An Enormous Crime · The Definitive Account of American POWs Abandoned in Southeast Asia by Hendon, Bill -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Title Page Table of Contents PREFACE PART I

INTRODUCTION

WASHINGTON, DC A SECOND CHANCE

CHAPTER 1 - THE POW HOSTAGE PLAN AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION

THE HOSTAGE PLAN HANOI’S PLAN TO CAPTURE AMERICANS ALIVE IN THE SOUTH THE QUALITY OF THE INTELLIGENCE • THE QUALITY OF THE PAVN AS INTELLIGENCE SOURCES VIETCONG POLICY RELATING TO THE CAPTURE AND TREATMENT OF AMERICAN SERVICEMEN

CHAPTER 2 - HANOI BOUND

THE MOVE NORTH SOME AMERICAN POWs REMAIN IN CAMPS IN THE SOUTH

CHAPTER 3 - AMERICAN POWs CAPTURED BY THE PATHET LAO

THE PRISONERS IN SAM NEUA

CHAPTER 4 - AMERICAN POWs IN NORTH VIETNAM

THE IMPRISONMENT AND EXPLOITATION OF AMERICAN POWs IN NORTH VIETNAM THE AMERICANS AT HANOI’S HOA LO PRISON AND AT THE HOA LO CENTER THE HUMAN SHIELDS

CHAPTER 5 - 1972 THE WAR DRAWS TO A CLOSE

THE NORTH VIETNAMESE DECIDE TO SETTLE • LE DUC THO AND HENRY KISSINGER AGREE ON A PEACE TREATY “TO BE OR NOT TO BE” “WE BELIEVE THAT PEACE IS AT HAND” THE PARIS NEGOTIATIONS NIXON DECIDES TO SETTLE THE PARIS NEGOTIATIONS OPERATION LINEBACKER II • THE B-52s POUND HANOI, HAIPHONG, AND THE NORTH VIETNAMESE HEARTLAND

PART II

CHAPTER 6 - JANUARY 1973 PEACE AT A VERY HIGH PRICE

PARIS NORTH VIETNAM’S DEMANDS FOR WAR DAMAGES WHAT AND HOW MUCH? THE LONG AND TORTURED DEBATE OVER THE FORM AND AMOUNT OF WAR DAMAGES TO BE PAID TO THE NORTH VIETNAMESE NORTH VIETNAM’S FINAL BILL HOW MANY? THE LONG AND TORTURED DEBATE OVER THE NUMBER OF AMERICANS HELD PRISONER BY THE COMMUNISTS THE PARIS ACCORDS ARE SIGNED • THE NORTH VIETNAMESE TURN OVER THE FIRST LIST OF POWs THE NIXON LETTER IS DELIVERED • THE NORTH VIETNAMESE TURN OVER THE SECOND LIST OF POWs “STUNNED,” “SHOCKED,” “INCONCEIVABLE,” “MY GOD, LOOK AT THE DISPARITY”

CHAPTER 7 - FEBRUARY 1973 A HISTORIC JOURNEY TO HANOI

THE KISSINGER/PHAM VAN DONG MEETINGS IN HANOI

CHAPTER 8 - FEBRUARY—MARCH 1973 THE “MOST TORTURED” ISSUE, “THE TOUGHEST SALE”

THE “MOST TORTURED” ISSUE, “THE TOUGHEST SALE” NORTH VIETNAM CONVENES SPECIAL SESSION OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TO RATIFY PARIS ACCORDS, U.S. PLAN TO REBUILD NORTH NIXON, KISSINGER, ROGERS, DEFENSE OFFICIALS PUSH FOR CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL OF RECONSTRUCTION AID TO NORTH VIETNAM THE U.S.-DRV JOINT ECONOMIC COMMISSION CONVENES IN PARIS • THE DRV PRESENTS ITS FIVE-YEAR PLAN

CHAPTER 9 - MID- TO LATE MARCH 1973 THE RETURNEE DEBRIEFS TELL OF HUNDREDS OF AMERICAN POWs HELD BACK

THE MID- AND LATE MARCH INTELLIGENCE AND OTHER INFORMATION FROM SOUTHEAST ASIA ABOUT UNLISTED POWs WHAT THE RETURNEES HAD TOLD ABOUT UNLISTED AMERICAN PRISONERS THE RETURNEES’ PERSONAL HISTORIES THE COMPARISONS PROVE DEVASTATING

CHAPTER 10 - SPRING 1973 “A ‘CANCER’ ON THE PRESIDENCY”

THE WATERGATE BURGLARS ARE SENTENCED McCORD FINGERS DEAN • NIXON NOW EXPOSED A MATTER OF SCHEDULING? GETTING VIETNAM OUT OF THE WAY POWs REPORTED ALIVE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA “IT IS BETTER … TO BE CERTAIN … THAN IT IS TO BE UNCERTAIN” “THERE WAS NO CHOICE BUT TO FOLLOW HIS DIRECTIVE”

CHAPTER 11 - SPRING, SUMMER, AND FALL 1973 THE COLLAPSE OF THE JEC TALKS • THE COLLAPSE OF THE PARIS PEACE ACCORDS

BREAKING THE BAD NEWS TO THE NORTH VIETNAMESE ENTER COMRADE FIDEL THE NORTH VIETNAMESE MOVE TO TAKE THE SOUTH BY FORCE A REMARKABLE CASE OF POOR TIMING A DRAMATIC, LAST-MINUTE AMERICAN EFFORT TO SAVE THE SOUTH AND THE UNLISTED, UNRETURNED POWs AS WELL

CHAPTER 12 - 1974 THE END OF THE LINE FOR RICHARD NIXON CHAPTER 13 - JANUARY–APRIL 1975 THE END OF THE LINE FOR SOUTH VIETNAM

THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS CAMPAIGN BEGINS THE CAMPAIGN TO TAKE SAIGON BEGINS

PART III

CHAPTER 14 - MAY–DECEMBER 1975 “CUBA SUGGESTED TO US TO KEEP THEM BACK” • CONGRESS INVESTIGATES THE FATE OF THE POWs AND MIAS

THE NORTH VIETNAMESE EFFORT TO RANSOM THE UNLISTED, UNRETURNED POWS “CUBAN STYLE” FOR THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF RECONSTRUCTION AID PROMISED THEM AT PARIS U.S. HOUSE CREATES SELECT COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE FATE OF POWs/MIAs MONTGOMERY GOES TO WORK HANOI A ROUGH CHRISTMAS FOR FOUR OTHER AMERICANS

CHAPTER 15 - 1976 MONTGOMERY CONTINUES HIS INVESTIGATION • AMERICAN POWs SEEN IN CAPTIVITY IN BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH VIETNAM

THE DEVASTATING TESTIMONY OF THE EXPERT WITNESSES SOUTHERN VIETNAM THE MASS TRANSFER OF REEDUCATION CAMP INMATES TO NORTHERN VIETNAM FOR LONG-TERM IMPRISONMENT THE SOUTHERNERS BEGIN SEEING AMERICAN POWS NEAR THE REEDUCATION CAMPS OF NORTH VIETNAM NORTHERNERS ALSO SEE AMERICAN POWs WASHINGTON MONTGOMERY COMMITTEE WRAPS UP ITS INVESTIGATION, DECLARES ALL POWS/MIAs DEAD

CHAPTER 16 - 1977 A NEW PRESIDENT ADDRESSES THE MATTER OF THE UNLISTED, UNRETURNED POWs

WASHINGTON “THE WHOLE POINT … WAS TO DECLARE … THE MIAs … DEAD” THE CIA INTELLIGENCE OF MARCH 8 HANOI THE CIA INTELLIGENCE OF MARCH 16 WOODCOCK REPORTS HIS FINDINGS PARIS “WE STAND FOR AN OVER-ALL, PACKAGE DEAL SOLUTION” GETTING OUT VIETNAM

CHAPTER 17 - 1978 THE SIGHTINGS OF THE UNLISTED, UNRETURNED POWs CONTINUE • THE REFUGEE EXODUS BEGINS

THE SIGHTINGS OF THE UNLISTED, UNRETURNED POW CONTINUE MORE SIGHTINGS IN THE SOUTH STILL MORE SIGHTINGS IN THE NORTH THE REFUGEE EXODUS BEGINS THE PERSECUTION OF THE ETHNIC CHINESE FIRST COME THE HOA, THEN THE SOUTHERN VIETNAMESE THE REPORTS OF IMPRISONED AMERICANS BEGIN MAKING THEIR WAY TO THE U.S. GOVERNMENT THE VIETNAMESE INVASION OF CAMBODIA

CHAPTER 18 - 1979 A PRISON SYSTEM IN CHAOS • CONVINCING EVIDENCE FINALLY REACHES WASHINGTON

THE CHINESE INVADE … AND THEN QUICKLY WITHDRAW THE RELOCATION OF THE DISPLACED AMERICAN POWS OTHER AMERICAN POWS REMAIN CAPTIVE IN THE NORTH U.S. OFFICIALS BECOME CONVINCED POWs ARE ALIVE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA REPORT 1: THE ETHNIC CHINESE MORTICIAN REPORT 2: THE FORMER ARVN COLONEL REPORT 3: THE PRIZED DEFECTOR THE RADIO INTERCEPT TELLING OF THE TRANSFER OF AMERICAN AND THAI POWs WITHIN LAOS ON NOVEMBER 15, 1979

CHAPTER 19 - 1980 RESCUE PLANS

THE AMERICAN POWS AT CAMP K-55, TAY NINH PROVINCE, VIETNAM THE AMERICAN PRISONERS AT GNOMMORATH, LAOS FRESH SIGINT TELLING OF AMERICAN POWs ALIVE IN LAOS

PART IV

CHAPTER 20 - 1981 “GASOLINE”

DELTA FORCE/JOINT SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND • OPERATION POCKET CHANGE THE CIA GROUND RECONNAISSANCE MISSION TO FORT APACHE “WE DIDN’T WANT TO PUT GASOLINE ON THE ISSUE” MORE PUBLICITY ABOUT THE POWs AND A NEW EFFORT TO FREE THEM A FINAL INTELLIGENCE UPDATE BEFORE DEPARTURE IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN

CHAPTER 21 - 1982 “THE PRINCIPLE OF RECIPROCITY”

GETTING THE WORD TO THE PRESIDENT “BIGGER THAN THE RED SEA” “SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE THE TIGERS ATE ALL YOUR MEN …” THE ADMINISTRATION CHANGES OFFICIAL POLICY ON LIVING POWs “REHABILITATION OF PEOPLE’S LIVELIHOOD” A PROPOSAL FROM THE LAO WASHINGTON

CHAPTER 22 - 1983 A DRAMATIC CHANGE OF COURSE

THE WAR HERO, CLINT EASTWOOD, WILLIAM SHATNER, AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES THE END OF THE LAO INITIATIVE THREE LAST ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE LAO INITIATIVE THE ADMINISTRATION’S NEW PLAN FOR DEALING WITH THE POWs THE SHIFT TO REMAINS CENTRAL AMERICA

CHAPTER 23 - 1984 TRAGEDY AT ARLINGTON • A MISSED OPPORTUNITY IN THE OVAL OFFICE

THE FRAUDLENT SELECTION OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER THE SELECTION OF LT. MICHAEL BLASSIE THE CEREMONIES MOVING ON THE REEMERGENCE OF ROBERT GARWOOD “I WANT TO CLEAR MY CONSCIENCE AND HELP THESE MEN” A CALIFORNIA CONGRESSMAN CONFRONTS HIS PRESIDENT THE POW SPECIAL OFFICE ONE LAST TRY NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

CHAPTER 24 - 1985 “PROGRESS” IN THE SEARCH FOR REMAINS • FRESHMEN, STONEWALLED ON POWs, TURN TO PEROT • McFARLANE DROPS HIS GUARD

SHOWING PROGRESS ON REMAINS EXCAVATION OF THE CRASH SITE BEGINS PURCHASING BONES FOR CASH FROM THE NORTH VIETNAMESE THE DIA “INTERNAL REVIEW” STONEWALLING THE CONGRESSMEN SPECTRE 17, THE VERDICT A RENEWED EFFORT TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE DIA FILES McFARLANE DROPS HIS GUARD A BRIEF ENCOUNTER WITH MAJ. GEN. POWELL THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPECTRE 17 IDS THE PUBLIC DEBATE OVER LIVE POWs CONTINUES

CHAPTER 25 - 1986 TRENCH WARFARE

“RESPECTFULLY, MR. PRESIDENT, IS IT TRUE?” GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS “THE DIRECTOR’S PW/MIA TASK FORCE REVIEW OF THE PW/MIA DIVISION” THE TIGHE VERDICT THE WHITE HOUSE MOVES TO CHANGE THE TIGHE REPORT PERROOTS AND HIS MEN HEAD SOUTH, NEVER TO RETURN DAMAGE CONTROL THE DCI’S CANDID ASSESSMENT ROSS PEROT, LONGTIME FRIEND OF THE INDOCHINA POWs THE VOTE ON THE PEROT BILL ANOTHER HOSTAGE RELEASED IN LEBANON • A CLOSE ELECTION • IRAN-CONTRA EXPLODES IN THE PRESS IN THE MIDST OF THE MAELSTROM, THE INDOCHINA POWs ARE NOT FORGOTTEN PEROT CONCLUDES HIS STUDY AND PREPARES HIS RECOMMENDATIONS

CHAPTER 26 - 1987 PEROT TO HANOI • A BOMBSHELL FROM GENERAL VESSEY • NO EVIDENCE?

THACH AND PEROT DALLAS MEANWHILE, THREE NEW INITIATIVES AIMED AT GETTING THE POWs HOME WASHINGTON • AMBUSH IN THE OVAL OFFICE THE ADMINISTRATION REACTS TO THE NEW INITIATIVES SHULTZ REJECTS A “TWO WAY STREET” • VESSEY DEPARTS FOR HANOI HANOI VESSEY DROPS “LIVE MIA” BOMBSHELL A BIG DOSE OF COLD WATER FROM LANGLEY: • “NO CREDIBLE EVIDENCE OF LIVE POWs,” CIA RESPONDS, NO “PLAUSIBLE MOTIVE” FOR HANOI TO KEEP THEM THE NGOs TAKE CENTER STAGE

CHAPTER 27 - 1988 “JUST TWO BAR OF SILVERS FOR EACH MAN”

HEARINGS HELD ON SMITH’S BILL TO DECLASSIFY THE POW INTELLIGENCE REAGAN TO FAMILIES: WE WILL NOT PAY FOR LIVE PRISONERS, BUT WE WILL ACCELERATE THE SEARCH FOR BONES NORTHEAST THAILAND WASHINGTON THE REAGAN ADMINISTRATION’S FINAL REPORT ON THE POW/MIA ISSUE

CHAPTER 28 - 1989 “ … THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS HAS BEEN REACHED”

RATCHETING UP THE REWARD MORE “CONSTERNATION” THE MT. BIA OUTRAGE IS ECLIPSED WHAT TO DO? A PERSONAL PLEA TO THE PRESIDENT THE WHITE HOUSE RESPONDS

CHAPTER 29 - 1990 SABOTAGING THE HELMS/GRASSLEY INVESTIGATIONS • THE BUSH FINAL REPORT ON POWs • THACH’S HISTORIC VISIT TO WASHINGTON

CLEARING THE DECKS DIA SOURCE 0995 A QUICK TRIP TO THE HILL TO BUY TIME GARWOOD’S FIVE SIGHTINGS SIGHTINGS #4979, 4980, 4981, 4982, AND 4983 THE REMAINING EYEWITNESS SIGHTINGS FROM HA NAM NINH BA SAO/ROCKPILE • DIA SOURCES #8666 AND #10721 MEANWHILE, STUNNING NEW INTELLIGENCE ON AN UNDERGROUND PRISON NORTHWEST OF HANOI THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION FINAL REPORT SHOVING, SHOUTING MATCH BREAKS OUT AT LEAGUE CONVENTION • COURTS-MARTIAL EFFORT BEGINS NGUYEN CO THACH MAKES UNPRECEDENTED VISIT TO WASHINGTON, DECLARES AGAIN THAT AMERICANS MAY BE ALIVE IN WILD AREAS OF HIS COUNTRY • HELMS ISSUES EXPLOSIVE INTERIM REPORT CIRCLING THE WAGONS

PART V

CHAPTER 30 - 1991 ONE LAST CHANCE TO SAVE THE UNLISTED, UNRETURNED POWS

A NEW INITIATIVE IN THE U.S. SENATE A MESSAGE ON THE OFFICE DOOR THE HELMS FINAL REPORT A DOD INFORMANT’S DUBIOUS PHOTOGRAPH TURNS THE TIDE ONE LAST CHANCE TO SAVE THE UNLISTED, UNRETURNED POWs

CHAPTER 31 - 1992 THE FRAGGING

THE JANUARY PERSONNEL CHANGES THE TOURISON REVELATIONS AND THE CHAIRMAN’S ROAD MAP THE INVESTIGATION OF THE INTELLIGENCE BEGINS AT LAST • THE HOWS, WHYS, AND WHEREFORES THE APRIL 9, 1992, INTELLIGENCE FINDING U.S. CAPITOL “WHO’S GOING TO KNOW? IS SOMEBODY GOING TO LEAK IT?” THE CHAIRMAN’S STRANGE, NEWFOUND INTEREST IN THE CLUSTER BRIEFING SENATOR KERRY DRIVING THE PROCESS HANOI HANOI WASHINGTON MEMORIAL DAY THE INVESTIGATORS RESPOND WITH THREE NEW INITIATIVES: CONDUCTING ON-SITE PRISON INVESTIGATIONS THEMSELVES, BRIEFING THE “McCAIN CLUSTER,” AND OFFICIALLY ESTIMATING THE NUMBER OF POWs STILL ALIVE IN VIETNAM AND LAOS CHAOS JOHN KERRY, DRIVING DOWN THE NUMBERS THE INTELLIGENCE HEARINGS BEGIN THE HO CHI MINH MAUSOLEUM, THE UNDERGROUND PRISON, AND THE MND CITADEL ONE HELL OF A CLUSTER THE RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR THE DEFENSE NUCLEAR AGENCY EXPLOSIVE NEW HUMINT ON THE UNDERGROUND PRISON AND THE MAN WHO REPORTEDLY SUPERVISED ITS CONSTRUCTION THE CODED MESSAGE FROM LIEUTENANT COLONEL SEREX THE JOINT BUSH ADMINISTRATION/SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE ASSAULT ON THE POSTWAR IMAGERY A DISCUSSION OF THE SAM NEUA “USA/WALKING K” E&E CODE ON DATELINE NBC THE OCTOBER 15 IMAGERY HEARINGS ELECTION DAY THE ENDGAME THE LINGERING MATTER OF THE SECRET SERVICE AGENT THE FINAL HEARINGS A TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO HANOI WASHINGTON

CHAPTER 32 - 1993–1995 “THE VIETNAMESE KNOW HOW TO COUNT”

JANUARY 25, UNITED STATES SENATE THE UNLISTED, UNRETURNED POWs DO NOT GO QUIETLY THE FURIOUS THREE-DAY DEBATE OVER THE RUSSIAN DOCUMENT CLINTON’S HISTORIC DIRECTIVE TO VESSEY VESSEY CARRIES OUT HIS ORDERS THE ROAD TO NORMALIZATION

CHAPTER 33 - 1995–2005 “WAR LEGACIES”

EPILOGUE - A PROPOSAL FOR PRESIDENT BUSH • A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHORS NOTES ACKNOWLEDGMENTS INDEX Copyright Page

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