiyah, Iraq.<\/td>\nExecuted by captors within days of capture.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    CPT<\/td>\nFREEMAN, Brian Scott<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n20-Jan-07<\/td>\nTaken prisoner in insurgent raid on Karbala Provincial HQ.<\/td>\nHeld prisoner for short period, executed and body dumped by captors.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    1LT<\/td>\nFRITZ, Jacob Noel<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n20-Jan-07<\/td>\nTaken prisoner in insurgent raid on Karbala Provincial HQ.<\/td>\nHeld prisoner for short period, executed and body dumped by captors.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SPC<\/td>\nCHISM, Jonathan Bryan<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n20-Jan-07<\/td>\nTaken prisoner in insurgent raid on Karbala Provincial HQ.<\/td>\nHeld prisoner for short period, executed and body dumped by captors.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    PFC<\/td>\nFALTER, Shawn Patrick<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n20-Jan-07<\/td>\nTaken prisoner in insurgent raid on Karbala Provincial HQ.<\/td>\nHeld prisoner for short period, executed and body dumped by captors.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SPC<\/td>\nJIMENEZ, Alex Ramon<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n12-May-07<\/td>\nTaken prisoner during insurgent raid on checkpoint IVO Mahmoudiyah, Iraq.<\/td>\nExecuted by captors; body recovered from shallow grave approx 12.5 mi from capture site on 9 July 2008.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    PVT<\/td>\nFOUTY, Byron Wayne<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n12-May-07<\/td>\nTaken prisoner during insurgent raid on checkpoint IVO Mahmoudiyah, Iraq.<\/td>\nExecuted by captors; body recovered from shallow grave approx 12.5 mi from capture site on 9 July 2008. \u00a0 Autopsy indicated body showed signs of torture over a 4-mo period from May-Sep 2007.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    PFC<\/td>\nANZACK, Joseph J. Jr<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n12-May-07<\/td>\nTaken prisoner during insurgent raid on checkpoint IVO Mahmoudiyah, Iraq.<\/td>\nExecuted by captors; body recovered from Euphrates river 23 May 2007.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    Afghanistan, 2001-present<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
    Rank<\/span><\/td>\nName<\/span><\/td>\nService<\/span><\/td>\nDate Captured<\/span><\/td>\nCircumstances<\/span><\/td>\nStatus<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    CS2<\/td>\nNEWLOVE, Jarod<\/a><\/td>\nUS Navy<\/td>\n23-Jul-10<\/td>\nTaken prisoner by Taliban during vehicular movement.<\/td>\nHeld by Taliban for short period of time, then died or was executed. Remains recovered OA 27 Jul.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

     <\/p>\n

    III.\u00a0 Post-Armistice Korea<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    Post-Armistice Korea is an interesting case.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 Nonetheless, I personally consider anyone captured and held captive by North Korea to have a legitimate claim to POW status.<\/p>\n

    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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Rank<\/span><\/td>\nName<\/span><\/td>\nService<\/span><\/td>\nDate Captured<\/span><\/td>\nCircumstances<\/span><\/td>\nStatus<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    multiple<\/td>\ncaptured members of the crew of the USS Pueblo<\/span> (81 mil, 2 civ)<\/a> (Note: honorary crew members excluded.)<\/td>\nUS Navy<\/td>\n23-Jan-68<\/td>\nShip seized by NK forces in international waters off eastern NK coastline.<\/td>\nReleased 23 Dec 1968. \u00a0 One sailor was KIA during seizure.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    CW2<\/td>\nSCHWANKE, Glen W.<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n14-Jul-77<\/td>\nUS Army CH-47 shot down after straying into NK airspace. 3 Killed, 1 captured<\/td>\nReleased alive during July 1977. Other 3 crew KIA.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    CWO<\/td>\nHALL, Bobby Wayne<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n17-Dec-94<\/td>\nAircraft shot down after navigational error took it several miles into NK.<\/td>\nReleased alive 29 Dec 1994. Co-pilot killed in shoot down and crash.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    Post-Armistice Korea was – and remains – a dangerous place.\u00a0 That was particularly true from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s.\u00a0 A fascinating page maintained by USFK<\/a> documents many of the incidents that have caused US KIAs since the Armistice, including the two helicopter downings referenced above.<\/p>\n

    Including post-Armistice Korea and the USS Pueblo<\/span> incident, the total of post-Vietnam POWs returned alive to US custody rises to at most 120.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    IV.\u00a0 Uncertain Cases<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    A number of other cases have circumstances such that it is unclear whether or not the individuals concerned\u00a0 were taken POW.<\/p>\n

    Gulf War<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Rank<\/span><\/td>\nName<\/span><\/td>\nService<\/span><\/td>\nDate Missing<\/span><\/td>\nCircumstances<\/span><\/td>\nStatus<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SPC<\/td>\nBUSH, DAVID<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\nBecame separated from unit, later returned.<\/td>\nReturned to duty; does not appear to have been held as POW.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SSG<\/td>\nRICKETT, CRYSTAL L.<\/a><\/span><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\nBecame separated from unit, later returned.<\/td>\nReturned to duty; does not appear to have been held as POW.d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    Iraq, 2003-2010<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Rank<\/span><\/td>\nName<\/span><\/td>\nService<\/span><\/td>\nDate Captured<\/span><\/td>\nCircumstances<\/span><\/td>\nStatus<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SGT<\/td>\nKRAUSE, Elmer<\/a><\/td>\nUS Army<\/td>\n9-Apr-04<\/td>\nDisappeared during KBR convoy ambush IVO Baghdad International Airport.<\/td>\nPossibly taken POW and died of wounds\/was executed shortly thereafter; body recovered from shallow grave 23 April 2004.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    SGT<\/td>\nPADILLA-RAMIREZ, Fernando<\/a><\/td>\nUSMC<\/td>\n28-Mar-03<\/td>\nDisappeared during convoy operations in Iraq.<\/td>\nPossibly taken POW; body recovered 10 Apr 2003, may have been executed by captors<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Finally:\u00a0 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.\u00a0 This page from DPAA<\/a> has the details concerning these individuals.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Summary.<\/span><\/p>\n

    As far as I can tell, that’s all.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 Once I’ve double-checked it, if it checks out I’ll add it above.<\/p>\n

    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.\u00a0 I’d personally require a load<\/em> of independently verifiable<\/span> proof before I would accept any such claims as fact.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    (Author’s Note:\u00a0 this article is also linked to the TAH “Military Records” page as a reference.)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Since the end of conflict in Southeast Asia, AKA the Vietnam War \u2013 and, in some … US POWs Since Vietnam<\/span>Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":623,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,84,118,143],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-59340","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-historical","category-military-issues","category-veterans-issues","category-veterans-affairs-department"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59340","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/623"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=59340"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59340\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=59340"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=59340"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=59340"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}