U.S. Will Persist in MIA Accounting, Reagan Says

WASHINGTON — President Reagan today assured the families of servicemen still missing from the Vietnam War that the government must persevere in its attempt to give “the fullest possible accounting” of their whereabouts.

Addressing the National League of POW-MIA Families, Reagan hailed an agreement in which Vietnam will allow a joint U.S.-Vietnamese search for about 1,760 U.S. service personnel officially listed as unaccounted for.

“As you gather for your 19th meeting, the Vietnamese government has once again raised our hopes for a breakthrough,” the President told the POW-MIA families. “I welcome their pledge to my special emissary (retired Army Gen. John Vessey) . . . to accelerate their work on those cases.”

“We look forward to its fulfillment,” Reagan said, cautioning that “we have witnessed promises made in the past by Vietnam that were not carried out. But we are following this offer up aggressively.”

Reagan announced that he was directing a “comprehensive study” on the issue of prisoners of war and those missing in action and that the report would detail “our efforts, accomplishments and what remains to be done to achieve the fullest possible accounting.”

“During the remainder of our Administration, these efforts will continue on a priority basis,” he said. “We must call upon the next Administration to do the same.”