The passing of BOB DUMAS who relentlessly worked for our abandoned Korean War POW'S

Bill Dumas - posted the following on Facebook:

"Bob Dumas
3/9/30 - 2/6/21
 
The POW/MIA community lost one of it’s most fervent activists last week. Bob Dumas dedicated his life to finding his brother, Roger, and in the process became a leader in the search of all American prisoners-of-war and the missing-in-action. His journey would lead to a White House meeting with Ronald Reagan and a very long contentious dialogue with the President’s National Security Advisor, Admiral James “Budd” Nance, which ultimately resulted in, as reported by Dan Rather on the CBS Evening News, Bob’s $200M lawsuit against the President.
 
It was a brilliant strategy that ultimately evolved into an unprecedented Federal lawsuit in which Bob prevailed and the Federal judge ordered the Secretary of the U.S. Army to reclassify Roger from MIA to POW.
 
The national news coverage caught the attention of North Korea and Bob would receive a call from the North Korean ambassador to the U.N. Mission in NYC. Thus began another “unprecedented” accomplishment for Bob - a relationship with North Korean ambassadors that would continue for years with hundreds of phone conversations and several in-person meetings.
 
Sadly, as the North Koreans wanted to negotiate for POWs the U.S. government continued to deny the truth that American POWs were left behind. Years later Bob would testify before the U.S. Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA affairs. Committee Co-Chairman Bob Smith (John Kerry was the Democratic co-chair) asked Bob for his advice on how to approach the North Koreans on negotiating the POW/MIA issue. Bob new exactly what the Korean’s wanted and it would be almost 30 years before his recommendation would actually be acted upon. What the North Koreans have been asking for since the Korean War Armistice was signed, Bob said, was a one-on-one negotiation between the U.S. President and the Supreme Leader of North Korea.
 
When Roger was reported missing in the early part of the Korean War, Private First Class Bob Dumas, volunteered to go to battle in North Korea where he would look for his brother whenever he had the opportunity. He did two tours in the brutal 3-year war and was awarded three Bronze Stars. Shortly after the war while his mother was on her death bed he promised he would never stop looking for Roger. He never stopped. It’s safe to say there are very few who have worked as long and as hard and has accomplished as much as Bob Dumas for our Prisoners of War and Missing in Action.
 
In his honor please consider signing the petition to keep the search alive for our Korean War POW/MIAs: https://www.change.org/OurPOW-MIAs"

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