[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 123 (Tuesday, September 21, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S11175]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    NATIONAL POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY

 Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, Friday, September 17th was National 
POW/MIA Recognition Day. On this day, we remember, give tribute to, and 
stand in solidarity with the loved ones and families of the thousands 
of Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen who became Prisoners of War 
and Missing in Action.
  These Americans swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution 
and carried that promise through to great sacrifice for their nation. 
While thousands died, many others endured years in starved, tortured, 
isolated misery before regaining their freedom. Their perseverance, 
integrity and heroism are shining examples of the core values on which 
this nation was founded and became great.
  As a former Navy officer, I feel strongly that the United States 
Government must fulfill its commitments to the men and women who serve 
in the Armed Forces. One of these commitments is ensuring the return of 
POWs and MIAs at the end of hostilities. The vigorous pursuit of this 
commitment must continue through on-site investigations being 
undertaken in Indochina and through a fuller examination of records in 
the United States, Russia, and Southeast Asia.
  Through much diligence and hard work, and gradually improving 
relations with various nations since 1973, 529 American servicemen, 
formerly listed as unaccounted-for, have been recovered, identified and 
returned to their families. However, 2054 Americans remain unaccounted-
for from the war in Southeast Asia, with 1,530 in Vietnam. We have 
focused, and rightly so, many of our efforts on Southeast Asia, but we 
must also honor those who were held prisoner and who are missing in 
action in other remote parts of the globe. More than 80,000 Americans 
remain missing and unaccounted for from World War I, World War II and 
the Korean conflict, and countless others from the Cold War.
  Since the end of the Cold War, I have visited Russia and other states 
of the former Soviet Union on several occasions. During meetings with 
high level Russian government personnel and members of the Russian 
military. I have made it clear that Russian cooperation in these areas 
is a necessity.
  I am hopeful that American efforts will lead to information and/or 
evidence of the fates of U.S. servicemen still missing from conflicts 
during the Cold War. I likewise encourage my colleagues who interact 
with officials of Laos, Cambodia, Korea, Vietnam and others to press 
for the same commitment from those officials.
  Headway is being made, but there is still a long way to go before we 
have the fullest possible accounting of all POW/MIA personnel. Our 
great and free Nation owes eternal gratitude to all POW/MIAs and their 
families for their supreme sacrifice, but we in the Senate shall not 
rest until all are accounted for. I urge you the administration, the 
Departments of Defense and State, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the 
National Security Agency to redouble our efforts.

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