The Government of Vietnam further claimed that they undertook several searches of the relevant area and turned up nothingno lifeboats. no wreckage. no survivors. no bodies. But rumors persisted that the Government of Vietnam was not telling the truth in this matter. that at least a few men did survive the sinking and were being held inside Vietnam. A few days ago. a refugee from Vietnam said that he had personally seen six of the men from the ship. according to this man. these survivors are being held in a Vietnamese prison camp at this very moment. What is the truth about the men of the Java Sea? Several months ago. in an attempt to discover the fate of these men. we wrote to administration officials. including President Reagan and Secretary of State Shultz.