Viet Nam POWS

Actually all of the Vietnam POWs have been accounted for, but many of the MIAs have not. My husband served in Vietnam, and had a role in keeping in touch with the POWs when he returned. He was also made a "friend" of NamPows, Inc. for his help, although I don't know what that help was.

According to my husband, and many of our POW friends, a change was made in how a KIA and MIA were called during the Vietnam war. The reason for this was that some POWs were listed as KIA and later it was found that those "KIAs" were actually in a Vietnamese prison somewhere. This was very distressing to the families, who in most cases had already had a memorial service for their loved one.

So the "rules" were changed. An actual body was not necessary to call a KIA, but some eye witness testimony was needed, i.e., the plane was seen crashing into the water and no ejection. If there was no such proof, then the listing was MIA, even if it was impossible that the individual could have survived.

The majority of Vietnam POWs believe that there are no living military being held against their will. An accounting of all MIAs in very unlikely.

FWIW, Barbara