THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 15, 1994 TAG: 9409150440
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CHARLENE CASON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 87 lines
Only in the past two years has Dennis Hoefakker been able to talk about his experiences as a prisoner of war in Laos 25 years ago.
``Officially, we were never in Laos, and my military record doesn't acknowledge I was ever there, either,'' he said. ``But I was there. Believe me. My tours in Southeast Asia were horrible, but being a prisoner was the horror of horrors.''
Many Americans are still living that horror, Hoefakker said - as many as 60 percent of the 2,000 men listed as missing in action in the Vietnam War. He will join other members of a local Vietnam Veterans of America chapter this weekend to show his support for those MIAs.
For 52 hours beginning at noon Friday, they will conduct prayer ceremonies and bear the American flag during a vigil at Mount Trashmore in Virginia Beach. Saturday has been set aside by the veterans as POW/MIA Recognition Day.
``Our purpose . . . is to promote public awareness that the issue still exists,'' said Ken Marx, chairman of the event.
``The families of 2,231 servicemen still want to know what happened to their loved ones,'' Marx said. ``And we want to provide information for unanswered questions. Dennis is one of the people who can provide some of those answers.''
Some analysts and members of the Vietnam veterans' group have said there is no evidence that Americans are still being held prisoner, and suggest the issue is keeping the United States from resuming normal relations with Vietnam.
But Hoefakker and Marx said the missing military members will never return if the issue is allowed to fade from public awareness.
The vigil will emphasize this point in an atmosphere that will highlight the desperate isolation suffered by prisoners of war. There will be no speeches, only prayers and the rotation every 15 minutes of a lone flagbearer in an area on the north side of Mount Trashmore that is outlined with American and armed forces flags.
The event will be open to the public and anyone may take a turn at standing at attention and holding the flag for 15 minutes, Marx said.
``Anyone who wants to, whether in civilian clothes or uniform, may participate. The idea is to say, `We support our missing soldiers and the effort to find them,' '' he said.
The vigil will include drum performances by the Native American Black Warrior Society - group of Native American veterans - and a 7 p.m. candlelight service Saturday.
Marx brought the idea to Virginia Beach after seeing a similar vigil in Pittsburgh. Committee members hope to make it an annual event.
Hoeffaker said he is surprised by the interest he finds in the MIA issue, especially among young people.
Hoefakker, a young corporal in the Army Special Forces, was captured March 19, 1969, and held until Aug. 29. He uses such words as horror, unspeakable, starvation and nightmare as he struggles to describe his five months as a POW.
``There may be some who will say, `Give it a rest - it was more than 20 years ago,' '' he acknowledged. ``But I will never give it a rest. To those people, I say, `We fought for you. You gave the president permission to send us there.'
``But there are plenty of people, especially young people, who are interested in what went on, what really happened in Vietnam. An event like this helps the public to know we (American soldiers) weren't the bad guys.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo byMARTIN SMITH-RODDEN/
Dennis Hoefakker says many Americans are still living in the horror
of Southeast Asia - as many as 60 percent of the 2,000 men listed as
missing in action in the Vietnam War.
KEYWORDS: VIETNAM VETERAN by CNB