Lt/Gen John Peter Flynn passed away on March 6, 1997 at the Army Retirement Center in San Antonio, Texas. Known as "Sky" while a POW in North Vietnam, he was the Senior Ranking Officer of all the POWs. He cared about his country, his men and his honor.
General Flynn believed that American POWs were left behind after cessation of hostilities in Vietnam and he based that belief on information he learned as a member of the Tighe Commission. A man of honor and of great personal courage, he held his beliefs to the end and never faltered in his resolve to obtain a full and accurate accounting.
He will be missed, but the fight must go on to get the answers from the governments of the US, Vietnam, Kampuchea (Cambodia), Laos, China, Cuba and the former Soviet Union.
WE CAN GET THE ANSWERS IF WE ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS!
Every day, the president, vice-president, senators, congressional representatives and a variety of appointed government officials are asked to respond to questions about government projects and programs. In all but the most extraordinary cases, the inquiry is passed on to aides and assistants who have little choice but to respond with prepared stock answers.
If you ask one of them what they are doing about the POW/MIA issue, they will tell you:
"Everything we can."
Then they go back to the business of perpetuating the bureaucracy.
However, there is a better and more effective way to get their attention. Ask a more direct question that demands more than the expedient but lame, stock response.
Example:
Dear Senator,
What is being done to determine the fate of Sfc Daniel R Phillips-USASF, who was last seen fighting his way through the perimeter during the siege of LangVei on 2/7/68? No remains were ever found although there was an intensive search of the area later on, and no one saw him fall. There is no evidence that he was killed and he is known to have been capable of surviving under harsh conditions.
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.
With a question that detailed, they can't get away with the old stock answers. And in researching those answers, they may come to realize what a large segment of the Veteran Brotherhood has known for years...That we abandoned "Loyal American Citizens" in Southeast Asia, and that many of them could still be alive in captivity today!
Let's get those answers which are owed to the families, friends and ourselves.
Just fill out this simple form and we will email you with the name, history and date of loss for a specific POW/MIA so you can ask your elected representatives in Washington some specific questions.
Lets do this right and get our missing heroes home!
Adoption Form
After you receive your information about the POW/MIA(s) you are adopting, make a remembrance page for them. We have many donated graphics and sound files available as well as a fairly comprehensive "how-to" guide to assist those of you who are new to page building. Click on the link at the bottom of the page. It will take you to our main menu.
We also offer membership in the OJC ring. This isn't for everyone though. There are guidelines that must be followed. If you are interested, check it out before you make a remembrance page: OJC Ring If you already have your page(s) built, you can still join. You may just need to make a few changes.
Initial biographical and loss information on POW/MIAs provided by
Operation Just Cause
has been supplied by Chuck and Mary Schantag of POWNetwork.
Biographical information is also supplied via Scope Systems, Task Force Omega, and others.
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