The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors.He is ...Sgt. Charles P. Whitler, U.S. Army. He will be buried Thursday in his hometown of Cloverport, Ky.Representatives from the Army met with Whitler’s next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process, and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the Secretary of the Army.In early November 1950, Whitler was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, occupying a defensive position near the town of Unsan by the Kuryong River known as the “Camel’s Head.” Two enemy elements attacked the U.S. forces, collapsing their perimeter and forcing a withdrawal. Whitler’s unit was involved in fighting which devolved into hand-to-hand combat around the 3rd Battalion’s command post. Almost 400 men were reported missing or killed in action following the battle. In late November 1950, a U.S. soldier captured during the battle of Unsan reported, during his debriefing, that he and nine American soldiers were moved to a house near the battlefield. The POWs were taken to an adjacent field and shot. Three of the 10 Americans survived, though one later died. He provided detailed information on the incident location.Analysts from DPMO developed case leads with information spanning more than 58 years. Through interviews with eyewitnesses, experts evaluated circumstances surrounding the soldier’s captivity and death and researched wartime documentation of his loss. In May 2004, a joint U.S.-North Korean team, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, excavated a mass grave near the “Camel’s Head.” An elderly North Korean national reported he had witnessed the death of seven or eight U.S. soldiers near that location and provided the team with a general description of the burial site.The excavation team recovered human remains and other personal artifacts, ultimately leading to the identification of seven soldiers from that site, one of whom was Whitler.Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC and Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used dental comparisons and mitochondrial DNA – which matched that of Whitler’s sister and niece—in the identification. More than 2,000 servicemen died as prisoners of war during the Korean War. With this accounting, 8,022 service members still remain missing from the conflict.For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1420 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (703) 699-1420 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
Monday, August 30, 2010
FEMA MONITORS HURRICANE EARL, ENCOURAGES EVERYONE TO BE PREPARED
FEMA MONITORS HURRICANE EARL, ENCOURAGES EVERYONE TO BE PREPARED WASHINGTON - As Hurricane Earl moves toward Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, FEMA is closely monitoring the storm and stands ready to support commonwealth and territorial officials in the region to ensure they have the resources to respond if needed. Earl was upgraded to a hurricane earlier today by the National Hurricane Center. FEMA continues to urge everyone in the region to take steps now to ensure they are prepared for possible severe weather, and remember that hurricanes and tropical storms frequently bring flash flooding as well.
Anyone can visit www.ready.gov to learn more about how to prepare for an emergency. The National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning for both the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, including the islands of Culebra and Vieques. In addition, the government of Antigua and Barbuda has issued a tropical storm warning and hurricane watch for the British Virgin Islands. A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical storm force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous. A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours.
"We continue to monitor the storm and stay in close contact with commonwealth and territorial emergency management officials in the region to ensure they have the resources to respond if needed," said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. "Our priority, as always, is to make sure that we are supporting local efforts as they work to keep residents and communities safe. Hurricane Earl should serve as a reminder that if you have not taken the time to get your family ready for an emergency, now is the time. Visit Ready.gov to learn how." According to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Earl will pass near or over the Northern Leeward Islands tonight and Monday. Hurricane conditions may spread over the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on Monday night. There are currently no coastal watches or warnings in effect for the United States mainland. FEMA is taking swift, proactive action to support the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Puerto Rico islands of Culebra and Vieques as they prepare for possible landfall. FEMA already has staff on the ground in both areas working closely with commonwealth and territorial officials. FEMA has also already deployed an Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) to St. Thomas, and has one prepositioned in San Juan, where staff are on watch around the clock monitoring developments. FEMA also has life-saving and life-sustaining commodities and supplies strategically located across the country to support states in their response, including in the areas of possible impact. These supplies, including water, meals, tarps, blankets, generators and other essential items, can be replenished through the national logistics supply chain. FEMA is also monitoring Hurricane Danielle, which is located 440 miles east of Bermuda, and a tropical cyclone off the coast of West Africa. According to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Danielle has decreased to a Category 1 hurricane and is traveling quickly northeastward, and is forecast to gradually weaken in the next 24 hours. Swells from Danielle are expected to gradually subside during the next day or so along portions of the United States East Coast. Large waves and dangerous surf from Danielle should diminish near Bermuda today. While there currently are no coastal watches or warnings in effect for the United States mainland, history has shown that storm tracks can change quickly and unexpectedly. Individuals and their families should take the time to log on to www.ready.gov to find out how to prepare for hurricanes and other disasters. The National Weather Service remains the source of official severe weather watches and warnings, including flash flooding which can take only a few minutes to develop in the case of heavy rains. FEMA encourages all individuals in the region to listen to NOAA Weather Radio and their local news to monitor for severe weather updates, and to follow the directions provided by their local officials.
FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
A great quote from Theodore Roosevelt...
I came across the following while admiring the attractive graphics within Rachel's new passport: "This is a new nation, based on a mighty continent, of endless possibilities."
Monday, August 23, 2010
JDC Accepts Donations to Aid Pakistan Flood Victims
NEW YORK, NY, August 17, 2010—The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), the world’s leading Jewish humanitarian assistance organization, is collecting funds to aid victims of the devastating floods in Pakistan. JDC has previously provided relief to the Pakistani people in the wake of the disastrous 2005 and 2008 earthquakes.
"By harnessing our vast experience in international disaster relief and tapping our network of partners on the ground to assess the most pressing needs, JDC will quickly respond to those affected by the floods in Pakistan," said JDC CEO Steven Schwager. “Guided by the principle of tikkun olam (repairing the world), we’ll help ensure that the most vulnerable are reached.”
JDC, which provides life-saving food, clothing, medicine, and other necessities in more than 70 countries around the globe, has implemented similar relief efforts in places like Haiti, countries in South Asia in the wake of Indian Ocean Tsunami, and in Myanmar after Cyclone Nargis. One hundred percent of funds collected will be directed to relief efforts.
JDC is closely coordinating with the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) and Interaction in Washington D.C.
To Make a Contribution:
By Phone: 212-687-6200
By Mail: check payable to
JDC-Pakistan Flood Relief
P.O. Box 530
132 East 43rd St
New York, NY, 10017
About the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) is the world’s leading Jewish humanitarian assistance organization. JDC works in Israel and more than 70 countries to alleviate hunger and hardship, rescue Jews in danger, create lasting connections to Jewish life, and provide immediate relief and long-term development support for victims of natural and man-made disasters. To learn more, visit www.JDC.org
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Important Information from JWV: Support HR 5371
The Jewish War Veterans of the USA urges immediate and swift passage of HR 5371, the William Shemin Jewish World War I Veterans Act, which would direct the Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of the Navy to conduct a review of military service records of Jewish American veterans of World War I, including those previously awarded a military decoration, to determine whether any of the veterans should be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, and for other purposes.The bill would review the case of Sgt. William Shemin, and other World War I heroes, claiming they may have been deprived of the recognition they deserved because of racial or religious discrimination.The bill is sponsored by Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO), who has said of this legislation, “Thousands of Jewish soldiers served bravely in defense of our nation during World War I, but unfortunately discrimination at the time denied many of them certain military honors, including the Medal of Honor.”Shemin saved his fellow soldiers’ lives on three occasions during an intense three-day battle in France in 1918. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, an award one step below the Congressional Medal of Honor. The accompanying citation praised Shemin for “extraordinary heroism in action” and said he “displayed great initiative under fire until wounded.”Shemin is just one of so many who served bravely during World War I and other wars, whose gallantry in battle may have been denied its full measure of recognition due to discrimination among the ranks of those who recommended the awarding of medals.All evidence of discrimination must be brought to light and medals awarded to those whose acts of bravery have not been properly recognized.The JWV urges swift consideration and passage of this long-overdue legislation.
Sunday, August 08, 2010
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