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DPAA Family/VSO Quarterly Call and Update 

Monday April 3, 2023, 2:00-3:00 PM EDT 

‘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.

Family Group/Veterans Service Organization Participants:

• Coalition of Families

• Mission: POW-MIA

• National League of Families

• American Legion

• Disabled American Veterans

• Korean War Veterans Assn

• Korean War POWMIA Network

• Veterans of Foreign Wars

• Vietnam Veterans of America

Director’s Update 

Money Matters. The President signed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Appropriations Act on December 

29, 2022. DPAA’s funding primarily consists of $150 million (M) of Operations and Maintenance 

(O&M). As approved by the Department of Defense (DoD), the $20M increase from the prior FY 

funds Partnerships and Innovations (PI), Case Management System (CMS), and Public Portal 

initiatives. On March 9th, the FY 2024 President’s Budget was submitted to Congress; it includes 

$196M of O&M. Again approved by DoD, the $46M increase from FY 2023 will fund additional 

research and analysis, and field and laboratory activities. Congress has already commenced its 

review of the budget request. 

Indonesia Access. On March 9, I signed the Framework Arrangement document with the 

Government of Indonesia that will allow DPAA access to conduct field activities there. It was a 

7-year saga marked by numerous DPAA engagements as well as advocacy by DoD, Department of 

State, and Congressional senior officials. The first DPAA team will deploy to Moratai Island for an 

investigation/survey in June. 

 

NE Asia Trip. My February trip included the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan. Meetings in 

Seoul were with U.S., United Nations Command, and ROK officials. Both the UNC Commander 

and U.S. Ambassador have been strong advocates for the first U.S.-ROK joint excavation within the 

Demilitarized Zone. I also participated in a repatriation of an American set of remains our ROK 

counterpart recovered. Through successful engagements with officials from the Ministries of 

Defense, Foreign Affairs, and Health, Labor & Welfare, as well as with eight Members of the Diet, 

we advanced collaboration, information sharing, and scientific exchanges with Japan. 
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U.S. Ambassadors Engagement. In January, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command hosted a Regional U.S.

Ambassadors Conference in Hawaii. Eight of the attendees (the Chiefs of Mission to India, ROK, 

Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Kiribati) requested to visit 

DPAA, where invaluable strategic and operational discussions with each ensued.

Other Engagements. During the last quarter, other successful engagements occurred with the 

Hungarian Ambassador to the U.S.; Deputy Chief of Mission to the Indian Embassy; the new 

Secretary of the American Battle Monuments Commission; and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State 

for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Discussions either advanced DPAA’s partnership and 

collaboration with each or solicited their assistance.

Bilateral Discussions. On March 30, I participated in the U.S.-Vietnam Political, Security, and 

Defense Dialogue at the State Department. The senior Vietnam official was the Vice Foreign 

Minister, who was previously their Ambassador to the U.S. and also a former Director of DPAA’s 

Vietnamese counterpart organization. The latter was established within the Paris Peace Accords 50 

years ago. Vietnam’s cooperation on the American MIA issue began 10 years after the war and 10 

years before normalization between the two countries, and was the foundational building block to 

today’s comprehensive partnership. Our in-progress Joint Field Activity, with 41 personnel 

deployed on 2 Recovery Teams (RT) and 1 Investigation Team (IT) is the 151st.

Acting Deputy Director for Operations (DDO) Update

Korean War Disinterment Project. I want to correct one point from the December update as it 

relates to this project. We stated our Phase V disinterment should commence in Spring 2023. 

However, based on several factors driving the KWIP, Phase V will likely begin in October. One of 

the primary drivers is the requirement to use Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) for DNA analysis 

of these remains. NGS takes more time, and our priority is processing the KWIP remains already in 

the lab before beginning the next phase to ensure we are progressing all cases for identification.

Operations Overview. In the past 3 months, we deployed 34 DPAA and partner field missions to 

18 countries and conducted disinterment missions in Hawaii, the Philippines, and France.

 

Kiribati Access. Kiribati reinstituted entry restrictions due to COVID-19. As such, we have yet to 

receive approval for our scientists to conduct a joint forensic review (JFR) of the significant amount 

of remains recovered prior to the pandemic nor has our private partner, History Flight, been able to 

return to re-start its year-around excavations (their team that commenced post-pandemic operations 

last November had to depart in January). The U.S. Embassy continues to work entry approvals.

Key Leader Engagements. We were privileged to host at our Hawaii lab the Secretary of Defence 

for Papua New Guinea; one Congressional Delegation (4 Members) and two Staff Delegations; the 

DAV National Commander. The American Legion Auxiliary President visited our Nebraska lab. 

And in-progress is the Southeast Asia trip of the VFW National Commander, Senior Vice 

Commander, Executive Director, and Communications Director to Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos,

where they will also visit the Recovery Teams (RT) in the latter two countries. 
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Regional Teams Overview

Europe-Mediterranean (EM) Region 

Field Operations. January through March is typically a quiet period for recoveries in Europe due to 

winter weather, but there were three investigations. An underwater IT, strongly supported by 

Kuwaiti Naval Forces, searched for the wreckage of an A-6E lost during Operation DESERT 

STORM (the one pilot is still unaccounted-for). The team is currently processing survey data to 

assess the need for and focus the area of additional investigation activities. Another IT surveyed 

three sites associated with aircraft crashes in Italy for potential future excavations. U.S. Embassy

support helped overcome landowner resistance at one site. As a result of observing the DPAA team 

in action, the landowner affirmed any necessary future access. Also, during this investigation, the 

team was able to brief a family member who lives in Rome about the just completed investigation 

of his brother’s loss, an opportunity the IT leveraged. An IT is currently working in Germany, 

focused on exploring ground losses in the Hürtgen Forest. As we have disinterred and identified 

Unknowns associated with this battle, we have learned much about which Soldiers might still be 

buried where they fell within the forest. In addition, a small RT began operations in France at a site 

in Normandy associated with the 4 unaccounted-for Soldiers from a bunker explosion. 

Disinterment Operations. Disinterments for FY 2023 began in March with the disinterment of 4 

Unknowns from Rhone American Cemetery. They will resume in earnest after Memorial Day, with 

65 disinterments across the remainder of the FY.

Planned Field Operations. Next month, we will launch 2 RTs to Hungary to begin excavations of 

two sites associated with the losses of Army Air Forces personnel and an IT to Poland.

US–Russia Joint Commission (USRJC). In December, the U.S. Side Chairman met with 

Department of State and National Security Council officials, and two Congressional Commissioners 

to continue discussions about the way ahead for the USRJC. In addition, the U.S. and Russian 

Chairmen had a phone call in January and are planning to hold another one this month. These 

discussions focus on coordinating actions to allow the USRJC to continue progressing cases within 

the humanitarian exemption that permits interactions with Russia. Field activities in Russia are 

currently restricted, however research in the Russian archives continues. 

Indo-Pacific (IP) Region

Research and Analysis. In January IP researchers, analysts, and historians conducted their semiannual Case Coordination Conferences, along with DPAA scientists and mission planners, and DIA 

Stony Beach personnel, with separate sessions for the four major conflicts. These conferences are 

the driving process for analytical and archival efforts and lead directly to field investigations. The 

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) section continues to create, integrate, and manage spatial 

data from various source documents, archival data, field data collection efforts, wartime imagery,

and current imagery. Wartime imagery analysis and 3D analysis in GIS produce visualization 

products for Vietnam War Veteran witnesses to interpret which helps DPAA and Stony Beach 

researchers identify investigation locations. New enhancements to Field data collection technology 

using near real time data collection applications are providing greater situational awareness and 

8cm accuracy during missions. 
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Field Operations. Vietnam War. Three RTs conducted excavations in Laos, with each recovering 

possible osseous material and possible life support equipment; two of the teams recovered ID media 

belonging to the unaccounted-for Service member. Field operations are currently underway in Laos 

and Vietnam. In Laos, there are one RT and one Investigation Team (IT) investigating 12 cases; we 

are fortunate to have the assistance of a Vietnamese veteran as a firsthand witness participating in 

the trilateral investigations. Two RTs and one IT (investigating 12 cases) are in Vietnam; our 

Vietnamese counterpart reported these recovery sites were in jeopardy of being lost to economic 

development. World War II (WWII). One IT operated in the mountains of northern Thailand, 

conducting a site survey and establishing logistical plans for a future recovery effort. In the 

Solomon Islands, one RT is underway and working on a field burial site in Guadalcanal and in 

Papua New Guinea (PNG), a large underwater recovery mission is underway in Hansa Bay in 

conjunction with the Navy’s Experimental Dive Unit. Korean War. No field activity occurred 

regarding the Korean War. 

Disinterment Operations. Three separate disinterment efforts, totaling 124 Unknowns (mainly 

from the Enoura Maru Hellship) were conducted at the National Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), 

and we completed one at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial (MACM) in March where 

33 Unknowns were disinterred for accession into the lab for analysis. 

Planned Field Operations. In April, an IT is scheduled for joint work with our ROK counterpart 

on two cases with leads uncovered by them. In May, two RTs, one IT, one partner IT with Scripps 

Institute of Oceanography, and one underwater RT with the U.S. Army’s 7th Engineer Dive 

Detachment will operate In Vietnam. 

Planned Disinterment Operations. Four disinterment events totaling 198 Unknowns (again, 

primarily from the Enoura Maru) are planned for NMCP in the upcoming quarter.

Detachment (DET) Activities. DET-3 in Laos, conducted a repatriation ceremony for three 

separate sets of potential osseous material recovered; the U.S. Ambassador officiated. The DET 

also facilitated a total of 17 U.S. and Lao officials visiting the three RTs in northern Laos. DET-2 

in Hanoi hosted the U.S. Ambassador’s first visit to a recovery site, where he worked the screening 

station and had lunch with the team. 

 

Partnerships and Innovations (PI) Update

Field Activities. The PI team has successfully arranged, planned, and completed 13 field missions 

thus far in FY 2023 across the world; 6 partner field projects are currently active in Cambodia, 

Micronesia, Northern Mariana Islands, the Philippines, PNG, and Italy, and an additional 57 field 

activities are preparing to launch across the remainder of the FY. Extensive coordination and 

collaboration within the Agency, with partner institutions and their collaborators, and with host 

nations underwrite each of these activities as the scale and scope of these activities continues to 

rapidly develop. 

New Arrangements. PI established 10 new formal partnerships through signed Memoranda of 

Understanding, taking the total number of DPAA’s active partners to 100. Orca Maritime, Inc.; the 

Institute of Maritime History; Southern Methodist University: and Flinders University are some of 
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our newest partners. The total number of other organizations being considered for partnership 

potential currently stands at 82, and more than 50 partner or prospective partner personnel have 

participated in the DPAA Academy (our orientation program) during the FY thus far.

Research. We have initiated 12 new partner research projects, resulting in a total of 73 active 

research projects with our research partners that include The Ohio State University, the University 

of Wisconsin, Texas Tech University, Texas A&M University, the University of Illinois Chicago, 

and the National WWII Museum. These partners are now producing thousands of deliverables 

annually. Two recent examples of innovative research efforts include the Chuuk Research Project 

with Project Recover (who has previously partnered with us primarily for field projects) and the 

German Shoot Down Records Project with our partner Texas A&M. 

The Chuuk Research Project is a 12-month, short-term project whereby Project Recover will 

complete 20-30 Case Narratives of Service personnel missing from Chuuk State, Micronesia. It

capitalizes on Project Recover’s extensive knowledge of losses and history of fieldwork experience 

in the region. The German Shoot Down Records Project, is a long-term effort and that involves the 

translation of over 10,000 WWII Downed Allied Aircraft Reports from the Captured German 

Records Collection and extracting crash locations, aircraft details, and incident data into a filterable 

database for later GIS integration. It will provide foundational research on German shoot-down 

activities and support case-specific research for field investigations. 

Scientific Analysis (SA) Update

Accessions. There have been 114 batches of evidence accessioned into our laboratory system, 

consisting of skeletal, dental, and/or material evidence for FY 2023. The evidence originates from 

disinterments (67%), DPAA excavations and investigations (18%), Unilateral Turnovers (12%), 

Partner activities (3%), and covers 3 major conflicts: WWII (62%), Korean War (31%), and the 

Vietnam War (7%). 

Vietnam War Identification Project. The VWIP produced one first-time identification, one 

individual identification for a Service member accounted-for historically by a group ID, and four

additional portion identifications during FY 2023. The RTs operating in Southeast Asia repatriated 

6 accessions thus far, all of which are currently undergoing forensic testing. 

Enoura Maru Project. The project commenced in January. From the 15 caskets from the NMCP

and 24 graves from the MACM, more than 5,000 bones have been inventoried, 350 of which have 

already been sampled and sent for DNA analysis. The remaining 32 caskets at the NMCP 

associated with this Hellship will be disinterred over the next few months. Our Nebraska Lab will 

be leading the required forensic analysis. 

Other Activities. Since the last update, 2 JFRs of potential American remains have been conducted 

by board-certified forensic anthropologists from our lab and participants from the ROK and 

Hungary. In addition, one Field Forensic Review was conducted at the U.S. Army Mortuary in 

Germany, reviewing recovered osseous material from field operations across Europe. 
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Professional Conferences. Our scientists participated in the Society of Historical Archaeology 

Conference in January, where 3 research papers were presented, and the American Academy of 

Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Conference in February where 7 papers were presented. Our lab

managers, in conjunction with AFDIL, presented a day-long workshop at AAFS on the resolution of 

cold cases utilizing a multi-disciplinary team and multiple lines of evidence, which received 

significant positive feedback.

Relocation. We are in the process of relocating the material evidence lab in Ohio to our Nebraska 

Lab. The two personnel have relocated, and the evidence and synoptic collections are being 

scheduled to move later this month. 

FY 2023 Identifications to date: 

Total IDs = 44 (Newly accounted for = 42 / Previously accounted for = 2) 

WWII = 25 

Korean War = 17 

Vietnam War = 2 

Additional Portion IDs = 6

AFMES-AFDIL Update

Budget. The Armed Forces Medical Examiner System-Armed Forces DNA Identification 

Laboratory past accounting budget was cut by 10%. We did receive $4 M as part of the FY 2023 

Appropriations, which offset the cut and is allowing us to purchase additional NGS instruments to 

replace older equipment, and additional reagents.

New Method. The shortage of a critical chemical used in the extraction of DNA continues this 

year, however, we have completed the validation of a new method to extract the DNA. Known as 

the Dabney Method, it allows us to capture more of the smaller, damaged DNA molecules. The 

easiest way to think about this is using a spaghetti strainer to strain rice. Although that strainer 

works, due to the hole size, a lot of rice flows through the strainer and is lost. We basically 

modified an extraction method used for Neanderthal and other ancient DNA samples to analyze

DPAA samples. We have gone back to samples that did not work previously, and in some, we have 

been able to get mtDNA results. We are currently testing this method to see if we can optimize to 

get nuclear Short Tandem Repeat results.

Progress. The validation of AFMES’ Identity Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) efforts are 

progressing, and the full team of scientists dedicated to it have been optimizing the software and 

methods to work with all types of DPAA samples (chemically and non-chemically treated) as well 

as family references. We are still on track to bring it online by the end of the calendar year, but will 

always caveat that priority will be on letting the science dictate what needs to be done.

FY 2023 Statistics to date:

DNA Results Reported = 1,452 (on track to hit the 3,600 analyses per year goal)

First-time Named Believed-to-Be Reports = 61 (supporting new identifications)
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Outreach and Communications 

Family Member Update. On February 25, we hosted an in-person FMU in Orlando. We had 252 

family members attend; 162 were first-time attendees. Of the 123 cases represented, 75 were from 

WWII, 37 from the Korean War, and 11 from the Vietnam War. Throughout the day, DPAA 

analysts/historians and Service Casualty Officers (SCO) met individually with the family members 

of 103 cases to update them on their loved one's loss. The AFMES-AFDIL team collected DNA 

family reference samples (FRS) from 5 of the 8 family members who were lacking an FRS on file. 

Dallas FMU. On March 25, we had 367 family members attend; 197 were first-time attendees. Of 

the 171 cases represented, 102 were from WWII, 46 from the Korean War, 22 from the Vietnam 

War, and 1 from the Cold War. DPAA analysts/historians and SCOs conducted 171 Case Summary 

Reviews and 5 FRS were collected from the 5 family members who were lacking an FRS on file. 

We very much appreciate DAV’s Department of Texas for sponsoring the food and refreshments for

family attendees, generously donating $8,600. 

Singapore Engagement. Although there are no unaccounted-for in Singapore, last month, along 

with the Navy Experimental Dive Unit, we hosted for the first time in DPAA history a Mission 

Preview Event overseas. It showcased the exciting proof of concept underwater mission to PNG, 

where the underwater will excavate the “Heaven Can Wait” B-24 site (11 crewmen), which at 220 

feet is the deepest DPAA has ever attempted and the first time this specialized unit has worked on 

this type of operation. 

Operation HOMECOMING. We supported events commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 

Operation HOMECOMING flights that repatriated 591 American POWs in Spring 1973: a joint 

U.S. Embassy-Vietnamese Government event in Hanoi, hosting the Hawaii event at DPAA’s 

facility, and providing speakers to the California event. Although there are no current POWs, 

DPAA purposely retained POW in its name in acknowledgement of the inextricable link between 

POWs and MIAs. 

Year in Review. We have published the FY 2022 Year in Review and will be mailing copies to 

your organizations. 

DAV Mid-Winter Conference. In February, we presented at DAV’s conference in Arlington, VA

providing mission updates to the attendees. We appreciate these opportunities to connect and 

communicate with Veterans, whose comrades-in-arms are whom we search for. 

Media. The Washington Post captured a story of how the local military community in the National 

Capital Region showed up for a USS Oklahoma Sailor whose son was unable to attend his funeral 

due to health issues. https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/02/24/arlington-cemeterypearl-harbor-sailor-burial/
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Questions & Answers

American Legion: No questions.

DAV: Will be sending an official invite to our national conversation in August (first week) for the 

POW/MIA seminar. One of our committee members will tour Offutt – thanks for that support. 

KWVA: Did you have the opportunity to talk to anyone about resuming operations in DPRK?

Answer: The new South Korean administration has not taken a reproachment stance with the DPRK 

like the previous one. North Korea’s continued provocations are concerning to the South Koreans so 

there is no appetite to expand the terms of their 2018 Comprehensive Military Agreement, which 

included recovery operations in the DMZ. The DPRK’s repeated violations of that agreement render 

any operations in North Korea to be moot.

We are concerned that eventually the Korean War Identification Project remains will all be 

identified and are worried about new remains coming into the lab and not being able to get remains

out of DPRK. How many remains do you have that are currently under forensic review? Answer: 

We have approximately 600 Korean War remains in the lab today with 200 more coming in the next 

2 Phases from the NMCP. The number of active cases from all conflicts we are analyzing is in the 

thousands.

VFW: We appreciate the assistance provided to their leaders who are returning from Vietnam, 

Laos, and Thailand. The support from the DPAA detachments was outstanding.

Collation of Families: What are President Biden and the administration doing to break the impasse

with DPRK and look for air losses? Answer: There are frequent overtures at all levels, but there 

has been no response or reaction from the DPRK government except harsh rhetoric and provocative 

actions. 

Can you speak to the US/China MOU and are the Chinese doing their part on archival research?

Answer: To date, we have not received any deliverables from our last archival exchange discussion 

(which was virtual) in 2021. DoD leaders still view DPAA’s mission as a humanitarian exception 

and is supportive of allowing communications with the PLA to occur. However, the PRC continues 

to rebuff DoD attempts to schedule a Defense Dialogue, which last occurred almost two years ago.

Have you tired going through Ambassador Burns? Answer: Yes, but he has not been successful in 

bringing the PLA to the table to discuss our mission.

Two recent Camp 5 losses (White and Hartman; White even had a chest radiograph) were recently 

identified, but why did its take three year? Do you need more equipment, more people? Where can 

we help? Answer: There are a lot of reasons for it to take three years or more. Punchbowl 

remains were chemically treated which creates many challenges, among which AFDIL is forced to 

use the more time-consuming NGS process to get DNA from the samples. There is also comingling; 

that must be dealt with systematically and more carefully. Other challenges for Camp 5 remains is 
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because the pool of candidates is much larger to compare against and we do not have FRSs on many. 

AFDIL has increased their NGS success rate to 62%, but studies have shown these chemically 

treated samples are more damaged than 40,000-year-old Neanderthal DNA. 

VVA: The two sites mentioned to be in jeopardy due to economic growth, what country were they 

in? Answer: They are in Vietnam and DPPA teams just completed excavations there and are 

scheduled to return in Spring 2023. Our detachment in Hanoi works closely with Vietnamese 

officials to identify sites in jeopardy, which then informs mission prioritization, planning and 

execution. 

VVA will be sending folks to SE Asia 5-15 June, and might be talking with Vietnamese veterans who 

may have information. This program is in its infancy, and we will keep you posted. Three former 

Vietnamese Ambassadors have been helpful for our trips, but we are losing our normal contact who 

has just been promoted to their ambassador to Brazil.

Mission POW/MIA: Two of us attended the Dallas FMU and we appreciate how it was conducted 

and the many family members we met. Thanks for the questions about the Korean War; they help 

educate us.

When will the press release be going on the latest two Vietnam War identifications? Answer: Next 

week should be the initial release after the two families have been notified; that will be a short 

release. After the families have been briefed on the identification package and the military funeral, 

the more detailed press release will come out. 

How far up the coast of Vietnam have you gotten and how much of the data has been analyzed? 

Answer: There is one open underwater excavation site in northern Vietnam, one off the coast of 

Khanh Hoa Province, and another pending excavation off the Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province

coast. Teams completed underwater surveys of reported crash sites from Nghe An Province to Ben 

Tre Province in southern Vietnam, but many of the surveys did not locate any possible physical 

evidence to warrant further work. Several other locations require that teams go back with divers to 

confirm whether the possible physical evidence is aircraft wreckage. Last month, an American 

citizen living in Vietnam reported that a Vietnamese fisherman recovered the engine that exclusively 

correlates with one of our unaccounted-for crash sites off the coast of Phu Yen Province.

Regarding MIA artifacts in museums, is there a list of all potential artifacts in the museums? 

Answer: There is an extensive list of artifacts that were in museums, but it probably does not 

contain all the MIA artifacts. Vietnamese officials have a list of MIA artifacts that they are working 

on to get released, but this is a very costly project. 

Is there an overall database that correlates location of loss? We use the DPAA website, and we love 

it; is there any way it can be narrowed down more. Will it become public Answer: There is a GIS 

database that correlates to the locations of loss; this is how you see the locations on the DPAA 

website. A lot of the locations get updated after each JFA or when an analyst/historian determines
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that the current report of loss needs to get corrected. We will look into whether we can add province 

and town information to the display on our public facing website. 

National League: The USRJC Chairmen spoke in January; can you elaborate on what was 

discussed and what has been accomplished in archival research in Russia? Answer: These 

periodic telephone calls occur quarterly. Despite the US Chairman continuing to press, the Russian 

Side is not open to engage in resuming the Conflict Technical Talks, even virtually, and are opposed 

to field activities. We have two contractors who are working regularly in the Ministry of Defense 

Archives in Moscow. The Russian Side has two researchers working in our National Archives.

Korean War POW/MIA: No questions.