VZCZCXRO9776
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHSH #0187/01 2990324
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 260324Z OCT 09
FM AMCONSUL SHENYANG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8874
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC 0184
RUCGEVC/JOINT STAFF WASHDC 0125
RHMFIUU/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC
RHHJJAA/JICPAC PEARL HARBOR HI 0077

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SHENYANG 000187 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV MOPS TINT CH
SUBJECT: MOORE'S MARAUDERS INKS COOPERATION DEAL WITH 
SHENYANG UNIVERSITY 
 
REF: OSD-DPMO/BEIJING/SHENYANG EMAILS JULY THROUGH 
     OCTOBER 2009 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary. Pol/EconChief attended the Oct 21 MOU 
signing ceremony between Shenyang University and Moore's 
Marauders (MM), an American NGO that recovers the remains of 
MIA/POWs from past wars. A culmination of two years of 
cooperation with the University's Mukden POW Camp Studies 
Research Center, the MOU delineates the next phase of their 
plans, including the April 2010 visit of MM's 
ground-penetrating radar team. The team hopes to find 
conclusive evidence of the remains of the only 
unaccounted-for member of the Mukden POW camp, Staff Sergeant 
William Lynch, whom they believe to be buried at the Lushun 
prison site, near Dalian. After the signing ceremony, 
ConGenOffs and MM toured the site of a POW memorial on the 
campus and the soon-to-be-opened Mukden Allied POW Camp 
Museum. MM later toured the Lushun Prison. Moore's Marauders 
said they will keep us regularly informed of their activities 
in the region and, if their work results in a positive 
identification, will give their results to the proper Defense 
Department authorities. End Summary. 
 
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING 
 
¶2. (SBU) Upon invitation from Moore's Marauders (MM) and 
encouragement of the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing 
Personnel Office (reftel), Pol/Econ Chief attended the 
October 21 signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding 
between Shenyang University and Moore's Marauders. The MOU 
details parameters of future cooperation between MM and 
Shenyang University's Mukden POW Camp Studies Research Center 
Director Professor Yang Jing. According to Professor Jing, he 
has found the site of the mortal remains of Staff Sergeant 
William Lynch, a WWII POW held by the Japanese Imperial 
Forces at the Mukden prison camp and the only person from 
that camp unaccounted for. Yang bases his conjecture on his 
extensive research from the Japanese Institute of Defense War 
History Studies, information from Moore's Marauders, and two 
eyewitness accounts. 
 
¶3. (SBU) While they have thus far welcomed the involvement of 
local officials and Foreign Affairs Office (FAO), MM and 
Professor Yang told Pol/Econ Chief that they have been very 
careful to keep their cooperation as low key as possible 
because they see this primarily as a U.S. non-profit/Chinese 
academic institution collaboration. Both sides believe that 
mutual support from their governments is important. Each 
separately told Pol/Econ Chief they do not want to 
unnecessarily raise the visibility of the project and 
reiterated how much they want their cooperative efforts to 
avoid trouble between the U.S. and Chinese governments. MM 
and Professor Yang have previously told Congenoffs that, 
should they confirm the remains, they hope their findings 
might be turned over to the U.S. and Chinese military for 
further investigation and cooperation. During their speeches 
at the singing ceremony, MM and University representatives 
complemented local officials for the level of cooperation 
they have thus far enjoyed and pointedly encouraged their 
continued assistance in the months to come. 
 
 
TOUR OF A SENSITIVE AREA 
 
¶4. (SBU) After the signing, Shenyang University staff gave MM 
representatives Ryan Bach and Mark Voner a tour of the 
campus, including the on-campus site of a memorial evergreen 
tree (representing hope) and plaque dedicated to the  Mukden 
POW Camp survivors and families. Professor Yang then led a 
tour of the Shenyang Mukden Allied Camp Museum.  The main 
building of the new museum, a large, square-shaped 
brushed-metal structure with silver and black metal accents, 
has already been built. It will house artifacts found by 
researchers and those donated by survivors and their family 
members. Two original renovated barracks, along with the 
water tower and a heating facility, also remain on the site. 
However, the rest of the site is still under construction. 
According to Professor Yang, completion of the museum is over 
a year behind schedule, with the official opening previously 
slated for September 18, 2009. Yang explained that the delay 
was due to the difficulty faced by Shenyang City government, 
the primary sponsor of the construction, in relocating the 
100-plus people who previously lived on the original museum 
site. The subsequent demolition of their homes (most of which 
were original prison buildings) also took some time. In fact, 
a brief chat with a few workers on site revealed that the 
demolition has recently concluded and the digging for newer 
 
SHENYANG 00000187  002 OF 002 
 
 
construction had begun only weeks before. 
 
¶5. (SBU) After the tour, MM representative from Boston, Mark 
Voner, gave a brief speech and presented a gift from the 
citizens of Boston to the citizens of Shenyang as a symbol of 
hope and unity for their shared struggle protecting the 
prosperity that both enjoyed. In return, he took with him an 
original piece of the walls of the POW camp. During Voner's 
presentation, three elderly neighbors to the site were heard 
loudly complaining amongst themselves about the treatment of 
the families forced to move. Professor Yang, the FAOs, and 
the superintendent of the museum site all smiled 
uncomfortably as they awaited the finish of Voner's gift 
presentation. 
 
NEXT STEPS 
 
¶6. (SBU) The MM team told Pol/Econ Chief that their Oct 22 
tour of Lushun prison near Dalian to survey the potential 
burial site of SSGT Lynch had gone well and they would like 
to keep the Consulate up to date on the progress of the 
project.  According to MM and Professor Yang, the next step 
in their cooperation plan is the visit of MM's 
ground-penetrating radar team, slated for late-April 2010, to 
confirm the remains of SSGT Lynch. The team of Americans will 
consist of a machine operator, a forensic anthropologist, and 
a crime scene expert. (NOTE: Pol/Econ Chief previously 
visited the Lushun Prison Museum site where SSGT Lynch is 
believed to have been held. The museum has a photo of Lynch 
and counts him among the foreigners executed by the Japanese 
at this site.) 
 
¶7. (SBU) Comment. Post doubts Chinese customs will allow 
ground penetrating radar equipment into the country and it is 
our conjecture that the reason for the MOU is to garner 
support from the Liaoning FAO to ease the entry of said 
equipment. If allowed entry into China, post and DOD 
officials have previously expressed doubt that ground- 
penetrating radar equipment would be sufficient to 
distinguish Lynch's remains from others found at the site 
(reftel). In the event of a formal request from Moore's for 
assistance with visas, equipment entry, etc., the Consulate 
seeks advice on the proper course of action. End Comment. 
 
WICKMAN