Our Mission:
My first husband, Capt. Jerry Zimmer, was an F4B Phantom jet pilot, whose aircraft was shot down on August 29, 1969, approximately 20 miles South of Da Nang, Vietnam, after six months in country. Neither Jerry nor his navigator, 1st Lt. Al Graf, was able to eject, before the aircraft crashed into the Que Son Mountains. Initially Jerry and Al were classified as Killed in Action/No Body Recovered (KIA/NBR). Years later, both Marines were listed as MIA, along with other service members whose bodies were never recovered.
Jerry has been gone nearly a half century, and hope for recovering his remains had run out a long time ago. However, in recent years our family became involved with the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), now merged with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), and learned that Jerry’s and Al’s remains might, in fact, be recoverable, so we are doing everything possible to support their efforts to make this happen and bring our guys home where they belong.
NOTE: BLOG POSTS ARE NOT UPDATED, SO INFORMATION MAY HAVE CHANGED OVER TIME.
Posts Tagged ‘Nick Zimmer’
2017: VIETNAM WAR MIA FAMILIES POWER ONWARD
Looking up at the tail portion of a USAF transport aircraft, sitting on the runway at DaNang Airport, is a beautiful sight, while observing the transfer of remains recovered from the Vietnam War. Ceremoniously brought aboard in individual caskets by members of our military, this is the process that often signals the beginning of the end for MIA families, waiting decades for their loved ones’ return.
DPAA REGIONAL MIA FAMILY MEETING
What has become apparent to me after years of hoping to bring home Jerry’s remains from Vietnam is the importance of learning as much as possible about the system that turns hope into reality whenever possible.
In my opinion, learning from experts like those associated with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) www.dpaa.mil, gives families, such as mine, an insider’s look at what goes on behind the scenes — both in D.C. and in Vietnam War locations, along with the Korean War and WW II.
For that reason, I try to stay connected with DPAA by attending regional family meetings and will travel to the one in Phoenix, AZ, on 28 January. Hope is wonderful, but it’s not enough when it comes to keeping a loved one’s case active or understanding the challenges involved in the process — budgets; technology; personnel; field operations; DNA; and the list goes on.
Someone gave me great advice when I became involved in Jerry’s case years ago: “Don’t assume anything.” The effort to bring home our MIAs is not on autopilot. We need to do our part. If you are able to attend the Phoenix meeting, contact your casualty officer — all numbers are listed on the DPAA website, and ask if you can still sign up. This meeting is open to MIA families from the Vietnam War, Korean War and WWII.
I will cover the Phoenix meeting and bring you up-to-date on the latest in the near future. Please stay connected.
Another important way to up your learning curve is to visit the National League of POW/MIA Families at www.pow-miafamilies.org. Dedicated to families with missing loved ones from the Vietnam War, Board Chair Ann Mills Griffiths has been in a leadership role for more than three decades and continues to oversee this very important organization. The League co-hosts a major annual meeting with DPAA in Washington, D.C., and each year MIA family members throughout the country attend, as I expect they will do so again in June, 2017. The League’s site is a great place to learn everything you want to know about the annual meeting and a lot more.
WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO
Remembering Jerry…
Jerry and Craig at Beaufort, SC, shortly before his deployment to Vietnam.
If you have ever wondered why MIA families continue to search, wait and hope for the return of remains or information of a husband, son, brother or other loved one, still missing from the Vietnam War — my generation’s war, I would offer this advice:
Make it personal and think of what it might feel like today if you lost someone you loved, after he/she went to war and never came home for burial or, in some cases, were classified as “Last Known Alive.” Leaving families with the horror of not knowing if a loved one was dead or alive is a terrible fate — did he die in a make-shift prison camp; buried somewhere in Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia; or sent to a prison in Russia, China or Hanoi. Or, for that matter, are his remains still imprisoned in the cockpit of his aircraft, after being shot down in waters off the coast of Vietnam? Whatever the circumstances, the MIA tag, pertaining to our loved ones, is a life sentence for some families.
This is the only way I can possibly describe the profound sadness that stays with many of us, who rely upon DPAA and others involved in the effort to find our loved ones’ remains or even to provide answers.
I believe that Vietnam War families are among the most committed and protective of their missing loved ones. Some of that can be traced back to the pain we experienced when the American public did not support the war, nor demonstrate compassion for our heroes who never came home — or for those that did!
Maybe this will give you some idea of why we do what we do. We don’t wish this upon anyone.
REFLECTING ON THE HOLIDAYS
Christmas 2016 in San Diego. L-R Seated at Window: Elaine Zimmer Davis; Brett Davis; Alie Zimmer; Floor: Nick Zimmer, Bea Zimmer; Breeze Davis; Matt Zimmer; Craig Zimmer; Ron Davis
Newlyweds Brett & Jessica with Breeze
Holidays are special for most American families, including MIA families, but very difficult for those of us with loved ones still unaccounted for from past wars. Several years ago, I asked my immediate family if they would allow me to post our annual Christmas picture on Jerry’s site, as a statement of solidarity for efforts to bring home his remains and those of other service members missing from the Vietnam War.
Despite not knowing what image would appear in print, from one year to another, my family has felt from the beginning that a picture is worth a thousand words, regardless of its quality — rather, it is the message that counts. Our story is that Jerry is loved and missed by his family, and we hope that his remains and those of other MIAs still unaccounted-for in Southeast Asia will be found and identified in 2017. Please say a pray — we need all the help we can get.
BACK TO THE FUTURE
January 2009: Brett, Ron & Craig travel to Vietnam, hoping to visit Jerry’s crash site. Although unable to visit the site, Craig and Brett learned a lot about Vietnam, the people and the culture.
I have been married to my second husband, Ron, for many years. Having served in the Vietnam War as a combat pilot flying Huey Gunships, I was confident that Ron would understand the importance of never forgetting Jerry, the father of my son, Craig, who was lovingly raised by Ron, along with our own son, Brett. Bringing home Jerry’s remains eventually became a possibility and then a passionate quest.
In 2004, Ron and I were living in Hong Kong and traveled to Vietnam — my first visit in country and Ron’s first since the war. Although it was a business trip this time for Ron, we both went with the hope of visiting Jerry’s crash site.
Even though that visit 13 years ago was largely unsuccessful in terms of our immediate goal, it was the beginning of our quest to visit Jerry’s site and hopefully bring home his remains. Without Ron’s help, I probably would not have lasted more than six months, considering the psychological, physical and financial stress of our quest. He has guided me through a world that I thought I knew but was way out of my league.
YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT IS IMPORTANT
The support of family, friends, veterans and our active duty military is appreciated. In many ways, all of you keep the system running at what we hope is “full” speed.
Our loved ones gave their lives for this great country. In return, we are asking that President Donald Trump, U. S. Congress and Secretary of Defense General James Mattis provide DPAA with a permanent Director; budget approval/resources to escalate recovery efforts in Southeast Asia; and exclusion from a hiring freeze because of the agency’s military mission and structure.
DPAAs efforts to repatriate the remains of our MIAs to the United States are close to the finish line in Southeast Asia. Over the years, DPAA and its predecessors have worked hard to develop a strong relationship with the Vietnamese government — together we are making a difference in finding remains and becoming allies. We need to keep up the momentum.
DPAA REGIONAL MEETING FOR MIA FAMILIES
DPAA Director Mike Linnington and his team kicked off 2016 with a Regional Meeting in Los Angeles for MIA family members, and by all accounts it was a success.
Momentum appears to be picking up in the search for our missing service members and personnel from past wars, and in no small way MIA families help boost the demand. On January 23, 2016, approximately 200 family members showed up at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel – a stone’s throw from LAX — for a regional meeting, organized by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), the agency responsible for achieving the fullest possible accounting of missing Americans from the Vietnam War, Korean War, Cold War and WWII. See DPAA Regional Meeting in Boston
UPDATED BACKGROUNDER
DPAAs global accounting mission encompasses 83,000 missing personnel; however, many are believed to be unrecoverable because of the circumstances surrounding their deaths, such as going down with a ship or aircraft in deep water. Geographically, 75% of the losses are in the Pacific.
WWII poses the biggest challenges, namely because of the sheer number of MIAs unaccounted-for, totaling 73,000. Many of the cases are incomplete or inconclusive and lack DNA reference samples on file. However, with DPAA having been given the official go-ahead to partner with outside organizations, WWII recoveries are expected to increase this year, especially in Europe.
While the number of unaccounted-for MIAs from the Vietnam War is relatively small at 1,624, of which approximately 539 are believed unrecoverable, DPAA is concerned about the rapid degradation of remains and will increase operations in FY 2016 that will hopefully speed up recoveries/identifications.
LCDR Michael Rancour, U.S. Navy, is a DPAA Southeast Asia Analyst, shown here describing FY 2016 Vietnam field operations. The schedule looks good — let’s hope the weather does, too.
Most of the remaining cases in Vietnam involve downed aircraft in locations such as the Central Highlands, where my first husband’s F-4 was shot down. The jungle flourishes in that area and camouflages the rugged, remote topography — as well as the crash sites, requiring special teams to investigate and excavate. Laos will also see an increase in operations, but like Vietnam, weather is a concern. But unlike Vietnam, the Lao are the least flexible to changes.
The Korean War is not the forgotten war, thanks to families, veterans and the South Koreans, who have been sponsoring Korean visitation programs over the years for American veterans who served in Korea. Some of the most devoted MIA families are those with loved ones unaccounted-for in North Korea, where the political challenges are the major problem, along with sorting out co-mingled remains that were returned years ago, before technology was available to accurately determine how to organize remains and make identifications. The latter is looking very promising these days, now that technology and anthropology have things under control.
DPAAs mission may sound impossible, but like its predecessors, the agency continues to defy the odds. As an MIA family member, I am in awe of what they do.
DPAAs job is big, as is the variety of expertise required to get it done.
DPAA was prepared for the large turnout and arrived with enough staff and support personnel to demonstrate its professional approach and validate that the merger of DPMO and JPAC is working. The outlook for FY 2016 is in the agency’s favor.
Interestingly, there were no unrealistic promises made, or even a hint of sugar-coating the challenges associated with each past war. In my opinion the biggest change was in the delivery of information. Honesty is paramount, but beyond that, there is a lot to be said for the quote, “It’s not what you say, but how you say it.”
EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED
Enter DPAAs Director Mike Linnington — a one-man dynamo who is rapidly rebuilding the program, from top to bottom with style, as if he were made for the job. If you look at Linnington’s background, that may well explain his determination to restore faith in the system and get the job done, as he positions DPAA to meet the demands of the future.
Having already secured buy-in from many influential partners on Capitol Hill and beyond – Dept of State, National Security Staff, Joint Staff, Casualty Offices, Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory, and more, Linnington made a point of stressing that DPAA is up to the job. “We made 48 identifications in October to December, 2015 — 200 IDs will not be a problem,” he said. Linnington’s remarks put to rest concerns about DPAAs ability to comply with the 2010 Congressional mandate calling for 200 IDs per year, which some people considered a make-or-break requirement for the agency. Applause filled the room, and with good reason.
The importance of submitting DNA samples cannot be emphasized enough when it comes to identifications. Your DNA is protected!! Best of all, it simply requires a swab of your mouth.
THE PROGRAM
Throughout the event families were given total access to DPAAs team, which was one of the seemingly small touches that made a huge difference in the tenor of the meeting. I personally thought it was the best regional event I’d attended and would have no trouble complimenting Linnington and his staff, who had traveled from the D.C. area and/or Hawaii for a full day of presentations, etc.
(L)Casualty Officer Hattie Johnson welcomes families whose loved ones served in the Marine Corps. Each of the Armed Services has a Casualty Office to support their respective MIA families. Casualty Officers are an important resource for families.
In addition to Linnington, there were several core team members who took turns at the podium, such as Rob Goeke, Communications Directorate; Jack Kull, DPAA Policy; Dr. Denise To, Forensic Anthropologist/Lab Manager; and Lt. Col Alice Briones, USAF, Director, DoD DNA Registry and others involved with break-out sessions, tailored to each wartime group.
Rob Goeke is DPAA External Communications Directorate. A retired Navy Commander, Goeke has been involved with the POW/MIA mission since 1994. He works closely with his team to provide outreach & support to MIA families.
All were experts in their respective fields, speaking in terms that most of us could understand – for me, DNA is not a cakewalk, but Briones did an excellent job, and undoubtedly everyone learned the importance of submitting a DNA sample. As a fan of field operations, especially excavations, I can say without reservation that Dr. To was as good as they come with the credentials and results to prove it.
Johnie Webb, DPAA Outreach & Communications, has been involved with MIA wartime recoveries & identifications since the Vietnam War ended and scientific research began, eventually resulting in DNA, which has become a critical element in the identification of our missing service members. Lt Col Alice Briones, USAF, Director, DoD DNA Registry, uses cutting-edge, DNA technology to make identifications once thought impossible.
Dr. Denise To, DPAA Forensic Anthropologist and Laboratory Manager, has done it all. A highly respected physical anthropologist including 22 years as an archaeologist, To’s work has spanned the globe — excavating the Pyramid of the Moon; teaching a human recovery course in Bogata, Colombia; responding to Hurricane Katrina; and responding to an aircraft crash in Kathmandu, Nepal — to name a few of her credits. It will come as no surprise that To oversees all field operations and material evidence analysis for the DPAA Laboratory.
LEARNING FROM EACH OTHER*
No matter how good presenters are at turning complex information into understandable presentations, it is no easy task to reach an audience of 80-90% first-time attendees, seeking information about family members lost as far back as WWII. This dichotomy was astonishing to me, and maybe even to Linnington, as well.
“We must be getting the word out,” said Linnington, knowing that the more families DPAA can reach, the better chance he has of educating them, up close and personal, of what goes on behind the scenes — one of the best ways of avoiding misconceptions about the mission. Perhaps equally important, Linnington is upping his own learning curve.
“Learning from you is very important,” said Linnington, speaking directly to attendees, as he moved about the huge room, with a handheld mic, sometimes showing a softer side, as in telling everyone he was a new grandfather, which was well-received, along with mentioning that he has a son currently serving in the military. We laughed when he talked about leaving his wife and daughter behind with snow shovels, during the East Coast’s horrific snowstorm. “This is a good time to be in California,” he quipped, using a little bit of humor occasionally to lighten things up, and it worked. *For more complete information, covering all past wars (and better photos), visit www.dpaa.mil/
POST SCRIPT
Jerry’s case is still open, as is the crash site. These are good signs and hopefully will eventually produce positive results. I will keep everyone posted — I’m not giving up at this point. Thanks for hanging in. Elaine
Recent Posts: