Correspondence Between Senator Dole and the Father of a Prisoner of War, Regarding a Withdrawal Date in Vietnam

Item

Other Media: s-con_293_018_003_Redacted_1_tr.txt

Transcription (Scripto): Read Full Text Only (TXT)
Extent (Dublin Core): 3 Pages
File Name (Dublin Core): s-con_293_018_003
Title (Dublin Core): Correspondence Between Senator Dole and the Father of a Prisoner of War, Regarding a Withdrawal Date in Vietnam
Date (Dublin Core): 1971-06
Date Created (Dublin Core): 1971-06
Congress (Dublin Core): 92nd (1971-1973)
Topics (Dublin Core): See all items with this value Vietnam War, 1961-1975; See all items with this value Families of prisoners of war; See all items with this value Prisoners of war--United States
Policy Area (Curation): Armed Forces and National Security
Creator (Dublin Core): Dole, Robert J., 1923-2021
Record Type (Dublin Core): correspondence
Rights (Dublin Core): http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/
Language (Dublin Core): eng
Collection Finding Aid (Dublin Core): https://dolearchivecollections.ku.edu/index.php?p=collections/controlcard&id=31&q=
Physical Location (Dublin Core): Collection 002, Box 293, Folder 18
Institution (Dublin Core): Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Archival Collection (Dublin Core): Robert J. Dole Senate Papers-Constituent Relations, 1969-1996
Full Text (Extract Text): This document is from the collections at the Dole Archives, University of Kansas
http://dolearchives.ku.edu

COPY

June 21, 1971

handwritten on page: Leg-pow

Mr. (Redacted)
Gastonia, North Carolina 28052

Dear Mr. (Redacted):
This will acknowledge and thank you for your letter of June 15, urging my support of legislation to establish a specific date for the withdrawal of all American forces in an effort to obtain the release of our American prisoners of war.

Needless to say, I can certainly understand and share your concern over the tragic plight of our POW's in North Vietnam, including your son. As you now know, on June 16 the Senate defeated the Hatfield-McGovern Amendment, to bar use of funds to support U.S. forces in Indochina after December 31, 1971, by a vote of 55-42. I am enclosing an excerpt from the Congressional Record, which will give you a clearer understanding of my reasons for having voted against this amendment, particularly with reference to obtaining the release of our POW's and Missing-in-Action. As will bennoted, to establish such a withdrawal deadline would not guarantee the release of our POW's; the North Vietnamese have only indicated they will "discuss" this problem upon our setting a withdrawal date. Unfortunately, a promise to discuss means nothing as far as they are concerned and they continue to tie this promise with unacceptable demands. Please be assured, however, we shall continue doing whatever possible to insure the release of
these brave men.

Thank you again for writing, and if I may be of assistance to you in any way, please do not hesitate to let me know.

Sincerely yours,
BOB DOLE
U.S. Senate

BD/jbh
Enclosure

s-con_293_018_003_A1b.pdf Page 1 of 3

This document is from the collections at the Dole Archives, University of Kansas
http://dolearchives.ku.edu

(Redacted)
GASTONIA, N.C.
28052

following page handwritten:
Senator Robert Dole
Senate Office Bldg.
Washington D.C.

Dear Senator Dole:
As the father of a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam, I urge you to take some positive action to try to persuade the president to set a withdrawal date of 31 Dec 1971 for ALL Army, Air, Naval and Marine forces to leave South Vietnam provided the prisoners are released within the next 30 days as suggested by Mr. Clark Clifford. Please do not justify delay of positive action by the tiresome, worn-out meaningless and trite statement of Vietnamization as a condition for withdrawal. If the South Vietnamese cannot defend themselves after all the time, money and blood we have spent for them, they never will be able to.

Mr. Senator time is running out for negotiation as well as for the prisoners. If some dramatic positive action is not taken soon the prisoner problem will go away since they probably all will be dead. Americans should not

s-con_293_018_003_A1b.pdf Page 2 of 3

This document is from the collections at the Dole Archives, University of Kansas be permitted
http:/dolearchives.ku.edu

be permitted to rot in those North Vietnamese jails because of the inaction of their government office.

If many more die in prison, the shame and guilt will be shared by this country and its government officials. I can assure you a shame and guilt such as this will not be erased easily from the memory of the American people.

Mr. Senator, please do something to help these helpless Americans.

Loyally and faithfully yours,
(Redacted)
s-con_293_018_003_A1b.pdf Page 3 of 3

Position: 0 (0 views)