Letter to Alisa Stack, Director of the Personnel Accounting Consolidation Task Force

Letter

Ms. Stack:

I write on behalf of my constituent Terri Francisco-Farrell, sister of Major San Dewayne Francisco. On November 25, 1968 Major Francisco was shot down over North Vietnam while flying an escort mission. According to reports, Major Francisco and his co-pilot Lt. Col. Joseph Morrison were able to parachute out successfully but could not be rescued due to enemy fire. While Major Francisco has been declared dead by a Presumptive Finding of Death hearing, his family still wishes for the recovery and return of his remains. Major Francisco's family believes his remains are in the Quang Binh province, one of the areas now accessible to Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command in recent years.

I am concerned that recovery of Major Francisco's remains could potentially be jeopardized by the merger of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and the Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced in March of this year. Major Francisco's family has waited for 46 years for the return of their loved one and the first hand witnesses to his burial living in Vietnam are now of very advanced age. Without action in the near future, these witnesses may not live to assist in the recovery of Major Francisco's remains. I am requesting that the current Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command efforts continue under the new merged command and actions be taken to recover the remains of Major Francisco as soon as possible.

Thank you for your assistance with this important matter.

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