This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here

Category: No Longer Missing

  • Two More Return

    DPAA has been busy recently. Since my article yesterday on the subject,DPAA has announced the identification and accounting for the following formerly-missing US military personnel.

    From Korea

    • SGT Robert C. Dakin, L Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 12 December 1950 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 16 November 2015.

    From Vietnam

    • PFC Kenneth L. Cunningham, 225th Aviation Company, 223rd Aviation Battalion, 17th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade, US Army, was lost on 3 October 1969 in Vietnam. He was accounted for on 13 November 2015.

    You’re no longer missing, elder brother-in-arms. Our apologies that your return took so long.

    Rest in peace. You’re home now.

    . . .

    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 mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from recovered remains against mtDNA from a matrilineal descendant can assist in making a positive ID for unidentified remains that have already been recovered, or which may be recovered in the future.

    DPAA’s web site now has what appears to be a decent “Contact Us” page. The page doesn’t have instructions concerning who can and cannot submit a mtDNA sample or how to submit one, but the POCs listed there may be able to refer you to someone who can answer that question – or may be able to answer the question themselves. If you think you might possibly qualify, please contact one of those POCs for further information.

    If your family lost someone in one of these conflicts and you qualify to submit a mtDNA 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.

  • Five More Are Home

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

    From World War II

    • PVT Earl J. Keating, 126th Infantry Regiment, 32nd Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 20 November 1942 on Papua New Guinea. He was accounted for on 6 November 2015.

    • Pvt. Robert J. Carter, G Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, USMC, was lost on 20 November 1943 on Tarawa. He was accounted for on 10 November 2015.

    • Capt. Arthur E. Halfpapp, 87th Fighter Squadron, 79th Fighter Group, US Army Air Forces, was lost on 24 April 1945 in Italy. He was accounted for on 6 November 2015.

    From Korea

    • CPL George P. Grifford, 37th Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 30 November 1950 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 7 November 2015.

    From Vietnam

    • SFC Billy D. Hill, 282nd Aviation Company, 14th Aviation Battalion, 17th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade, US Army was lost on 21 January 1968 in South Vietnam. He was accounted for on 12 November 2015.

    You’re no longer missing, elder brothers-in-arms. Our apologies that your return took so long.

    Now you’re home. 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 mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from recovered remains against mtDNA from a matrilineal descendant can assist in making a positive ID for unidentified remains that have already been recovered, or which may be recovered in the future.

    DPAA’s web site now has what appears to be a decent “Contact Us” page. The page doesn’t have instructions concerning who can and cannot submit a mtDNA sample or how to submit one, but the POCs listed there may be able to refer you to someone who can answer that question – or may be able to answer the question themselves. If you think you might possibly qualify, please contact one of those POCs for further information.

    If your family lost someone in one of these conflicts and you qualify to submit a mtDNA 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: the original version of this article had a typo in the date of loss for SFC Hill. That error has been corrected above.

  • Two More Return Home

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

    From World War II

    • PVT John H. Klopp, 126th Infantry Regiment, 32nd Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 5 December 1943 on Papua New Guinea. He was accounted for on 15 October 2015.

    From Korea

    • SFC Dean D. Chaney, K Company, 3rd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 28 November 1950 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 8 October 2015.

    You’re no longer missing, elder brothers-in-arms. Our apologies that your recovery 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 mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from recovered remains against mtDNA from a matrilineal descendant can assist in making a positive ID for unidentified remains that have already been recovered, or which may be recovered in the future.

    DPAA’s web site now has what appears to be a decent “Contact Us” page. The page doesn’t have instructions concerning who can and cannot submit a mtDNA sample or how to submit one, but the POCs listed there may be able to refer you to someone who can answer that question – or may be able to answer the question themselves. If you think you might possibly qualify, please contact one of those POCs for further information.

    If your family lost someone in one of these conflicts and you qualify to submit a mtDNA 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.

  • Four Civil War Vets Honored

    After the Civil War, many former soldiers moved west to begin new lives. The reasons why were varied.

    Some sought adventure. Others were no longer particularly welcome at home – Southerners who’d fought for the Union, for example. Others stayed in the Army and were posted in the West, settling there after getting out.

    Pueblo, Colorado, was the destination of quite a number of such individuals. A single cemetery there – Roselawn Cemetery – contains the graves of 355 Civil War veterans.

    Four of those Civil War soldiers recently made the news. One had died in 1899; another, in 1900; a third, in 1901. The last of the four died in 1921.

    They died, in Pueblo, without known next of kin.  They were buried at Roselawn Cemetery.

    Their graves were presumably originally marked in some way.  But over time, as can sometimes happen in older cemeteries with no family to tend them . . . their graves’ whereabouts became lost.

    Enter two organizations: the Concerned Citizens of Roselawn Cemetery and the Buffalo Soldiers of the American West.

    In conducting research for a presentation on Roselawn’s history, the Concerned Citizens of Roselawn Cemetery noted an issue.  While cemetery records showed that 355 Civil War veterans were buried there, they could only find 351 of them.

    Using cemetery records, they located the missing gravesites.  Identifying which was which took additional work, but through consulting archived records and obituaries they were eventually able to identify the graves of each of the four individuals.

    Each of the four was a Southerner who’d fought for the Union. One was an officer, 1LT Louis Young; the other three – CPL Thomas Walker, PVT James W. Williams, and PVT George Washington – were freed slaves who’d later fought for the Union. The four hailed from Virginia, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

    One of the two organizations – it’s not clear which – arranged for proper burial markers for these men. Those markers were emplaced; and earlier this month, members of the Buffalo Soldiers of the American West participated in a formal ceremony unveiling the new markers.

    Rest well, elder brothers-in-arms. We’re sorry it took so long, but your resting places now are properly marked.

    And to all who participated in preserving these men’s history:  kudos – and thanks.

  • Another Five Return

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

    From World War II

    • Cpl. Roger K. Nielson, E Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, USMC, was lost on 20 November 1943 on Tarawa. He was accounted for on 24 September 2015.

    From Korea

    • CPL Robert V. Witt, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 2 December 1950 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 11 September 2015.

    • PFC Frank Worley, 503rd Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 12 February 1951 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 19 September 2015.

    • CPL Robert P. Graham, A Company, 13th Engineer Combat Battalion, 7th Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 13 February 1951 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 22 September 2015.

    • CPL George H. Mason, 2nd Reconnaissance Company, 2nd Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 14 February 1951 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 8 September 2015.

    You’re no longer missing, elder brothers-in-arms. Our apologies that your recovery took so long.

    Now you’re home. 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 mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from recovered remains against mtDNA from a matrilineal descendant can assist in making a positive ID for unidentified remains that have already been recovered, or which may be recovered in the future.

    DPAA’s web site now has what appears to be a decent “Contact Us” page. The page doesn’t have instructions concerning who can and cannot submit a mtDNA sample or how to submit one, but the POCs listed there may be able to refer you to someone who can answer that question – or may be able to answer the question themselves. If you think you might possibly qualify, please contact one of those POCs for further information.

    If your family lost someone in one of these conflicts and you qualify to submit a mtDNA 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.

  • Another Six Come Home

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

    From World War II

    • Cpl. James D. Otto, L Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, USMC, was lost on 20 November 1943 on Tarawa. He was accounted for on 5 September 2015.

    • Pfc. James P. Reilly, L Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, USMC, was lost on 20 November 1943 on Tarawa. He was accounted for on 5 September 2015.

    • 1st Lt. Alexander Bonnyman, F Company, 2nd Battalion, 18th Marines Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, USMC, was lost on 29 November 1943 on Tarawa. He was accounted for on 27 August 2015.

    From Korea

    • CPL Martin A. King, E Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, US Army, was lost on 2 November 1950 in North Korea.  He was accounted for on 16 September 2015.

    • CPL Robert E. Meyers, A Company, 2nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 1 December 1950 in North Korea.  He was accounted for on 4 September 2015.

    • CPL Grant H. Ewing, 2nd Reconnaissance Company, 2nd Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 14 February 1951 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 8 September 2015.

    You’re no longer missing, my elder brothers-in-arms. Our apologies that it took so long.

    Now you’re home.  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 mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from recovered remains against mtDNA from a matrilineal descendant can assist in making a positive ID for unidentified remains that have already been recovered, or which may be recovered in the future.

    TAH reader HMCS(FMF) noted in comments elsewhere that DPAA’s web site now has what appears to be a decent “Contact Us” page. The page doesn’t have instructions concerning who can and cannot submit a mtDNA sample or how to submit one, but the POCs listed there may be able to point you in the correct direction if you’re interested. If you think you might possibly qualify, please contact those POCs for further information.

    If it turns out you qualify to submit a mtDNA 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.

  • Another Two Are Home

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

    From Korea

    • SGT Christopher Y. Vars, E Company, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 11/29/1950 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 8/13/2015.

    From Vietnam

    • 1st Lt Stanley G. Johnson, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, USMC, was lost on 12/3/1965 in Vietnam. He was accounted for on 8/5/2015.

    You’re no longer missing, my elder brothers-in-arms. Our apologies that it took so long.

    Rest in peace now. You’re home.

    . . .

    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 mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from recovered remains against mtDNA from a matrilineal descendant can assist in making a positive ID for unidentified remains that have already been recovered, or which may be recovered in the future.

    TAH reader HMCS(FMF) noted in comments elsewhere that DPAA’s web site now has what appears to be a decent “Contact Us” page. The page doesn’t have instructions concerning who can and cannot submit a mtDNA sample or how to submit one, but the POCs listed there may be able to point you in the correct direction if you’re interested. If you think you might possibly qualify, please contact those POCs for further information.

    If it turns out you qualify to submit a mtDNA 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.

  • Another Five Return

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

    From World War II

    • 1stLt William O. Pile, 559th Bombardment Squadron, 387th Bombardment Group, 9th Air Force, US Army, was lost on 23 December 1944 in Germany.  He was accounted for on 13 June 2015.  1stLt Pile was the pilot on the aircraft in which 2nd Lt. Robert W. Ward, identified/accounted for by DPAA on 7 May 2015 as noted here, was the co-pilot.

    From Korea

    • SFC Robert Reager, Company C, 32nd Regimental Combat Team, 7th Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 2 December 1950 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 21 July 2015.

    • SGT Wilson Meckley, Jr., Company A, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 13 February 1951 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 9 August 2015.

    • PFC George L. Rights, Battery B, 15th Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 13 February 1951 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 22 July 2015.

    • CPL Grant H. Ewing, Battery C, 38th Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 28 February 1951 in North Korea.  He was accounted for on 29 July 2015.

    You’re no longer missing, my elder brothers-in-arms.  Our apologies that it took so long.

    Rest in peace.  You’re finally home.

    . . .

    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 mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from recovered remains against mtDNA from a matrilineal descendant can assist in making a positive ID for unidentified remains that have already been recovered, or which may be recovered in the future.

    TAH reader HMCS(FMF) noted in comments elsewhere that DPAA’s web site now has what appears to be a decent “Contact Us” page.  The page doesn’t have instructions concerning who can and cannot submit a mtDNA sample or how to submit one, but the POCs listed there may be able to point you in the correct direction if you’re interested.  If you think you might possibly qualify, please contact those POCs for further information.

    If it turns out you qualify to submit a mtDNA 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.