Category: No Longer Missing

Mary send us a link to the Defense Department press release about the recovery of 17 service members from the crash site of a C-124 Globemaster on Colony Glacier.

On Nov. 22, 1952, a C-124 Globemaster aircraft crashed while en route to Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, from McChord Air Force Base, Washington. There were 11 crewmen and 41 passengers on board. Adverse weather conditions precluded immediate recovery attempts. In late November and early December 1952, search parties were unable to locate and recover any of the service members.

The recovered remains were;

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Lawrence S. Singleton, Pvt. James Green, Jr., and Pvt. Leonard A. Kittle; U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Earl J. Stearns; U.S. Navy Cmdr. Albert J. Seeboth; U.S. Air Force Col. Noel E. Hoblit, Col. Eugene Smith, Capt. Robert W. Turnbull, 1st Lt. Donald Sheda, 1st Lt. William L. Turner, Tech. Sgt. Engolf W. Hagen, Staff Sgt. James H. Ray, Senior Airman Marion E. Hooton, Airman 1st Class Carroll R. Dyer, Airman 1st Class Thomas S. Lyons, Airman 1st Class Thomas C. Thigpen, and Airman Howard E. Martin have been recovered and will be returned to their families for burial with full military honors.

It was the crew of a Alaska National Guard (AKNG) UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter that spotted evidence of the wreck nearly two years ago that led the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) to search the site.

DoD scientists from the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used forensic tools and circumstantial evidence in the identification of 17 service members. The remaining personnel have yet to be recovered and the crash site will continued to be monitored for future possible recovery.

DPMO has announced the identification of three US MIAs from World War II.

• PFC Lawrence S. Gordon, Reconnaissance Company, 32nd Armored Regiment, 3rd Armored Division, US Army, was lost on 13 August 1944 near Ranes, France.   PFC Gordon was accounted for on 27 May 2014. He will be buried with full military honors during the summer of 2014 in Canada. The date and location of his funeral are not yet available.
• PFC Cecil E. Harris, 179th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 2 January 1945 in France. PFC Harris was accounted for on May 29, 2014. He will be buried with full military honors. The date and location of his funeral are not yet determined.
• SSG Robert E. Howard, 450th Bomber Squadron, 322nd Bomber Group, Medium, 9th Air Force, US Army Air Forces, was lost on 16 April 1945 in Germany. SSG Howard was accounted for on May 28, 2014. He will be buried with full military honors on 19 June 2014 in Moulton, Iowa.

Welcome home, my elder brothers-in-arms. Rest in peace.

Over 73,600 US personnel remain unaccounted for from World War II; over 7,890 US personnel remain unaccounted for from the Korean War; and over 1,640 remain unaccounted for in Southeast Asia (SEA).  Comparison of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from recovered remains against mtDNA from a matrilineal descendant can assist in providing a positive ID for those recovered remains.

Unfortunately, JPAC has recently reorganized their web site and no longer seems to provide by-name lists of the MIAs for whom there is a need for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA).  So if you have a relative that is still MIA from World War II, Korea, or SEA – please consider reading this JPAC fact sheet to see if you qualify to submit a mtDNA sample.

If you qualify to submit a mtDNA sample and have a relative from World War II, Korea, or SEA who is still MIA, please contact JPAC (there is an 866 number on the flier linked above) and arrange to submit a sample. By submitting a mtDNA sample, you may be able to help identify US remains that have been recovered and repatriated but not yet positively identified.

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

DPMO has announced the identification of two more US MIAs from Korea.

CPL Lucio R. Aguilar, M Company, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 28 November 1950 in North Korea.  He was accounted for on 6 May 2014.  He will be buried with full military honors in Corpus Christi, TX.  Date of interment has not yet been determined.

Cpl Harold W. Reed, Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, US Marine Corps, was lost on 29 November 1950.  He was accounted for on 22 April 2014.  He will be buried with full military honors on 24 May 2014, in Toledo, OH.

Welcome home, my elder brothers-in-arms.  Rest in peace.

. . .

Over 73,600 US personnel remain unaccounted for from World War II; over 7,800 US personnel remain unaccounted for from the Korean War; and over 1,640 remain unaccounted for in Southeast Asia.  If you are a relative of one of the individuals listed here (World War II – critical need), listed here (Korea), or listed here (Southeast Asia) – please consider reading this link to see if you qualify to submit a mtDNA sample.

If you qualify to submit a mtDNA sample, please submit one.   By submitting a mtDNA sample, you may be able to help identify US remains that have been recovered and repatriated but not yet positively identified.

Everybody deserves a proper burial.  That’s especially true for those who gave their all in the service of this nation.

DPMO has announced the identification of another US MIA from Korea.

SGT Richard John Archambeault, L Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, US Army, was lost on 2 November 1950 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 29 April 2014. He will be buried with full military honors.  Date and location of interment has not yet been determined.

Welcome home, my elder brother-in-arms.  Rest in peace.

. . .

Over 73,600 US personnel remain unaccounted for from World War II; over 7,800 US personnel remain unaccounted for from the Korean War; and over 1,640 remain unaccounted for in Southeast Asia.  If you are a relative of one of the individuals listed here (World War II – critical need), listed here (Korea), or listed here (Southeast Asia) – please consider reading this link to see if you qualify to submit a mtDNA sample.

If you qualify to submit a mtDNA sample, please submit one.   By submitting a mtDNA sample, you may be able to help identify US remains that have been recovered and repatriated but not yet positively identified.

Everybody deserves a proper burial.  That’s especially true for those who gave their all in the service of this nation.

DPMO has announced the identification of another US MIA from Korea.

CPL William N. Bonner, Medical Company, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, US Army, was lost on 31 May 1951 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 22 April 2014. He will be buried with full military honors during the summer of 2014, in Sault Ste. Marie, MI.  A specific date has not been announced.

Welcome home, my elder brother-in-arms.  Rest in peace.

. . .

Over 73,600 US personnel remain unaccounted for from World War II; over 7,800 US personnel remain unaccounted for from the Korean War; and over 1,640 remain unaccounted for in Southeast Asia.  If you are a relative of one of the individuals listed here (World War II – critical need), listed here (Korea), or listed here (Southeast Asia) – please consider reading this link to see if you qualify to submit a mtDNA sample.

If you qualify to submit a mtDNA sample, please submit one.   By submitting a mtDNA sample, you may be able to help identify US remains that have been recovered and repatriated but not yet positively identified.

Everybody deserves a proper burial.  That’s especially true for those who gave their all in the service of this nation.

DPMO has announced the identification of one US MIA from Korea.

CPL Richard Isbell, H Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, US Army was lost on April 25, 1951 in South Korea.  He was accounted for on April 17, 2014.  He will be buried with full military honors.   Specific funeral arrangements were not announced.

A belated welcome home, my elder brother-in-arms.  Rest in peace.

. . .

Over 73,600 US personnel remain unaccounted for from World War II; over 7,800 US personnel remain unaccounted for from the Korean War; and over 1,640 remain unaccounted for in Southeast Asia.  If you are a relative of one of the individuals listed here (World War II – critical need), listed here (Korea), or listed here (Southeast Asia) – please consider reading this link to see if you qualify to submit a mtDNA sample.

If you qualify to submit a mtDNA sample, please submit one.   By submitting a mtDNA sample, you may be able to help identify US remains that have been recovered and repatriated but not yet positively identified.

Everybody deserves a proper burial.  That’s especially true for those who gave their all in the service of this nation.

DPMO has announced the identification of one US MIA from World War II,  six US MIAs from from Korea, and one US MIA from Southeast Asia (SEA).

• PFC. William T. Carneal, Company D, 1st Battalion, 105th Infantry Regiment, US Army, was lost on 7 July 1944, in Saipan.  He was accounted for on 21 January 2014. He will be buried with full military honors on 25 April 2014 in Paducah, KY.
• CPL William F. Day, Company C, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 31st Regimental Combat Team, US Army, was lost on 2 December 1950 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 6 March 2014.  He will be buried with full military honors 5 April 2014 in La Center, KY.
• PFC Donald C. Durfee, Company M, 31st Infantry Regiment, 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT), US Army, was lost on 2 December 1950 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 30 January 2014.  He will be buried on 7 March 2014 in Rittman, OH.
• SFC John C. Keller, Company K, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, US Army, was lost on 2 November 1950 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 29 January 2014.  He will be buried with full military honors during May 2014 in Florida National Cemetery.
• PFC Arthur Richardson, Company A, 1st Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 1 January 1951 in South Korea. He was accounted for on 21 March 2014.  He will be buried with full military honors; date and place were not announced.
• SGT Paul M. Gordon, Company H, 2nd Battalion. 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 7 January 1951 in South Korea.  He was accounted for on 12 February 2014. He will be buried with full military honors on 20 June 2014 in Williamstown, KY.
• Cpl William S. Blasdel, Company H, 3rd Battalion, 11th Regiment, 1st Marine Division, USMC, was lost 28 October 1953 in North Korea. He was accounted for 10 March 2014. He will be buried with full military honors this spring in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific; date was not announced.  (Note:  DPMO gives Cpl Blasdel’s date of loss as 28 October 1953.  Since that date is well after the armistice ending hostilities in Korea, I believe the DPMO-provided date of loss to be in error.  Other sources give Cpl Blasdel’s date of loss as 28 November 1950.)
• Capt. Douglas D. Ferguson, 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron, USAF, was lost on 30 December 1969 in Laos. He was accounted for on 5 March 2014. He will be buried with full military honors on 2 May 2014 in Lakewood, WA.

Welcome home, my elder brothers-in-arms.  Rest now in peace.

. . .

Over 73,600 US personnel remain unaccounted for from World War II; over 7,800 US personnel remain unaccounted for from the Korean War; and over 1,640 remain unaccounted for in Southeast Asia.  If you are a relative of one of the individuals listed here (World War II – critical need), listed here (Korea), or listed here (Southeast Asia) – please consider reading this link to see if you qualify to submit a mtDNA sample.

If you qualify to submit a mtDNA sample, please submit one.   By submitting a mtDNA sample, you may be able to help identify US remains that have been recovered and repatriated but not yet positively identified.

Everybody deserves a proper burial.  That’s especially true for those who gave their all in the service of this nation.