Our travels in Vietnam, June 2026!

Mission POW MIA stood at the beach across from Hon Me during sunrise this morning. Laurie Bergen represented her Dad, Major James Magnusson lost north of the island. Eric Fort represented his Dad, LT Eric Brice lost about 25 miles southeast of the island. Jeanie Huffman and Ruth Frymire represented their Dad, CDR Edward Jacobs, lost directly behind where the group is standing. Also lost with CDR Jacobs were LTJG James Zavocky and ADJ2 Ron BoisClaire. Our group of MIA families and Veterans stood together representing these men and the approximately 160 men still missing in the Gulf of Tonkin. 

The Mission continues...

Mission POW MIA visited the Thanh Hoa Province Museum today. In this museum are artifacts and plane parts related to American pilots and aviators. 

In 2024, Mission visited this museum and observed photocopies of an ID card and Geneva Convention of an active MIA deemed non-recoverable. The photocopies had been reported in 2018. 

We followed up with questions to the museum staff and they brought out the actual ID card and Geneva Convention card of Major James Magnusson. His last words were "I'm ejecting." His family was told he went down with his aircraft.

Through follow up investigation and negotiations we were able to participate in an "artifact exchange" we call Operation: H.E.A.R.T. with the president of Vietnam and MIA families in New York City in September of 2025. 

We brought Major Magnusson's daughter, Laurie, to meet with the Vietnamese president and receive her Dad's ID cards.

Today, Laurie and her husband John, visited the Dragon's Jaw Bridge, her Dad's target location and the museum, where the photocopies are still on display. 

In less than two years we located the items, had them returned to the family and brought the family to Vietnam to see where Major Magnusson took his final flight.

It is also important to note that an artifact can develop new leads in a case, even a non-recoverable one. There is a very strong probability that Major Magnusson successfully ejected. Still more work to do!

We will continue to seek answers for our families.

Mission POW MIA made it possible to honor a promise made over forty years ago to the mother of a missing USMC pilot.

Captain John W. Consolvo, Jr. known as Jack went missing on 07 May 1972. He was hit by ground fire during a bombing mission. He held his plane together long enough for his RIO to eject. Then, Captain Consolvo was lost. The family has waited 54 years for answers.

We were able to speak with a resident that found the crash site when he was a teenager. One of the items he found at the site was a flight helmet, which he described in detail to us. Unfortunately, the helmet has been lost over time.

The local authorities said they would take us to the location of the site however we could not get to the exact spot for safety reasons because the area is an active quarry. Unless this site is revisited, it is in danger of being gone forever in a couple of years.

We were able to visit the site and pay homage to Jack. We learned about his crash site, what was found, what was salvaged by locals and so much more.

The family received answers to questions that plagued them for over five decades.

It was our honor to be there beside Jack's nephew and namesake, John Higgins. 

A promise was kept, made by a 17-year-old kid, to go to Vietnam and make it to Jack's site. 

We did it Martha! 

Mission POW MIA visited the Defense POW / MIA Accounting Agency Joint Field Activity. Our team had the chance to interact with both US personnel working the site and the Vietnamese support workers. The team was able to assist at various work station locations during the visit. We wish to thank all those who dedicate their time, energy and effort on this recovery mission.  

Mission POW MIA stopped by the Gianh River in Quang Binh Province. USAF Captain Warren Leroy Anderson (later a promoted to Colonel) and 1LT James Tucker were flying over this area on April 26, 1966 on a recon mission when they went missing. Natalie Anderson Rauch represented her Dad with the mountain in the background being a possible loss location. Oxygen masks, survival radios and a handgun were at one time in the Air Force Museum in Hanoi that the Vietnamese identified as coming from an RF4 lost in Quang Binh on the mission loss date. Our MIA families and Vietnam Veterans stood with Colonel Anderson's daughter on the banks of the river. Her Dad's spirit lives on in her and she inspires us all to continue the Mission. 

Mission POW MIA took to the field today. Part of our work with the Vietnam Wartime Accounting Initiative involves helping the people of Vietnam find their lost martyrs.

Prior to arriving in Vietnam, we conducted extensive research at the National Archives and worked with Healing Through History Inc to  follow up a lead provided to us by the Vietnam Veterans of America involving a mass grave.

Our team of US MIA families and Vietnam Veterans, working with support from locals, located the site of a former US Firebase operated by US Marines at the time of the incident. The veteran who provided info to VVA had also included a hand drawn map as part of the information he turned over.

Mission POW MIA crossed the border into Laos this morning. We were attempting to get to a site related to SFC John "Bob" Adams, US Army MIA 08 NOV 1967. 

Bob's helicopter was shot down on a Special Forces insertion mission. Bob was serving as the Crew Chief and door gunner. He was injured in the crash and was last seen alive on the ground. The other crewmen were rescued.

It was reported that Bob was buried by Vietnamese soldiers and his ID card was displayed in the Army Museum in Hanoi and the Ho Chi Minh Trail Museum.

The area is remote and the "roads" are not much more and a giant pothole winding through mountains. We were able to get within 8.5 miles of the site.

Bob's sister, Mandy Robins and her son Luke represented her older brother today. The closest she has been in 58 years. 

There is much more follow up to be done in this case but today, SFC Bob Adams had his family in Laos. 

He has not been forgotten and we will continue the Mission to bring him home.

Mission POW MIA paid respects to fallen US Marine Corporal Eddie Wierzba. Eddie was killed by hostile rifle fire on February 5, 1968 in Quang Tri, just five days before he was to return back home.

Arn Manella, one of our US Vietnam Veterans, was best friends with Eddie. They enlisted together from Chicago and both went to Vietnam. They had an opportunity to get together for R&R shortly before Eddie was killed in action.

The landowner graciously allowed us to visit the exact spot, verified by an after action report. We held a small remembrance ceremony and lit incense.

Arn later completed his college degree, was commissioned as an officer and retired from the Marine Corps as a major after a long career serving around the world. 

Arn has never forgotten his best friend and fellow Marine. Each February 5th you can find Arn at the Vietnam Memorial with a can of brasso, cleaning the brass USMC plaque at the base of the flagpole in Eddie's honor.

A park is named in Eddie's honor in his hometown. 

Mission POW MIA met a Vietnamese army veteran tonight while at dinner. He approached our table to say hello. We learned that he had served in an anti-aircraft unit during the closing year of the war protecting a small bridge. Part of our efforts on this trip involves reconciliation. We presented him with a challenge coin and shared that we are helping to search for Vietnamese martyrs as part of the Vietnam Wartime Accounting Initiative. He began to get very emotional and our three veterans met with him and shook his hand. With tears in his eyes, he kept saying "friends" and was happy that our countries were no longer enemies.  

Mission POW MIA has met with a variety of organizations during our time in Hanoi. 

We met with representatives from NSC 515 in Hanoi. We discussed how we are assisting Vietnam in the search for their martyrs through the Vietnam Wartime Accounting Initiative as well as discussed artifact exchanges through Operation: H.E.A.R.T.. 

We met with representatives from the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi and had a positive dialogue about our VWAI Mission and the need for answers for our MIA families. 

Also, on the agenda was meeting with the staff at National Archives III in Vietnam. We obtained researcher credentials and conducted some initial searches for information related to our Mission.