Posted in

Another Two Return

by Hondo••7

DPAA has identified and accounted for the following formerly-missing US personnel.

From World War II

CWO John A. Austin, US Navy, assigned to the crew of the USS Oklahoma, was lost at Pearl Harbor, HI, on 7 December 1941. He was accounted for on 5 October 2018.

F1c Creighton H. Workman, US Navy, assigned to the crew of the USS Oklahoma, was lost at Pearl Harbor, HI, on 7 December 1941. He was accounted for on 5 October 2018.

From Korea

None

From Southeast Asia

None

Welcome back, elder brothers-in-arms. Our apologies that your return took so long.

Rest easy. You’re home now.

. . .

Over 72,000 US personnel remain unaccounted for from World War II; over 7,600 US personnel remain unaccounted for from the Korean War; over 1,500 remain unaccounted for in Southeast Asia (SEA); 126 remain unaccounted for from the Cold War; 5 remain unaccounted for from the Gulf Wars; and 1 individual remains unaccounted for from Operation Eldorado Canyon. Comparison of DNA from recovered remains against DNA from some (but not all) blood relatives can assist in making a positive ID for unidentified remains that have already been recovered, or which may be recovered in the future.

On their web site’s “Contact Us” page, DPAA now has FAQs. The answer to one of those FAQs describes who can and cannot submit DNA samples useful in identifying recovered remains. The chart giving the answer can be viewed here. The text associated with the chart is short and can be viewed in DPAA’s FAQs.

If your family lost someone in one of these conflicts and you qualify to submit a DNA sample, please arrange to submit one. By doing that you just might help identify the remains of a US service member who’s been repatriated but not yet been identified – as well as a relative of yours, however distant. Or you may help to identify remains to be recovered in the future.

Everybody deserves a proper burial. That’s especially true for those who gave their all while serving this nation.

—–

Author’s Note: Cutoff for this week’s NLM article was Thursday evening due to unanticipated travel. It therefore does not include individuals publicized by DPAA as accounted for on 12 October 2018

You might also like

More Return Home

Another Seven Return

Fifteen More Are Home

7 thoughts on “Another Two Return”

  4. This is on topic but does not involve DPAA. You heard of History Flight, which has done much to find the lost graves of Marines (chiefly but not exclusively) in the Pacific. The Bentprop Project (https://bentprop.org) is another great outfit whose volunteers look for missing remains of US servicemen. In 2016, a partnership was formed with scientists at the University of Delaware, UC San Diego, and the folks at Bentprop and Project Recover was formed. The partnership bore great fruit, locating a B-24 D-1 bomber in 213 feet of water in Hansa Bay off Papua New Guinea. The a/c was on a bombing mission when it was shot down. Eleven crew members were lost. When the remains of each are positively identified, I expect we will be reading about it here. The bomber’s nickname was “Heaven Can Wait.”

    It is wonderfully refreshing to read what a partnership between private and public researchers can do when they are allowed to do so.

  5. Iowan Creighton Hale Workman was the only son of Lee and Marietta Workman. Creighton was 22 when the Japanese took his life at Pearl Harbor. His mother died in 1965 and her headstone bears both Creighton’s name and hers. Welcome home, son.

  6. Chief Carpenter John Austin was 36 and alive when the USS Oklahoma capsized at Pearl Harbor, but he and more than a dozen other crew were trapped. Through his efforts, a porthole was located and he helped the other men escape certain death. In doing so, he lost his own life that they might live. For his selflessness and exceptional courage, he was posthumously presented with the Navy Cross. Chief Carpenter Austin was born in Alabama.

    (Note: The DPP lists Navy Cross Recipient Austin as a CWO. There was only one man on board the Oklahoma by the name of Austin and his Chief Carpenter title I took from his citation.)

    1. 2/17 Air Cav forwards-

      Valor Military Times

      John Arnold Austin

      DATE OF BIRTH: August 30, 1905
      PLACE OF BIRTH:
      Warrior, Alabama
      HOME OF RECORD:
      Long Beach, California

      AWARDS BY DATE OF ACTION: 1 of 1
      Navy Cross
      AWARDED FOR ACTIONS
      DURING World War II
      Service: Navy
      Division: U.S.S. Oklahoma (BB-37)
      GENERAL ORDERS:

      Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 325 (April 1944)
      CITATION:

      The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Chief Carpenter John Arnold Austin (NSN: 75565), United States Navy, for exceptional courage, presence of mind, and devotion to duty and disregard for his personal safety while serving on board the Battleship U.S.S. OKLAHOMA (BB-37), during the Japanese attack on the United States Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, on 7 December 1941. When the U.S.S. OKLAHOMA capsized, Chief Carpenter Austin and a number of the crew were entrapped in one of the ship’s compartments. By his efforts, a porthole which was under water was located and he assisted fifteen of the crew to escape. The conduct of Chief Carpenter Austin throughout this action reflects great credit upon himself, and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

      No greater love. Thanks, Cav.

Comments are closed.