DEFENSE PRISONER OF WAR/MISSING PERSONNEL
OFFICE
2400 DEFENSE PENTAGON
WASHINGTON, DC 20301-2400

Mr. Robert M. Norway
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Dear Mr. Norway:

	Thank you for your November 13, 1997, letter to President
Clinton concerning Air Force First Lieutenant Robert J. Edgar who is
unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.  As the Department of Defense
(DoD) office responsible for prisoner of war/missing personnel
(POW/MP) affairs, we are pleased to provide the following information.

	On February 5, 1968, Lieutenant Edgar was one of two
crewmen of an RF-4C that crashed while on a photo reconnaissance
mission over Laos.  After coordinating with a forward air controller
(FAC), the RF-4C crew began their photo run.  After several minutes,
the FAC observed a large explosion, whereupon the FAC attempted to
make radio contact with the RF-4C.  Failing to make contact, the FAC
flew to the area of the explosion and observed aircraft wreckage near a
hilltop.  The FAC did not observe any parachutes or hear any distress
signals, and while flying over the crash site, he received anti-aircraft fire. 
Visual and electronic searches failed to provide further information
about the crash.

	In the intervening years, DoD investigators conducted five field
investigation (sic) into this case.  Although the crash site has been
located, and the fact that both crewmen perished in the crash
established, no identifiable remains for either crewmen (sic) have been
recovered.  If you would like to have more information about
Lieutenant Edgar's loss incident and our efforts to account for this
airman, his records are available to the public at the Library of Congress
(LoC).  I have enclosed an information paper detailing how to research
POW/MIA information at the LoC.  Please note the section on
accessing the LoC through the Internet.

	To stay abreast of our efforts to account for our unaccounted
for Americans, you may wish to contact our Internet site at
www.dtic.mil/dpmo.  This site contains a wealth of information to
include weekly updates and annual newsletters detailing our current
operations worldwide.

	The DoD is vigorously working to account for our missing
personnel in Southeast Asia.  Since 1988, American teams have
completed more than 2,000 investigations in Vietnam, Laos, and
Cambodia in an attempt to account for Americans lost during the war. 
These efforts have resulted in the recovery, indentification, and return of
481 Americans for internment with full military honors.

	We are aware of numerous Internet sites that claim to speak
the truth regarding the POW/MIA issue.  Although most who create
these sites are well intentioned, the information provided is not always
accurate; I recommend you contact us to verify any information you
deem questionable.

	Thank you for your concern for Lieutenant Edgar.  We in the
DPMO and other DoD agencies who work this issue daily, the majority
of whom are military or former military, are deeply commited to the
mission of accounting for all our countrymen.  Unfortunately, we may
never be able to provide all the answers to ease the pain for all the
families.  However, we will continue to strive to do so. If we can be of
further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.


Sincerely,

SIGNED

Charles W. Henley
Special Assistant for Legislative Affairs
Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office