Letter of Transmittal

THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
for Command, Control, Communication
and Intelligence (ASD/C3I)

DEAR MR. SECRETARY:

For the past 18 months I have examined the circumstances and
records concerning the case of PFC Robert R. Garwood, USMC, who was repatriated
from Vietnam in March 1979.

My study has included a review of the official records (1963-1993) and testimony
given by PFC Garwood to several U.S. Government (USG) organizations, to include
the U.S. Congress, the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), and the U.S. Marine
Corps (USMC). In addition, I was able to participate in the bilateral talks held
in Hanoi in June 1992 between senior military personnel of the Socialist Republic
of Vietnam (SRV) and the Joint Task Force-Full Accounting (JTF-FA). Subsequent
to these talks, I was able to visit the live-sighting locations in and near Hanoi
where PFC Garwood stated that he had seen live U.S. POWs after Operation
Homecoming. Neither my research nor my visit to the live-sighting locations
provided any evidence to corroborate PFC Garwood's statements that there were
live U.S. POWs at these locations after Operation Homecoming in 1973.

In addition to an in-depth study of the Garwood Case and bilateral talks with the
SRV concerning PFC Garwood, I have been able to interview more than a dozen
individuals who have been directly involved in the Garwood Case prior to and
since his repatriation. In some cases, these interviews have helped to
corroborate information found in the Garwood records and files while in other
instances they have been useful in providing more leads concerning PFC Garwood's
activities in Vietnam during the 1965-1979 period.

The ten volumes (Volumes I-X) which make up this Final Report should now be
placed alongside the current repository of Garwood records held by the USG. In
all of the documents prepared during my study, I have attempted to substantiate
the sources of research and information, as clearly as possible, so that those
who follow us will be able to find their way through the hundreds of documents
which make up the case on PFC Robert R. Garwood. It is hoped that by accurate
documentation, the record will adequately show that a thorough study and
examination of the Garwood Case was made.

I want to express my appreciation to the Department of State, the DIA, the USMC,
the Naval Investigative Service, and other Department of Defense and USG
organizations that provided me with important and timely assistance throughout
my research. I am also grateful to your office for having allowed me complete
autonomy in carrying out and completing my mission objectives.

Respectfully submitted,

Angelo J. Collura, PhD
June 1993

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