Graphic by Nomad Queen. |
Graphic by Dennis |
Background by Debby. |
Roger Dumas Roger Dumas, missing since the Korean War - fellow POWs saw him being led away just minutes from the repatriation point by guards. His brother continues the fight to this day to determine his fate. September 10, 2000 The Honorable Kevin Brady 616 FM 1960 West, Suite 315 Houston, Texas 77090 Dear Congressman Brady: Although things aren't going as smoothly or as perfectly as one could hope for, I believe a great amount of progress has been made in N/S Korean relations. Many people see the improving relations as a ray of hope for determining the fate of loved ones last known to have been political prisoners in the area. I am writing to express my concern over the case of Cpl Roger Dumas, POW from the Korean Conflict. On the day of repatriation many American POWs saw him being led away by two Chinese, and he has not been seen from since. I believe now would be a good time to take steps in resolving this issue once and for all so his family does not have to suffer in uncertainty any longer. In 1984 the Army considered the evidence on Cpl. Dumas' case, and his status changed from Missing in Action to Prisoner of War. They also presented his case as a high priority for the U.S. - Chinese meeting in 1999. What was the outcome of their inquiry into the Dumas case? Thank you for your time, Angela Bostwick |
Commander Michael Scott Speicher, POW/MIA Persian Gulf War: Where is he? Scott Speicher was the first American to go MIA in the Gulf War, and the last one still unnacounted for. The evidence of his survival is so great that 60 Minutes II did a few stories on his case. To read the 60 Minutes II reports on Speicher, CLICK HERE. His status was again changed in October of 2002 to POW - an acknowledgement by the Dept of Defense that he was alive and in Iraqui hands at some point. |
Veterans' Health Care Unfortunately, the government also has trouble keeping its promises when it comes to veteran health care. Here is a letter I sent to Senator Phil Gramm. August 27, 2000 The Honorable Phil Gramm 370 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Dear Senator Gramm, I want to tell you how strongly I feel about a certain issue: I am writing for the restoration of lifetime health coverage for all Medicare-eligible beneficiaries, as proposed in the Senate version of the FY2001 Defense Authorization Bill. This change is essential to ease the major health care shortfalls experienced by older uniformed services retirees and their families. These servicemen fought to protect our rights and to protect the freedom of America, and I consider nothing more important than showing them how much we appreciate their sacrifices made for us by keeping the promise we made to them years ago and providing them with LIFE-long health care and benefits. Furthermore, what kind of message does it send to current/prospective service personnel in the military if our veterans are denied these benefits? It obviously does not attract recruits in vast quantities, as evidenced by the dropping recruits/reenlistments in the service. The issue then becomes one involving national security and our military readiness. I feel that the inclusion of these benefits is an essential step in restoring servicemen's pride and confidence in the country that they fight for. The House proposed much more restricted improvements for Medicare-eligible beneficiaries -- worldwide pharmaceutical coverage, but no other upgrades for those not fortunate enough to live in the vicinity of a military hospital or clinic. Only the Senate initiative would seek to fulfill the government's long-standing health care promises for all Medicare-eligible retirees. Only the Senate provision, if enacted and made permanent, would eliminate the need for retirees to buy Medigap insurance. Properly crafted, the Senate proposal, sponsored by Senators John Warner and Tim Hutchinson, will go a long way toward fulfilling the Nation's health care commitments to Medicare-eligible military beneficiaries. As House and Senate conferees negotiate a resolution of this issue, please do all you can to preserve the Senate initiative in the final bill. In particular, please work to specify that this initiative would entail: -No enrollment premiums -Full TRICARE payment for all Medicare copayments, so beneficiaries will not need supplemental insurance -Automatic qualification of any provider meeting Medicare requirements -waiver of any TRICARE deductible in excess of the Medicare deductible. By championing retention of the Senate health care equity initiative in the conference agreement on the FY2001 Defense Authorization Bill, and further clarifying it as suggested above, you will help correct the services' most severe and long-standing benefits inequity and foster readiness by restoring a crucial career service incentive. Sincerely, Angela Bostwick A month later I received a reply from Phil Gramm affirming his support of veterans health care, and he said he was glad to have constituent backing with the issue. |
Letters to the Government These are some of the first few letters that I sent to officials in Washington, Representatives in Texas, etc. I you want to write your representatives on the POW/MIA issue and are not sure what to write, please feel free to use these letters. :) |
Jim Thomas - My Adopted Serviceman May 9, 2000 Senator Hutchinson 284 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Mrs. Hutchinson, What is being done to determine the fate of James Richard Thomas, 37th ARRSQ, who was last seen in South Vietnam, November 25, 1971? Jim is has remained on the MIA list for almost 30 years. Doesn't his devotion to his country award him the privilege and honor of being buried in his own homeland soil if he is in fact deceased? If, by any miracle, Jim is still alive, should he be left behind in a foreign country knowing his country abandoned him? Do not his three daughters, other family and loved ones deserve to know the fate of their son, father, brother and loved one who disappeared while fighting for our freedom, and put a closure to this after so many years? Please advise me of any action that is being taken by you or any other elected or appointed official to determine his fate. In the event there is nothing being done, please explain why not, and tell me how you personally plan to correct this and prevent it from ever happening again. Thank you. Angela Bostwick Enc: Picture JR Thomas |
Exactly one month later, I received a reply from Mrs Hutchison stating that, as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, she will push to use "resources as wisely and efficiently as (she) can in our efforts to locate America's missing soldiers," and that she flies the POW/MIA flag outside her office to show her respect and determination. |
I sent similar letters to Tipper Gore, Senator Phil Gramm, Bill Clinton and Al Gore. In OCTOBER of 2000 I received a response from the Pentagon in reference to my letter to Clinton, attempting to debunk the notion that there may be live POWs. My house representative, Kevin Brady, responded: to find out what the army is doing for MIAs", the Department of the Army said to go to www.Army.mil Website and click on history. I did so, but couldn't find anything particularly interesting. He also suggested sharing that with the family and having the family write their "respective representatives" as well. |
Here is a letter I sent for Scott Speicher in 2001 July 13, 2001 Vice President Dick Cheney The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 Dear Mr. Cheney, I am writing to express my concern for Desert Storm MIA, Michael Scott Speicher. Although the Navy has officially declared him missing in action, and the Clinton administration had begun to investigate his case, nothing further seems to have been done by the Bush administration to determine what actually happened to him. Could you please explain why nothing has been done, and what steps you plan to take to determine the fate of our missing soldier from the Gulf War. Thank your for your time, Angela Bostwick |
Commander Michael Scott Speicher, POW/MIA Persian Gulf War: Where is he? Scott Speicher was the first American to go MIA in the Gulf War, and the last one still unnacounted for. The evidence of his survival is so great that 60 Minutes II did a few stories on his case. To read the 60 Minutes II reports on Speicher, CLICK HERE. His status was again changed in October of 2002 to POW - an acknowledgement by the Dept of Defense that he was alive and in Iraqui hands at some point. |
More Russian Memoirs: Americans in Captivity Evidence indicates some American POWs may have been transferred to Russia for "inteligence gathering" purposes, and to work in Russian labor camps. July 9, 2000 The Honorable Phil Gramm 1919 Smith Street Suite 800 Houston, Texas 77002 Mr. Gramm: Recently, Mr. Norman Kass, Executive Secretary of the U.S.-Russian Commission on Prisoners of War and Missing in Action, helped translate an unpublished personal memoir in Russian and interviewed the author on behalf of the Pentagon agency in charge of POW/MIA Affairs. The memoir is that of a Russian Émigré who claims that the former Soviet Union detained dozens of American servicemen from WWII and the Korean War in Siberian labor camps. This man says he learned of this while in internal exile in the former Soviet Union. This memoir provided names of individual servicemen! Mr. Kass believes the author of this memoir is credible. This is not the only memoir discovered saying this. Russian General Volkogonov's memoirs state the same thing. Also, in 1992, Boris Yeltsin disclosed that Soviet forces had taken a dozen U.S. airmen captive in the 1950's after shooting down their planes. Mr. Gramm, if no action is taken on this matter, there is nothing to prevent it from happening again and again, and this must be stopped. All that can be done must be done to put an end to this possibility and bring home those that have survived in captivity-back to the country they served so well and to the families that wait for their return. This discovery supports and strengthens the belief that U.S. servicemen were sent to the USSR's Gulag labor force system and left there. I would like to know what you are doing on behalf of our POW/MIA's with regards to these memoirs that have come to light. More detailed information can be found at: http://www.geocities.com/~ladyjen/generic16.html http://www.aiipowmia.com/rusyn1.html Memoir backs reports of Americans in Gulag http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis/web/vortex/display?slu g=glag&date=20000227 Gen. Dmitri Volkogonov's published memoir http://www.powmiaff.com/kremlin.html Sincerely, Angela Bostwick Phil Gramm's Response: While "these allegations have not been verified either by the US government or by other independent sources," the '"Joint US-Russian Commission on POWs/MIAs has been set up by both countries to investigate the allegations of Soviet involvement with the US POWs in all wars since WWII," and has been working since mid 1992 with "mixed results." He also commented that "Russian officals" are to blame for obstructing the investigations, and that he supports further investigations into the matter of POW/MIAs. |
Roger Dumas Roger Dumas, missing since the Korean War - fellow POWs saw him being led away just minutes from the repatriation point by guards. His brother continues the fight to this day to determine his fate. September 10, 2000 The Honorable Kevin Brady 616 FM 1960 West, Suite 315 Houston, Texas 77090 Dear Congressman Brady: Although things aren't going as smoothly or as perfectly as one could hope for, I believe a great amount of progress has been made in N/S Korean relations. Many people see the improving relations as a ray of hope for determining the fate of loved ones last known to have been political prisoners in the area. I am writing to express my concern over the case of Cpl Roger Dumas, POW from the Korean Conflict. On the day of repatriation many American POWs saw him being led away by two Chinese, and he has not been seen from since. I believe now would be a good time to take steps in resolving this issue once and for all so his family does not have to suffer in uncertainty any longer. In 1984 the Army considered the evidence on Cpl. Dumas' case, and his status changed from Missing in Action to Prisoner of War. They also presented his case as a high priority for the U.S. - Chinese meeting in 1999. What was the outcome of their inquiry into the Dumas case? Thank you for your time, Angela Bostwick |
Background by Debby. |
Graphic by Dennis |
Graphic by Nomad Queen. |
Michael Speicher, MIA |
~ Other Letters that I have sent on the POW/MIA issue ~ |
