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April 11, 1973 - Nixon, POW/MIA Coordinator Roger Shields
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1552575
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April 11, 1973 - Nixon, POW/MIA Coordinator Roger Shields
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Memoranda of Conversations (Nixon and Ford Administrations)
Nixon Administration Memoranda of Conversations
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Missing in action
Prisoners of war
Vietnam War, 1961-1975
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1973-04-11
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1973
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1973-04-11
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4
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1973
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File scanned from the National Security Adviser's Memoranda of Conversation Collection at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
MEMORANDUM
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
SECRET/NODIS/XGDS
MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION
PARTICIPANTS:
President Nixon
Roger Shields, POW/MIA Coordinator
Brent Scowcroft, Deputy Assistant to
the President for National Security
Affairs
DATE AND TIME:
Wednesday, April 11, 1973
12:02 - 12:27 p.m.
PLACE:
The Oval Office
The President: To a man the POWs are high in praise of Operation
Homecoming and you personally.
Tell all the people on the team it has been a tremendous job.
Shields: This release is so much better than the Cora Weiss group.
Everyone worked hard and everyone did his job well.
The President: What is you feeling about the difficult readjustment
period? They will always be respected I hope they stay in the Service:
they should be treated well. They should be recruiters, speaking on
college campuses, and writing. They have thought deeply about them-
selves and their country and we should benefit by it. They must be used
in an effective way.
Shields: I think the Services know. Four of them made General.
talk to every Rotary Club. They must feel fulfilled, that they're doing
DECLASSIFIED
E.O. 12958, Sec. 3.5
NSC Memo, 11/24/98, State Dept. Guidelines
NARA, Date 1/18/00
The President: Yes, but I mean duties, not rank. I don't mean they should
things that are worthwhile.
There will be a letdown after the euphoria. We must do what we can.
These are strong men.
By let
FORD & LIBRARY RALD 30
CLASSIFIED BY HENRY A. KISSINGER
EXEMPT FROM GENERAL DECLASSIFICATION
SCHEDULE OF EXECUTIVE ORDER 11652
SECRET/NODIS/XGDS
EXEMPTION CATEGORY 5 (b) (1-3)
AUTOMATICALLY DECLASSIFIED ON Imp. to det.
SECRET/NODIS/XGDS
- 2 -
Shields: They are strong. They know they are men with a mission. They
see changes in the United States that they don't like and want to change these.
Some will go to War Colleges.
The President: Great.
Shields: I will pass your words on.
The President: These men can inspire and we shouldn't lose this opportunity.
Shields: I agree. These man have been tempered in the fire. They have
experiences none of us have had. They have already done wonders for the
country.
The President: They really have. The pitiful attempt of the left to say their
statements were brainwashed -- you couldn't do it in seven years; not in two
hours.
Shields: Denton said he never thought his motives would be understood when
he said God Bless America. Denton said on the plane what he wanted to say,
and they said great. The first group in Hanoi was great.
The President: Tell me about it.
Shields: We sat around a room to discuss procedures. We initialled a paper
with a list of the men to be released. The men came around a corner in a
bus. They smiled at me and put their thumbs up. A Navy Commander was
the first one off. He was on crutches. He said "Form Up. " They men
stood tall and proud. They marched through the gate and the Commander
threw his crutches down and hugged me and said "I am home. " On the
plane, Denton said "We wanted to return with honor. Did we?" They sure
did.
The President: Flynn said to me, "That was our slogan. "
Shields: They were so proud of you. Some had God bless the United States
and the President on flags, on tee shirts.
The President: On the MIAs, you say the President personally will follow
through on scrupulous adherence by North Vietnam on this. We will leave
no stone unturned. All those families, waiting, hoping. They must know
the certainty of their men's fate.
Tell your colleagues I raised hell with you on the accounting.
FORD & LIBRAR BRAR RALD
SECRET/NODIS/XGDS
30
SECRETYNODIS/XGDS
- 3 -
I sent a letter to all of them.
You write a letter to them -- say you are with me and we must carry
our our obligation to the POWs but we have an equal obligation to the
MIAs. We will leave no stone unturned, Don't raise hopes, but say
the President doesn't consider the peace won until there is an adequate
accounting for the MIAs.
Shields: I will do it. The families have confidence. The POWs have
returned.
The President: And they know we didn't cave. The December bombing
was for that. The North Vietnam had attached conditions; we said no and
we bombed.
Shields: The men know that. They know of your concern. Two are missing
for each POW.
The President: How long have you been in the Defense Department?
Shields: Two and a-half years.
The President: Where are you from?
Shields: Florida.
The President: I don't know that part. Near Gainesville?
Shields: Yes.
The President: How old are you?
Shields: Thirty-three.
The President: You have had a great experience.
Shields: It has been great.
The President: You can't equal this. But these guys have been great for
this country. They could have a great impact on the destiny of this country.
Shields: I want to give the men what they deserve.
The President: What do you teach? History?
SECRET/NODIS/XGDS
PAYLO FORD OBRAR
SECRET/NODIS/XGDS
- 4 -
Shields: Economics.
The President: How did you get into DOD?
Shields: Secretary Laird wanted a study of the economics of Vietnamization.
Then I moved over.
[A few words on football]
I was a tackel on the team of '61.
The President: Did you beat Miami?
Shields: Yes. And Florida. Florida State is big now.
The President: Yes, they have a lot of blacks now.
[The meeting concluded.]
SECRET/NODIS/XGDS
FORD & LIBRARY GREATO THE
Roger Strields apr 11. 1973
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