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DPAA Families/VSO/MSO Quarterly Call and Update Notes

Thursday, January 31, 2019, 2:00 PM

‘Fulfilling Our Nation’s Promise’

Summary: Keeping the families of our missing as well as veterans informed is a primary objective

of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency's (DPAA) mission. This update is intended to

provide an overview of efforts during the previous quarter to account for our missing.

Families-Veteran Service Organization Participants:

 National League of POW/MIA Families

 Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)

 American Legion

 Special Operations Assn/Special Forces Assn

 Coalition of Families

 Korea-Cold War Families of the Missing

 Korean War Veterans Association

 Vietnam Veterans of America

 Honor Release Return, Inc.

 Korean War POW/MIA Network

The agenda included:

 Director’s Update (Mr. Kelly McKeague) 

 Outreach and Communications Update (Director, Mr. Todd Livick)

 Policy and Plans Update (Director, Mr. John Hamilton)

 Operational Update (Deputy Director Indo-Pac, Mr. Stewart Holbrook/Deputy Director

Euro-Med, Ms. Heather Harris)

 Partnerships and Innovations Update (Director, Dr. Tom Holland)

 Scientific Analysis Update (Lab Director, Dr. John Byrd)

 AFMES-AFDIL Update (Director DoD DNA Operations, Dr. Tim McMahon)

 Questions & Answers

Director’s Update (Director Kelly McKeague)

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)

Three of our personnel met with DPRK Army officials on December 14 for planning-level 

discussions, and we continue to communicate with DPRK through the United Nations Command. 

However, we have yet to reach an agreement on a venue and dates for negotiations to resume field 

operations this fiscal year. As it stands, the projected timeline will not allow the first joint field 

activity that had been planned for March. As denuclearization continues to be the focus of 

Administration efforts, the State Department continues to allow the Korean War remains issue to be 

on a separate track. As the Second Summit takes shape, we remain optimistic the DPRK Army will 
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agree to meet with us in the near term. In support of the summit, DPAA is providing the 

Administration with talking points about remains repatriation and recovery. 

Budget

Along with the rest of DoD, we were not affected by the government shutdown. As such, we were 

able to push out all second quarter field operations as planned. The submission of the fiscal year 

(FY) 2020 President’s Budget to Congress was delayed to the early March, so we’re not able to 

report on our budget request for FY 2020.

Director’s Engagements in United Kingdom, Croatia, Hungary and Austria 

Leading up to my mid-November Europe engagements, I was able to meet with the Austrian, 

Croatian, and Hungarian Ambassadors to the United States. They and their staffs were helpful in 

advising us on our in-country meetings. During the trip, I had the honor of speaking at Cambridge 

American Cemetery's Veterans Day Commemoration. Our meetings with senior government 

officials from Croatia, Hungary, and Austria were productive as we were able to advance 

cooperation and collaboration with each for our WWII accounting efforts. In Croatia, we signed a 

memorandum of understanding with their government, which has been generous in its support, and 

this cooperation generated much interest among Croatian media. We also were able to advocate for 

emerging partnerships in Austria and Hungary. 

Other Veterans Day Engagement 

Mrs. Fern Sumpter Winbush attended a NASDAQ-sponsored, veterans-focused event on Veterans 

Day. She participated in a panel with business and non-profit executives to discuss veterans 

initiatives. She provided an introduction to DPAA’s mission, which enlightened most and reminded 

others of the sacrifices made by veterans from past conflicts as well as introduced this sector of the 

business community to the possibility for future collaboration with DPAA.

30th Anniversary of Sustained Field Operations in Vietnam

During the second week of December, RDML Jon Kreitz led a contingent of DPAA personnel to 

Vietnam to commemorate the 30th anniversary of sustained field operations. The visit began with a 

repatriation ceremony in Da Nang, led by U.S. Ambassador Dan Krittenbrink. At the DPAA-hosted 

dinner in Hanoi, past and present members of both sides were recognized as well as the furthering of 

our Vietnam War accounting mission and the strengthening U.S.-Vietnam bilateral relationship.

DPAA Academy

In early December, we launched the DPAA Academy, which will serve as the focal point for training 

organic staff and augmentees, and for orienting partners to DPAA’s requirements and processes. 

This new initiative will play a key role in expanding our capabilities and capacity, enabling increased

pace and scope of field operations, especially through partner operations.

Director’s Engagements in Poland and France

Through my recent engagements in Poland and France, we continued to advance accounting efforts 

in Europe. In Poland, I met with the director of the Polish DPAA-like organization. This 

organization is both competent and passionate about finding and identifying Polish missing, and we 

will establish a formal partnership with them. Their willingness to collaborate will facilitate 

execution of the nine cases that are ready to excavate. In France, I met with the French Deputy Chief 

of Naval Operations to thank the French Navy for its key support of last year’s underwater mission 
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and to shape future cooperation, to which he was amenable. I then addressed the senior leaders and 

cemetery superintendents of the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) at their biennial 

symposium. ABMC is a key partner with DPAA in our disinterment line of effort. 

Deputy Director of Operations Engagements

RDML Kreitz is currently on travel with government engagements in Indonesia, Myanmar, India, and 

Malaysia. He also has a stop in Cambodia to visit the DPAA teams who are deployed there after that 

government’s lifting of the more than one-year suspension.

Outreach and Communications 

Pearl Harbor Day 

In early December, DPAA hosted several visits to our Hawaii facility during Pearl Harbor week. 

Visitors included the national leadership teams of both the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the 

American Legion. On December 7, 2018, RDML Kreitz had the honor of serving as the keynote 

speaker at the 11th Commemorative Ceremony for the USS Oklahoma Memorial on Ford Island. As 

of the date of the ceremony, DPAA’s “Oklahoma Project” had identified 189 of the 394 

unaccounted-for Sailors and Marines who died onboard the ship on December 7, 1941.

Family Member Updates (FMU)

DPAA hosted an FMU in Greensboro, NC, on November 17, 2018, with 193 family members 

attending. Local representatives from congressional offices and Veterans Service Organizations 

attended as observers. The FMU in Birmingham, AL, was on January 26, 2019, with 225 family 

members attending. Local representatives from congressional offices attended as observers. 

The next two FMUs will be San Jose, CA, on February 23, 2019, and San Antonio, TX, on March 

23, 2019. The entire FMU and Annual Meetings schedule can be found at: 

http://www.dpaa.mil/Families/Family-Events/

Mr. Todd Livick asked Mr. John Zimmerlee (who attended the Birmingham FMU) for his thoughts 

on the FMU. Mr. Zimmerlee responded that it was well attended, although he was still seeking 

answers to some questions.

Chosin Few Board Meeting

On January 22, 2019, Korean War analyst, Mr. Bill Woodier, updated the board of the Chosin Few 

on current DPAA accounting efforts for the Korea War. 

Media Engagements:

November 7, 2018 – Premiere of “Last B-24” documentary on a national broadcast of PBS’s NOVA 

program. Show garnered wide viewing audiences and good reviews. Many new viewers are still 

hearing about it and watching the program on-line.

https://www.pbs.org/video/last-b-24-pequsf/

Ceremony marking 75th anniversary of Battle of Tarawa and a repatriation ceremony of remains 

from Betio on November 23, 2018.
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http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2018/11/20/special-ceremony-commemorates-th-anniversarybattle-tarawa/

https://www.dvidshub.net/news/300848/marine-corps-repatriation-ceremony-held-during-75thbattle-tarawa-anniversary

Tuskegee Airman Capt. Lawrence E. Dickson accounted-for. 

DPAA News Release issued on November 29, 2018, announcing that Capt. Dickson, the first of 27 

missing Tuskegee Airmen, was officially accounted for. The release prompted several high-profile 

media stories on the case, including a feature story on the CBS Evening News broadcast of 

January16, 2019, that included an interview with his daughter, Marla Andrews. 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/daughter-of-tuskegee-airman-gets-answers-about-his-death-70-

years-later/

NPR reporter Mr. Jay Price produced a 7-minute radio story about the Korean War Disinterment 

Plan that aired nationally on December 13, 2018. In addition to the radio story, Mr. Price also posted 

a print story on the NPR webpage that features several excellent photos, including many provided by 

DPAA. Both stories capture interviews with key DPAA officials and family members.

https://www.npr.org/2018/12/13/675672396/major-project-to-identify-long-nameless-korean-wardead-begins

Cover story on January 2019 issue of Leatherneck magazine.

Story consists of an 8-page spread with a lengthy story and several good photos that use the case of 

Army PFC. Herman Mulligan to illustrate DPAA’s mission.

Policy and Plans

Korean War Disinterment Update – Mr. John Hamilton briefed that the Korean War Disinterment

Project was proceeding as planned. As of 31 January 2019, DPAA has disinterred 45 of the 73 

graves in Phase I of the project. Phase I is expected to be completed in mid-Spring 2019. Phase II, 

which involves the disinterment of 117 graves, is expected to begin in late Spring/early Summer.

https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaFamWebKoreanWarDisinternments

FY 2019 Field Operations Overview

Europe-Mediterranean Region:

 Operations in 1Qtr: (Oct-Dec)

o A DPAA team conducted one investigation of potential underwater sites in Italy.

o Partner teams initiated or completed three activities originally planned for FY18:

• Surveyed an aircraft crash site (a single seat fighter with a missing pilot) in 

Sicily that the team will recover next summer (Partner: Cranfield

University)

• Investigated (mapping/survey/remote sensing) underwater sites off 

Grosseto, Italy (Partner: Project Recover)
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• Investigated the underwater crash site of a B-17 with three missing crew 

members in a lake in Germany

 Operations: (Jan-Feb)

o Due to winter weather, Europe Mediterranean does not have field activities 

planned for January and February. Instead, we are using this period to conduct 

engagements to set conditions for upcoming operations in Austria, Croatia, 

England, Hungary, and Poland. Planning to conduct an underwater operation 

with the University of Delaware in Kuwait for a Desert Storm loss. 

 Disinterment Operations:

o Exhumed 1 Unknown in 1Qtr (November) from the Florence American 

Cemetery in Italy.

o We’ll resume full scale disinterment efforts in April, and are planning to 

conduct 75 disinterments during the current FY.

 Aircraft Wreckage Identification Seminar

 Mr. Hans-Guenther Ploes and Mr. Frank Millert, two German nationals who have 

assisted DPAA in the search for aircraft crash sites for more than a decade, conducted 

a WWII aircraft wreckage identification seminar for the Europe-Mediterranean 

Regional Directorate January 29-30, 2019, in Arlington. The course focused on 

locating and identifying data plates and aircraft parts for a number of WWII-era fighter 

and bomber aircraft, and included specific instruction on aircraft types for which EM 

will be searching during 2019. 

 U.S. – Russia Joint Commission (USRJC) Update

o Highlights of the 22nd Plenum of the USRJC, which was conducted November 27, 

2019, in Washington, D.C. include:

 Increased participation by families and VSOs, including observers from 

the National League of Families, Coalition of Families of Korean/Cold 

War POW/MIAs, VFW, and American Legion.

 Agreed to execute a joint exhumation of a cemetery burial in Vladivostok, 

Russia, later in 2019 (possibly associated with November 6, 1951, Cold 

War incident). This is a follow-on activity to an investigation conducted in 

2018.

 Pledged to uphold the humanitarian nature of the Commission’s work and 

strengthen cooperation regardless of the current difficulties in U.S.-Russia 

bilateral relations.

o U.S. Side Chairman (Ret) Gen. Foglesong continues to work to have U.S. Side 

vacancies filled, with the recent appointment of Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D – CA) to 

the Commission. The appointments of new Republican Commissioners from the 

Senate and House are expected within the next several weeks.

o We’re making steady progress on posting minutes from all previous USRJC 

Plenums and technical talks which are not currently posted on the DPAA public 
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website. 

o Next round of technical talks for WWII and Cold War Working Groups scheduled 

to take place late April in DC.

o DPAA-contracted researchers continue their work in Russian archives on a 

monthly basis.

Indo-Pacific (IP) Region: 

 Operations in 1Qtr: (Oct-Dec)

o Conducted one organic mission to Papua New Guinea – underwater investigation of 

multiple sites and underwater recovery of two sites.

o Conducted Recovery and Investigation Missions: Laos and Vietnam 

 Operations: (Jan-Feb)

o Planned organic efforts include continued underwater recovery in Papua New 

Guinea, and a field recovery and investigation in Burma.

o Planned three Missions: Laos (26 Jan-28 Feb), plus seven site investigations; 

Vietnam (16 Feb-02 Apr), plus 20 site investigations; Cambodia (20 Jan-28 Feb),

plus six site investigations.

 Disinterment Operations:

o National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific ‘Punchbowl’ (Hawaii): Korean War 

Disinterment Plan: Exhumed 29 Unknowns in 1Qtr (From MM/YY to MM/YY); 36 

additional exhumations planned for Jan-Feb.

o Manila American Cemetery & Monument (Philippines): Excavated 25 Unknowns 

in 1Qtr and 26 more this past week.

Partnerships & Innovation (PI) Update

Partnerships and Innovations helped coordinate five field missions that partners completed in 

Q1FY19. These missions included terrestrial and underwater sites in Germany, Kuwait, and Italy. 

The PI team also continued to plan and coordinate missions for the remainder of an ambitious year’s 

worth of activity, which at this time includes an additional 35 missions.

Other than partner field missions, PI has continued to refine and improve internal processes. For 

instance, in the first quarter, working with other staff sections, PI hosted six partner personnel 

(representing five partner institutions) at our first session of the DPAA Academy. Finally, PI has 

spent the last quarter further expanding the bench of partners by negotiating partnership 

arrangements and engaging in partnership development activities. The list of partners conducting 

collaborative projects for this FY represents a mixture of repeat performers, such as East Carolina 

University and the University of Illinois at Chicago, as well as new relationships like Kiel 

University.

DPAA worked with the Defense Forensic Enterprise to obtain a $3 million, multi-year research 

grant to develop improved methods of conducting underwater remote sensing. The grant was 

awarded to the University of Delaware and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. These partners 
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just completed field trials in Palau of sites of interest to DPAA. Among the technology tested was 

hand-held sonar sensors that offer resolution of targets within 3-4 inches. The results will be shared 

with all of DoD, but DPAA particularly benefits from having its sites used as the test cases.

Also tested were a fleet of Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUV) equipped with a variety of

sensor packages. The vehicles are capable of running a preprogrammed 16 square kilometer survey

pattern for 24 hours and returning with 25% battery life remaining. This is remarkable for UUVs of 

this size. These UUVs are capable of acquiring data with dual frequency sonar arrays; multi-beam 

sonar, sub-bottom (seismic) sonar, and Magnetometers; as well as capturing video and still 

photographic images that exceed industry standards. 

The team also is experimenting with "swarm intelligence," chemical detection, Alternate Light 

Source (ASL) mapping, anomaly databases, and NiCad and Alkaline batteries for the UUVs in 

order to eliminate hazardous material shipping requirements.

All in all, the test was very positive and promises tremendous benefits.

Scientific Analysis Update

In December, we completed renovations of Building 220, the old JPAC facility that some of you 

visited. We moved remains back into the 12,000 square foot space this week to begin lab 

operations there. This is about a 30% increase in analytical space for us and will significantly add 

to our capability and capacity to make identifications. Work on Cabanatuan, USS West Virginia,

and USS California will begin this week in the new space.

Statistics (As of January 31, 2019):

FY 2019 Identifications:

Total = 34 (Identifications ofunaccounted-forpersonnel)

WWII = 25

Korean War = 7

Cold War = 0

Vietnam War = 2

AFMES-AFDIL Update

Based on DPAA requirements, submitted a request to the Defense Health Agency leadership to 

increase capability and capacity to support increased DPAA identification efforts. AFMES has 

submitted an Unfunded Request (outside current spend plan allotment) for $5.3 million to initiate 

hiring of new personnel while entering into DHA's new FY 21-25 funding cycle. DHA leadership 

is supportive of increasing capability. However, within existing budget, we have initiated hiring of 

12 new scientists.

Next Generation Sequencing of chemically treated samples: To increase capability and capacity,

AFMES has optimized the current method to double the number of samples per run to 12; this has 

allowed us to report out 50 samples per month, up from 18. To increase capability further, AFMES 

has purchased three (3) new NextSeq sequencers, which have been delivered and installed. 

Currently, having to optimize the instrument for our needs and preliminary results indicate we will 

be able to run 20 to 45 samples per run. 
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FY 19: as of 31 December

272 cases reported

830 Analyses reported

143 Total Believe to be (BTB) reports issues; 43 of those are first time BTB reports (support new 

identifications)

Success Rates

Non-chemically treated Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) 91%

Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) 53%

Autosomal Short Tandem Repeat (auSTR) 58%

Y Chromosomal Short Tandem Repeat (Y-STR) 65%

Questions and Answers

1. Mr. Harder of KWVA asked about status of talks with the Korean People’s Army (KPA) 

regarding resuming operations in North Korea.

Director McKeague replied that DPAA last met with KPA representatives on December 14, 2018. At 

that time, there was no commitment to a date and venue for follow-on talks to discuss resumption of 

field operations. DPAA has sent letters to the KPA through the United Nations Command in Korea 

and the North Korean mission to the United Nations in New York asking for a commitment to a date 

and venue for follow-on talks to discuss resumption of operations. The KPA has not responded. 

DPAA is providing the administration with talking points about remains recovery in support of the 

recently announced summit between President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un.

2. Mr. Ishimoto from the SOA/SFA asks about backfilling vacancies at DPAA’s Life Sciences 

Equipment Laboratory (LSEL) at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton OH. 

Dr. Byrd responded that filling the vacancies are on hold while DPAA determines next steps to move 

those billets to Omaha. Intent is to expand these positions to become a full spectrum service provider 

for all three major conflicts which DPAA covers

Mr. Ishimoto asked for confirmation/clarification on what had been 35 Vietnam War analyst 

vacancies. 

Mr. Holbrook: IP has 26 civilian and military analyst billets (this includes 3 Casualty Resolution 

Specialists (CRS) in the Detachments) supporting Vietnam War recoveries. Of these 26, only one is 

currently vacant. Also, IP has one recently retired CRS working under contract doing Vietnam War

research. The Joint Commission Support Directorate has two individuals supporting Vietnam War 

accounting. 

3. John Towles, from the VFW, expressed his gratitude at being included in the phone call and Mr. 

Livick took the opportunity to thank him for the VFW funding the refreshments for families 

during the recent Birmingham FMU.

4. Ms. Knox, of the Coalition of Families of Korea/Cold War POW/MIAs, asked if the talking 
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points that DPAA was providing to the administration in support of the upcoming U.S.-DPRK 

summit would mention that once U.S.-DPRK joint operations occur, that U.S. investigators be 

allowed to interview DPRK citizens for information on air craft crash sites. 

Director McKeague responded that this request was too detailed for a Presidential-level engagement; 

however, it would be included when DPAA meets with the KPA to discuss resumption of field 

activities.

5. Ms. Basham, Korea-Cold War Families of the Missing, asked if the President will bring up the 

issue of our missing during his upcoming summit with Chairman Kim Jong Un. 

Director McKeague stated we will include this in the talking points that we are providing the 

Administration about the Korean War remains issue to be raised during the recently announced 

summit.

6. Mr. Zimmerlee, Korean War POW/MIA Network, asked if we resume joint operations in the 

DPRK, would DPAA ask the KPA if we can excavate the UN cemeteries in North Korea that 

date from the Korean War. 

Director McKeague stated that we would request access to these cemeteries. We have brought up 

cemeteries with DPRK in the past and they have chosen not to allow us access.

Additional Information Compiled: During Operation Glory in 1954, the Chinese and North 

Koreans largely evacuated the cemeteries and returned the remains to us. The exceptions being 

Koto-Ri #2, Hamhung #2, and potentially a small row of the Pyongyang Cemetery, though the 

Pyongyang Cemetery information is unconfirmed since their side mismatched the containers of 

remains and transfer documents, thus giving us bad data on the Pyongyang evacuations and

evacuations from other sites. 

To account for UN Cemetery losses, in 2018 we began exhuming remains from the NMCP whose 

X-files were traceable back to unresolved Pyongyang (13 exhumations) and Yudam-ni (14 

exhumations) Cemetery burials. Analysis is underway on these remains. To date, four of the 

burials corresponding to the Pyongyang Cemetery have been identified.

For a specific example of DPAA’s requests to the DPRK to investigate cemeteries, in the March 

2001 Technical Talks in Pyongyang, DPAA proposed surveying the Koto-Ri # 2 Cemetery. DPRK

did not commit to it, but also did not authorize us access during any of the Chosin-area missions 

from 2001-2005.