 One of the most pressing U.S. demands was for a full North Vietnamese release of American POWs and an accurate accounting of U.S. servicemen missing or killed in action.Late in 1972, a basic North Vietnamese/American agreement was reached and planning for the repatriation of U.S. POWs initiated.As the major staging base for the American involvement in SEA, Clark Air Base was designated as the initial point to which the POWs could return from Hanoi.