Category: No Longer Missing

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

From World War II

F1c George C. Ford, 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 4 May 2018.

SF3c John M. Donald, 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 8 May 2018.

S2c William V. Campbell, 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 10 May 2018.

SGT Melvin C. Anderson, US Army, assigned to C Company, 803rd Tank Destroyer Battalion, was lost in Germany on 25 November 1944. He was accounted for on 10 May 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 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.

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

From World War II

S1c Natale I. Torti, 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 3 May 2018.

Pfc William F. Cavin, USMC, assigned to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, was lost on Tarawa on 20 November 1943. He was accounted for on 2 May 2018.

PFC Oscar E. Sappington, US Army, assigned to 3rd Platoon, C Company, 1st Battalion, 309th Infantry Regiment, 78th Infantry Division, was lost in Germany on 11 January 1945. He was accounted for on 27 April 2018.

From Korea

CPL Donald L. Baker, US Army, assigned to Company H, 2nd Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, was lost in South Korea on 6 September 1950. He was accounted for on 20 March 2018. (See Note.)

SFC Rufus L. Ketchum, US Army, assigned to Medical Detachment, 57th Field Artillery Battalion, 31st Regimental Combat Team, 7th Infantry Division, was lost in North Korea, on 6 December 1950. He was accounted for on 24 April 2018.

CPL Terrell J. Fuller, US Army, assigned to D Company, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, was lost in South Korea on 12 February 1951. He was accounted for on 27 April 2018.

From Southeast Asia

Col. Peter J. Stewart,, USAF, assigned to Headquarters, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, was lost in Vietnam on 15 March 1966. He was accounted for on 20 March 2018. (See Note.)

LTC Robert G. Nopp, 131st Aviation Company, was lost in Laos on 13 July 1966. He was accounted for on 2 February 2018. (See Note.)

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

Rest easy. 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 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 Notes:
1. DPAA apparently accounted for LTC Nopp in February, 2018, and for CPL Baker and Col. Stewart in March, 2018. It is my belief that DPAA “slipstreamed” these individuals’ recovery and definitive identifiation into their “Recently Accounted For” page after I’d published the “No Longer Missing” article corresponding to the week of their formal accounting. However, it’s also remotely possible I simply missed the original DPAA announcements. Either way: my apologies.
2. The rank of LTC listed for LTC Nopp appears to include promotions while in MIA status. A comment previously made here at TAH indicates that Nopp’s rank at time of loss was Captain.

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

From World War II

WT1c Stephen Pepe, 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 23 April 2018.

AMM2c Durell Wade, 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 20 April 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 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.

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

From World War II

Matt1c Ignacio C. Farfan, 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 10 April 2018.

S2c Joe M. Kelley, 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 13 April 2018.

SSgt. Vincent L. Politte, US Army, assigned to the 345th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force, US Army Air Forces, was lost in Romania on 1 August 1943. He was accounted for on 16 April 2018.

Pfc Clarence E. Drumheiser, USMC, assigned to Company D, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, was lost on Tarawa on 22 November 1943. He was accounted for on 6 April 2018.

PFC John H. Walker, US Army, assigned to E Company, 2nd Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, was lost in Germany on 24 November 1944. He was accounted for on 13 April 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 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.

Author’s Notes:

1. Although Pfc Clarence E. Drumheiser, USMC, was accounted for on 6 April 2018, DPAA did not announce that fact on its list of personnel recently accounted for until on or after 16 April 2018.

2. On its website, DPAA lists the wrong rate for one of the sailors lost at Pearl Harbor: Ignacio C. Farfan. DPAA refers to him as a “Steward’s Mate 1st Class”. That rate did not exist until February 1943. The correct title for Farfan’s rate in December 1941 was “Mess Attendant 1st Class”, with abbreviation “Matt1c”. I have used that rate abbreviation above. Reference:

http://uniform-reference.net/insignia/usn/usn_ww2_enl_steward.html

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

From World War II

CMM Dean S. Sanders, 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 9 April 2018.

From Korea

None

From Southeast Asia

None

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

Rest easy. 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 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.

Note: per information provided by AW1Ed, apparently the issue of missing Korean War personnel will be raised by the POTUS if and when the POTUS meets with Lil’ Kim. Perhaps that will increase the rate at which remains from that conflict of US MIA personnel are returned and identified. Of the 7,700+ still MIA from that conflict, roughly 5,300 were lost in North Korea.

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

From World War II

S1c William G. Bruesewitz, 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 28 March 2018.

S1c Walter C. Foley, 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 27 March 2018.

S1c Robert V. Young, 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 28 March 2018.

S2c Bernard V. Doyle, 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 27 March 2018.

SSgt. Percy C. Mathews, US Army, assigned to 422nd Bombardment Squadron, 305th Bombardment Group, 8th U.S. Air Force, US Army Air Forces, was lost in France on 29 May 1943. He was accounted for on 28 March 2018.

From Korea

CPL Thomas W. Reagan, US Army, assigned to A Company, 14th Engineer Combat Battalion, 24th Infantry Division, was lost in South Korea on 12 August 1950. He was accounted for on 3 April 2018.

From Southeast Asia

SSG Marshall F. Kipina, US Army, assigned to the 131st Aviation Company, was lost in Laos on 13 July 1966. He was accounted for on 28 March 2018.

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

Rest easy. 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 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.

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

From World War II

RM3c Jack R. Goldwater, 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 26 March 2018.

From Korea

• None

From Southeast Asia

• None

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

You’re home now. Rest easy.

. . .

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.

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

From World War II

F1c Jarvis G. Outland, 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 16 March 2018.

Capt. George Van Vleet, assigned to the 38th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 30th Bombardment Group, US Army Air Forces, US Army, was lost on Tarawa on 21 January 1944. He was accounted for on 22 March 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 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.