For more than a decade we have answered a very interesting question. "Do you have information on our Prisoners of War?" This was not done through editorializing or personal opinion, but by distribution of hundreds of thousands of pages of information -- first by paper copy, then by computer Bulletin Board Service file transfer, and now by Internet e-mail. In recent months, the value of our work has "hit home." Within the last few years, more than forty former prisoners of war from the Vietnam Conflict have passed away. Their dedication to freedom and their stories did not die with them. Fortunately, their stories are recorded in our archives, and in the biographies posted on this site. |
OUR HISTORY |
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Board of Directors
Chuck Schantag, founder and chairman of the NETWORK, served with the Marine Corps, India 3/5 from 1965 through 1968. He earned a Purple Heart in Vietnam during Tet 68. He and Mary reside in Missouri. On February 29, 2012, Mary Schantag was elected Chairman of the Board after Chuck's passing.
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Charles Patrick Schantag, Jr. Memorial services for Charles �Chuck� Patrick Schantag Jr., age 64 of Branson, MO were held Sunday, February 26, 2012 at Greenlawn Funeral Home Branson, MO with Chaplain Mike Jones and Father Philip Conlon officiating. Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. He died at 3:28 P.M. Thursday, February 23, 2012. He was born on November 22, 1947 in Philadelphia, PA the son of Charles Patrick and Louis Schantag. He had been a resident of Branson and Skidmore, MO. He was the Chairman of the P.O.W. Network, a Disabled Vietnam Veteran, USMC Purple Heart recipient. He was also a member of MOPH, DAV, River Rats, Honorary member of MOZARK MOAA, NAM POW�s, USARA and SFA. He is survived by his wife, Mary P. Schantag nee Butkiewicz, Branson, MO. A son, Charles Schantag and his wife Jackie of Clinton, IA., a daughter Miranda Schantag and her husband Ryan, stepdaughters Jennifer Renshaw and her husband Troy of Maryville, MO and Teresa Howard of Skidmore, Mo. Five grandchildren, Molly, Mason, Jackson, Hayden and Toraleigh. Sisters, Marlene Turner and her husband Gary of Solkatna, AK and Dyane Carey and her husband Gorge of Charlotte, NC and a brother, James Schantag of Philadelphia, PA. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles Patrick and Louis Schantag. Also, a sister, Louise Schantag. |
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Steve "Tiny" Robinson is a former Navy SEAL. He served in the Navy from 1970-1978, and was with SEAL Team ONE. He and his wife Sharon, a former Branson entertainer, reside in Missouri. Neither are former POWs nor POW/MIA family members. |
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Don Shipley retired after 24-years as a SEAL Senior Chief in 2003. He served at SEAL Team ONE, SEAL Team TWO, the Naval Special Warfare Center, and Naval Special Warfare Group TWO in Little Creek Virginia as a SEAL Advanced Training Instructor. He served in eight SEAL Platoons, was Platoon Chief in five, and awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for Heroism during a Search and Rescue Mission. He also conducted numerous operations in Bosnia and Liberia, Africa while at SEAL Team TWO. Setting records for immense water and land demolition shots and running High Risk training courses, he also served as an Explosive Expert instructing Police Departments across the country in Booby Traps and Improvised Explosive Devices. After retirement he became a security contractor, spending a year in Pakistan and Afghanistan fighting the war on terror. He resides in Virginia with his wife and daughter. In October, 2012, C. Diane Shipley was nominated unanimously approved as a member of the Board of Directors. Diane is Don's wife and is active in his efforts to expose phony SEALs. |
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Erich and Teresa Anderson Gulfport, MS Erich served in the: U.S. Army Reserve 1991-1993 Erich is the founder of Veteran Tributes. Both are active in numerous military organizations. Erich's great uncle, 2 Lt John R. Mars, was shot down in WWII and is still missing. |
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P.O.W. Network Advisory Board Maj. John L. Simpers, Col. Jim and Phyllis Hivner, USAF (Ret) CW4 Bill Medsker, USA (Ret) SFC Gary L. Reno, USA (Ret) Ms Stormy Lynn Snow TSgt Jasper and Yvonne Page, USAF Ret LtCol Paul Backs USMC (Ret) "Chef Jim" Lekander Ed Burge C. Steve Jaeger
In Loving Memory Captain John Koutrakos P.O.W. Network Advisory Board Member CW4 Robert G. Burge USA P.O.W. Network Hospitality Liaison |
Millions of people have visited our Web Site. In addition, every day, we receive about hundreds of e-mail messages asking for information. Some are simple answers to simple questions as in, "Did he come home?" We have students requesting help for term papers and journalists needing research documentation. We are proud and grateful to be able to respond to each and every one of those inquiries with documentation and material from our archive. |
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This historical preservation project is funded entirely by voluntary contributions. The P.O.W. NETWORK is grateful for your help and support. Please make checks payable to the P.O.W. NETWORK. |
P.O.W. NETWORK |
23 years in service 1989-2012 |