While I’ve been decisively engaged (and on the road) the past few weeks, DPAA has started 2017 with the proverbial bang. Since my last article, DPAA has identified and accounted for the following formerly-missing US personnel.
From World War II
• Mr. John D. Armstrong, civilian volunteer with Central Aircraft Manufacturing Company, American Volunteer Group, “Flying Tigers”, was lost on 8 September 1941 in Burma. He was accounted for on 4 January 2017.
• Mr. Maxx C. Hammer, Jr., civilian volunteer with Central Aircraft Manufacturing Company, American Volunteer Group, “Flying Tigers”, was lost on 22 September 1941 in Burma. He was accounted for on 4 January 2017.
• Mr. Peter W. Atkinson, civilian volunteer with Central Aircraft Manufacturing Company, American Volunteer Group, “Flying Tigers”, was lost on 25 October 1941 in Burma. He was accounted for on 4 January 2017.
• Mess Attendant 1st Class Ralph M. Boudreaux, US Navy, assigned to the crew of the USS Oklahoma, was lost on 7 December 1941 at Pearl Harbor. He was accounted for on 3 January 2017.
• F3c Glaydon I.C. Iverson, US Navy, assigned to the crew of the USS Oklahoma, was lost on 7 December 1941 at Pearl Harbor. He was accounted for on 22 December 2016.
• Coxswain Verne F. Knipp, US Navy, assigned to the crew of the USS Oklahoma, was lost on 7 December 1941 at Pearl Harbor. He was accounted for on 22 December 2016.
• 2nd Lt Ernest Matthews, Headquarters Company, Headquarters Battalion, Division Special Troops, 2nd Marine Division, USMC, was lost on Tarawa on 20 November 1943. He was accounted for on 4 January 2017.
• GySgt Sidney A. Cook, Company E, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, USMC, was lost on Tarawa on 20 November 1943. He was accounted for on 4 January 2017.
• Cpl Walter G. Critchley, Company F, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, USMC, was lost on Tarawa on 20 November 1943. He was accounted for on 4 January 2017.p>
• Pfc Larry Roberts, Special Weapons Group, 2nd Defense Battalion, Fleet Marine Force, USMC, was lost on Tarawa on 20 November 1943. He was accounted for on 4 January 2017.
• Pfc James O. Whitehurst, Company E, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, USMC, was lost on Tarawa on 20 November 1943. He was accounted for on 4 January 2017.
• Pvt Gene J. Appleby, Company A, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, US Army, was lost in the Netherlands on 17 September 1944. He was accounted for on 28 December 2016.
• 2nd Lt. Charles E. Carlson, 62nd Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force, US Army Air Forces, US Army, was lost in Germany on 23 December 1944. He was accounted for on 9 January 2017.
• 1st Lt. William J. Gray, 391st Fighter Squadron, 366th Fighter Group, US Army Air Forces, US Army, was lost in Germany on 16 April 1945. He was accounted for on 5 January 2017.
From Korea
• SGT James W. Sharp, B Battery, 57th Field Artillery Battalion, 31st Regimental Combat Team, 7th Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 6 December 1950 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 10 January 2017.
• SGT Edward Saunders, K Company, 3rd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division US Army, was lost on 12 February 1951 in South Korea. He was accounted for on 20 December 2016.
From Southeast Asia
• 1st Lt William C. Ryan, Marine Fighter Attack Force 115, Marine Aircraft Group 13, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force Pacific, USMC, was lost on 11 May 1969 in Laos. He was accounted for on 3 January 2017.
Welcome back, elder brothers-in-arms. Our apologies that your return took so long.
You’re home now. Rest in peace.
. . .
Over 73,000 US personnel remain unaccounted for from World War II; over 7,800 US personnel remain unaccounted for from the Korean War; and over 1,600 remain unaccounted for in Southeast Asia (SEA). 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.
