July 31, 2001

President George W. Bush

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20500

 

Subject: POW/MIA Captain John w. consolvo, Jr. usmc

 

Dear President George W. Bush,

I am writing in regards to Captain John W. Consolvo, Jr. USMC, a POW/MIA.  I am a member of several POW/MIA Organizations and I am particularly concerned about Capt. Consolvo.  Recently I have had the extreme Honor of being contacted by and am having continual correspondences with Capt. Consolvo’s mother who has been kind enough to share with me information on her son’s case.  The Consolvo family has fought for this country since the Revolutionary War.  This nation owes them and all families of POW/MIAs to bring them home.

On 28 July 1989, Pres. George Bush stated “We will assemble the best resources, technology, and, most of all, qualified people to interview refugees, evaluate intelligence information, and negotiate with foreign governments” in stating what the government will do on the POW/MIA Issue.  Additionally, in the same month Pres. Bush further stated “Let me state the policy of this administration.  The fullest possible accounting remains a matter of highest national priority.  We will do everything a government can to recover the missing, and if we discover proof of captivity, we will take action to bring our men home.”

Again, in the same month, Dick Cheney, then Secretary of Defense now our Vice President stated the following: “A nation that will not care for those fallen in battle, a nation that will not seek freedom for those held captive, a nation that forgets it’s missing in action, such a nation has lost its soul.  That will not be the final legacy of the Vietnam War.”

In November, 1989, General Colin Powell, USA, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, now Secretary of State, stated “I can assure you that I will not rest, that President Bush will not rest, that this nation will not rest, until we obtain the fullest possible accounting.  This is more that a commitment; it is a solemn oath”.

  On 07 May 1972, Capt. Consolvo and his RIO, CWO-3 Castonguay were flying an F-4J Fighter (Serial Number 15-5576) in a flight of two aircraft.  Their mission was to locate and destroy a SAM Missiles storage depot 10 miles north of the DMZ.  They took off from DaNang AB and proceeded north to rendezvous with Seafox 01, an Air Force FAC.  Capt. Consolvo made two runs on the target.  While pulling off from his second pass, Capt. Consolvo’s Wingman observed what appeared to be fuel coming from the left side of the aircraft.  At about the same time Capt. Consolvo reported that he had been hit and had a fire warning light on the left engine.  Capt. Consolvo turned left and began to climb.  The Wingman followed, picking Capt. Consolvo up on radar at 25 degrees right and 1.5 miles ahead.  The Air Force FAC was following and told Capt. Consolvo to shut down his left engine.  Capt. Consolvo complied and shut down the engine.  At this point Capt. Consolvo’s aircraft went into uncontrollable flight and was still on fire.  Capt. Consolvo ordered his RIO to eject, which he did.  CWO-3 Castonguay parachuted in the area of Coordinates YD050590, five Kilometers northeast of the crash site and was picked up 24 hours later.  Capt. Consolvo was not seen ejecting from the aircraft.  The aircraft crashed in the area of coordinates YD010555, approximately 25 Kilometers west-southwest of Dong Ha, 12 Kilometers west-southwest of Cam Lo and 2 Kilometers east of Mon Cay Muon, Quang Tri Providence.  The Wingman advised for SAR the location to be TACAN position of channel 69 (Hue-Phu-Bai). 

Mr. President, Capt. Consolvo was shot down over 29 years ago.  I have seen no evidence that Capt. Consolvo’s crash site has ever been located and investigated.  The U.S needs to find this crash site and find Capt. Consolvo, a decorated hero (Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star and Purple Heart) and bring him home.  Finding and bringing home our POW/MIAs, our nation’s heroes, should not be just words.  We owe it to them, their families and this nation to bring all of them home.  I ask you to do the right thing and bring Capt. Consolvo home.

Mr. President, I would like to know what you, these two outstanding members of your administration will do in this case and for all our POW/MIAs.  Were the words of your father just that, words?  Were the words of Vice President Cheney and Gen. Powell just words?  Or did they mean them then and more importantly do they mean them now.

Mr. President, thank you for your time and attention to this extremely important issue and I look forward to your response.

 

 

Sincerely,

Stephen R. Scherr