USS Oklahoma Sailor killed From World War II Accounted For
April 1, 2019

Navy Machinist’s Mate 1st Class George Hanson, 32

Navy Machinist’s Mate 1st Class George Hanson, 32, of Laramie, Wyoming, killed during World War II, was accounted for.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Hanson was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Hanson.

From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crewmen, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.

In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Hanson.

Between June and November 2015, DPAA personnel exhumed the USS Oklahoma Unknown remains from the Punchbowl for analysis.

To identify Hanson’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.

Soldier Missing During the Korean War.
March 26, 2019

Army Cpl. Benjamin W. Scott, 19

Army Cpl. Benjamin W. Scott, 19, of Alamo, Mississippi, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for.

In July 1950, Scott was a member of Company M, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, engaging in combat actions against the North Korean forces in the vicinity of Choch’iwon, South Korea.
Scott was declared missing in action on July 12, 1950.

In May 1952, remains were found in the vicinity of where Scott was last seen. The remains were designated X-5556 Tanggok and were sent to the Central Identification Unit in Japan for identification.
Unable to be identified, the remains were sent to the National Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu, and buried as an Unknown.

On Oct. 30, 2017, DPAA disinterred Unknown X-5556 from the Punchbowl for identification.

To identify Scott’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.

Army Pfc. Herschel M. Riggs, Starr, Tx. killed during the Korean War, was accounted for.

In July 1950, Riggs was an infantryman with Headquarters Company, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, involved in combat actions against North Korean forces near Taejon, South Korea.

As the regiment began withdrawing south to Taejon, the North Koreans pushed deep into their defensive lines and set up a roadblock en route to Taejon. When retreating American convoys could not break through the roadblock, soldiers were forced to leave the road and attempt to make their way in small groups across the countryside.

 Of the 900 soldiers in the 19th Infantry when the Battle of Kum River started, only 434 made it to friendly lines.

 Riggs was declared missing in action on July 16, 1950, when he could not be accounted for by his unit. Following numerous battlefield searches, the American Graves Registration Service was unable to locate Riggs’ remains and he was declared deceased on July 31, 1953. 

DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.

USS Oklahoma Brothers killed From World War II Accounted For
March 25, 2019

Seaman 2nd Class Calvin H. Palmer,23        Seaman 2nd Class Wilferd D. Palmer, 22

Navy brothers, Seaman 2nd Class Calvin H. Palmer, 23 and Seaman 2nd Class Wilferd D. Palmer, Andes, 22 from Richland County, Montana, killed during the attack on the USS Oklahoma in World War II, were accounted for.

On Dec. 7, 1941, the brothers were assigned to the USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including the Palmers.

Calvin and Wilfred Palmer were among a surprisingly large number of brothers assigned to the USS Oklahoma.
They were the sons of Harry Calvin Palmer and Rosie Stredwick. Calvin was born 5 December 1918, Wilfred 29 December 1919, both in Andes MT. They died 7 December 1941 during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

In 2015, DPAA disinterred remains from the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu.

DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.

The Palmer brothers' names are recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from World War II. A rosette will be placed next to their names to indicate they have been accounted for.

USS Oklahoma Sailor killed From World War II Accounted For
March 22, 2019

Navy Electrician’s Mate 3rd Class Roman W. Sadlowski, 21

Navy Electrician’s Mate 3rd Class Roman W. Sadlowski, 21, of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, killed during World War II, was accounted for.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Sadlowski was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Sadlowski.

From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crewmen, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.

In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Sadlowski.

Between June and November 2015, DPAA personnel exhumed the USS Oklahoma Unknown remains from the Punchbowl for analysis.

To identify Sadlowski’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.

Army Sgt. Frank J. Suliman, 20, of New Brunswick, New Jersey, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for.

In late 1950, Suliman was a member of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, fighting against members of the Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces (CPVF) in North Korea. On Dec. 1, 1950, the convoy of trucks Suliman was riding in was halted by a roadblock south of Kunuri, North Korea, and the Soldiers were commanded to abandon the vehicles and attempt to get through the road block on foot.

 Fellow Soldiers reported that Suliman was captured and taken to the CPVF prisoner of war camp at Pukchin-Tarigol, North Korea, where he reportedly died in March 1951.

On June 12, 2018, President Donald Trump met with North Korea Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore, The leaders signed a joint statement, including a commitment to recover the remains of American service members lost in North Korea.

On July 27, 2018, North Korea turned over 55 boxes, purported to contain the remains of American service members killed during the Korean War. The remains arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii on Aug. 1, 2018, and were subsequently accessioned into the DPAA laboratory for identification.
To identify Suliman’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and autosomal DNA (auSTR) analysis.

USS Oklahoma Sailor killed From World War II Accounted For
March 20, 2019

Navy Seaman 2nd Class Richard J. Thomson

Navy Seaman 2nd Class Richard J. Thomson, killed during the attack on the USS Oklahoma in World War II, was accounted for.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Thomson was assigned to the USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Thomson.

In 2015, DPAA disinterred remains from the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu.

DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.

Thomson's name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from World War II. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Soldier Missing During the Korean War.
March 19, 2019

Army Cpl. James C. Rix, 18

Army Cpl. James C. Rix, 18, of Alamo, Georgia, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for.

In November 1950, Rix was a member of Company E, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. He was killed in action on Nov. 30, 1950, during heavy fighting between the Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces (CPVF) and the 7th Cavalry Regiment in the vicinity of North Pyongan Province, North Korea. His remains were interred at the United Nations Military Cemetery (UNMC) Pyongyang, on Dec. 2, 1950.

In 1954, the United Nations Command (UNC) and North Korea, along with the CPVF, reached an agreement regarding the recovery and return of war dead. The agreement, known as Operation Glory (OPGLORY,) resulted in the turnover of 4,200 sets of remains to the UNC, including more than 400 sets reportedly disinterred from Pyongyang. One set of remains, designated X-16680 OPGLORY could not be identified, and were subsequently interred at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu (known as the Punchbowl), as an Unknown.

In June 2017, DPAA disinterred Unknown X-16680 OPGLORY for identification.

To identify Rix’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis. 

Soldier Missing During the Korean War.
March 18, 2019

Army Cpl. Stephen P. Nemec, 21

Army Cpl. Stephen P. Nemec, 21, of Cleveland, Ohio, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for.

In late 1950, Nemec was a member of Company A, 1st Battalion 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, engaged in heavy fighting against the Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces (CPVF) at Turtle Head’s Bend, near the village of Unsan, North Korea. According to historical reports, Nemec was killed in action on Nov. 2, 1950, and was buried at United Nation’s Military Cemetery (UNMC) Pyongyang.

As the United Nations’ situation in North Korea worsened, circumstances forced the closing of the cemetery on Dec. 3, 1950, and those buried there could not be recovered.

Following the war, during the exchange of war dead known as “Operation Glory,” UN forces returned approximately 14,000 sets of remains to the Chinese and North Koreans, and received more than 4,000 sets of remains from isolated burials, POW camp cemeteries and temporary UN cemeteries, including UNMC Pyongyang. The remains were turned over to the Central Identification Unit in Kokura, Japan.

No remains could be associated with Nemec, and all unidentified remains, including a set designated “X-16718” were interred as Korean War unknowns at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu.

On March 26, 2018, DPAA disinterred “X-16718” from the Punchbowl and sent the remains to the laboratory for analysis.

To identify Nemec’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental, anthropological, and chest radiograph comparison analysis which; as well as circumstantial evidence.

Pilot Missing From World War II Accounted For
March 12, 2019

U.S. Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Howard T. Lurcott, 26

U.S. Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Howard T. Lurcott, 26, of Philadelphia, killed during World War II, was accounted for.

On Jan. 21, 1944, Lurcott was a member of the 38th Bombardment Squadron, 30th Bombardment Group, stationed at Hawkins Field, Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Islands, when the B-24J bomber aircraft he was piloting crashed into Tarawa lagoon shortly after takeoff. Lurcott and the nine other servicemen aboard the aircraft were killed.

Rescue crews recovered the remains of five individuals, however Lurcott was not among those recovered. The three identified sets of remains and two unidentified sets were reportedly interred in Cemetery No. 33 on Betio Island, one of several cemeteries established on the island after the U.S. seized the island from the Japanese in November 1943.

Following the war, the U.S. Army’s 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio between 1946 and 1947. Using U.S. Marine Corps records, they began the task of consolidating all the remains from isolated burial sites into a single cemetery called Lone Palm Cemetery. The remains of the B-24J crew were believed to be among those moved, however Lurcott’s remains were not identified and he was declared non-recoverable.

In 2017, History Flight, Inc., a non-profit organization, through a partnership with DPAA, uncovered a series of coffin burials from Cemetery #33, which were subsequently accessioned into the DPAA laboratory for analysis. On Dec. 20, 2018, one set of remains was identified as U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Carl M. Shaffer, a crewmember on Lurcott’s plane.

To identify Lurcott’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.

Airmen  Missing From World War II Accounted For
March 12, 2019

U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Carl M. Shaffer, 22

U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Carl M. Shaffer, 22, of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, killed during World War II, was accounted for.

On Jan. 21, 1944, Shaffer was a member of the 38th Bombardment Squadron, 30th Bombardment Group, stationed at Hawkins Field, Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Islands, when the B-24J bomber aircraft he was aboard crashed into Tarawa lagoon shortly after takeoff. Shaffer and the nine other servicemen aboard the aircraft were killed.

Rescue crews recovered the remains of five individuals, however Shaffer was not among those recovered. The three identified sets of remains and two unidentified sets were reportedly interred in Cemetery No. 33 on Betio Island, one of several cemeteries established on the island after the U.S. seized the island from the Japanese in November 1943.

Following the war, the U.S. Army’s 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio between 1946 and 1947. Using U.S. Marine Corps records, they began the task of consolidating all the remains from isolated burial sites into a single cemetery called Lone Palm Cemetery. The remains of the B-24J crew were believed to be among those moved, however Shaffer’s remains were not identified and he was declared non-recoverable.

In 2017, History Flight, Inc., a non-profit organization, through a partnership with DPAA, uncovered a series of coffin burials from Cemetery #33, which were subsequently accessioned into the DPAA laboratory for analysis.

To identify Shaffer’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.

Soldier Missing From World War II Accounted For
March 11, 2019

Army Pfc. William F. Delaney, 24

Army Pfc. William F. Delaney, 24, of Kingston, Tennessee, killed during World War II, was accounted for.

On Nov. 22, 1944, Delaney served with Company A, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, when his battalion launched a massive firing demonstration against a large pocket of German defenders near the town of Grosshau, in the Hürtgen Forest in Germany. During the battle, an enemy artillery shell struck Delaney’s foxhole, and he died before he could be medically evacuated. Due to ongoing combat operations, his remains were not recovered at that time.

Following the close of hostilities in Europe in 1945, Delaney was among the hundreds of soldiers still missing from combat in the Hürtgen Forest. Between 1947 and 1950, American Graves Registration Command (AGRC) investigative teams traveled to Grosshau to search for Delaney’s remains. Various graves registration units recovered dozens of unidentified remains from the Hürtgen Forest. Those that could not be identified were designated as Unknowns. In December 1950, after all efforts to recover or identify his remains proved unsuccessful, the War Department declared him non-recoverable.

In 1947, a set of remains was recovered by the AGRC from District #135, a section of the forest west of Grosshau. According to records, local citizen Siegfried Glassen first discovered the remains and concluded they were of an American soldier who had been killed by artillery fire. The remains were sent to the AGRC central identification point in Neuville Belgium. After efforts to identify the remains were unsuccessful, the remains, designated X-5425 Neuville, were declared unidentifiable and interred at Neuville (today’s Ardennes American Cemetery.)

Following thorough analysis of military records and AGRC documentation by DPAA historians and scientists, which suggested a likely association between X-5425 Neuville and Delany, the remains were disinterred in June 2017 and the remains were sent to DPAA for analysis.

To identify Delaney’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.

USS Oklahoma Sailor killed From World War II Accounted For
March 11, 2019

Navy Fireman 3rd Class Willard I. Lawson, 25

Navy Fireman 3rd Class Willard I. Lawson, 25, of Butler County, Ohio, killed during World War II, was accounted for.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Lawson was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Lawson.

From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.

In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Lawson.

In April 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a policy memorandum directing the disinterment of unknowns associated with the USS Oklahoma. On June 15, 2015, DPAA personnel began exhuming the remains from the Punchbowl for analysis.

To identify Lawson’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.

Sailor killed From World War II Accounted For
March 7, 2019

Navy Reserve Seaman 2nd Class Deward W. Duncan, Jr., 19

Navy Reserve Seaman 2nd Class Deward W. Duncan, Jr., 19, of Monroe, Georgia, killed during World War II, was accounted for.

In January 1944, Duncan was assigned to Aviation, Construction, Ordnance, Repair, Navy Fourteen, Standard Landing Craft Unit 4, when a Japanese air raid on Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Islands, dropped a bomb near his tent. Duncan was killed January 12, 1944 and was reportedly buried the same day in Cemetery #33.

In 1946, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company (604th GRC) centralized all of the American remains found on Tarawa to Lone Palm Cemetery for later repatriation; however, almost half of the known casualties were never found. Duncan’s remains were among those not recovered. On Feb. 28, 1949, a military review board declared Duncan’s remains non-recoverable.

In 2017, History Flight, Inc., notified DPAA that they discovered a burial site on Betio Island and recovered the remains of what they believed to be missing American service members who had been buried in Cemetery #33. The remains were turned over to DPAA in 2018.

To identify Duncan’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.

DPAA is grateful to History Flight, Inc., for their partnership in this mission.

Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,741 service members (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Duncan’s name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others killed or lost in WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Soldier Missing During the Korean War.
March 7, 2019

Army Cpl. John G. Krebs, 19

Army Cpl. John G. Krebs, 19, of Sterling, Illinois, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for.

On July 11, 1950, Krebs was a member of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, engaged in combat operations against the North Korean People’s Army south of Chonui, South Korea, when he was declared missing in action.

In February 1951, the American Graves Registration Services recovered five sets of remains from northwest of Chonui in the village of Kujong-ni. Two sets of remains were identified; the other three were unidentifiable and designated as Unknowns and buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, known as the Punchbowl.

In December 1953, Krebs was declared deceased.

In September 2018, Unknown X-491 Tanggok was disinterred from the Punchbowl and sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.

To identify Krebs’ remains, scientists from DPAA used dental, anthropological and chest radiograph comparison analysis, as well as and circumstantial and material evidence.

Hope fades for Soldier Missing During the Korean War.
March 7, 2019

Army Leonard Jack Mathers, 19,

Army Leonard Jack Mathers, 19, Dunkirk, N.Y. was listed as missing in action during combat in North Korea on Nov. 28, 1950.
He went missing on Nov. 28, 1950, when his 25^th Infantry Division unit was attacked north of Pyongyang. Eleven months later, his cousin was killed in action. 

More than 65 years ago, the Army sent it back to the Mathers' home in Dunkirk, where Kubera's mother, Antoinette Mathers, refused to open it.
The foot locker belonged to her son Leonard, best known as "Jack," and Antoinette prayed he would come home and open it himself. For years, it stayed locked as a testament of faith.

USS West Virginia Sailor killed From World War II Accounted For
March 5, 2019

Navy Fireman 1st Class Angelo M. Gabriele, 21

Navy Fireman 1st Class Angelo M. Gabriele, 21, of Trenton, New Jersey, killed during World War II, was accounted for.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Gabriele was assigned to the battleship USS West Virginia, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS West Virginia sustained multiple torpedo hits, but timely counter-flooding measures taken by the crew prevented it from capsizing, and it came to rest on the shallow harbor floor. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 106 crewmen, including Gabriele. 

During efforts to salvage the USS West Virginia, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crewmen, representing at least 66 individuals. Those who could not be identified, including Gabriele, were interred as unknowns at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. 

From June through October 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, in cooperation with cemetery officials, disinterred 35 caskets, reported to be associated with the USS West Virginia, from the NMCP and transferred the remains to the laboratory for identification.

To identify Gabriele’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y-chromosome DNA (Y-STR) analysis. 

USS Oklahoma Sailor killed From World War II Accounted For
March 5, 2019

Navy Ensign Charles M. Stern, Jr., 26

Navy Ensign Charles M. Stern, Jr., 26 Navy Ensign Charles M. Stern, Jr., 26, of Albany, New York, killed during World War II, was accounted for.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Stern was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Stern. 

From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.

In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Stern.

In April 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a policy memorandum directing the disinterment of unknowns associated with the USS Oklahoma. On June 15, 2015, DPAA personnel began exhuming the remains from the Punchbowl for analysis.

To identify Stern’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used Y-chromosome DNA (Y-STR) analysis.

Navy Reserve Aviation Machinist’s Mate 1st Class John O. Morris, 22, of Seattle, killed during World War II, was accounted for.

In late 1943, Morris was a member of Carrier Aircraft Service Unit (CASU) 17. In November 1943, American units landed against stiff Japanese resistance on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll of the Gilbert Islands, in an attempt to secure the island. Over several days of intense fighting at Tarawa, approximately 1,000 Marines and Sailors were killed and more than 2,000 were wounded, but the Japanese were virtually annihilated. Following the battle, the majority of units withdrew from the island, leaving only the chaplains and a defense garrison, including a series of U.S. Navy Construction Battalion, Seabee, units. CASU 17 was among those stationed on the island.

On Dec. 16, 1943, Morris was killed during the test-firing of a machine gun. The weapon accidentally discharged, killing Morris. He was buried on the island, in Cemetery #33.

In the aftermath of the fighting on Tarawa, U.S. service members who died in the battle were buried in a number of battlefield cemeteries on the island. The 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio between 1946 and 1947, but Morris’ remains were not identified and he was declared non-recoverable.

In 2018, members of History Flight, Inc., a non-profit organization, uncovered a coffin burial in Cemetery #33 on Betio, and transferred the remains to DPAA.

To identify Morris’ remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.

Navy Seaman 1st Class Hale McKissack, 37, of Talpa, Texas, killed during World War II, was accounted for.

On Dec. 7, 1941, McKissack was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including McKissack. 

From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.

In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including McKissack.

In April 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a policy memorandum directing the disinterment of unknowns associated with the USS Oklahoma. On June 15, 2015, DPAA personnel began exhuming the remains from the Punchbowl for analysis.

To identify McKissack’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis. 

Army Master Sgt. Charlie J. Mares, 30, of Waelder, Texas, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for.

In July 1950, Mares was a member of Company C, 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, engaged in combat against the Korean People’s Army. Mares was reported missing in action following the battle, fought near Kwonbin-ni, South Korea, on July 31, 1950.

In May 1951, a set of remains located in the vicinity of where Mares was lost, arrived at the Central Identification Unit in Kokura, Japan. The remains, designated X-1273 Tanggok, could not be identified, and were transferred to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu, where they were buried as an Unknown.

In October 2018, DPAA disinterred Unknown X-1273 from the Punchbowl, and sent the remains to the laboratory for analysis.

To identify Mares’ remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological and chest radiograph comparison analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.

DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.

Army Sgt. Cread E. Shuey,  Arizona  killed during World War II, was accounted for.

On Dec. 8, 1941, Shuey was a member of Battery G, 60th Coast Artillery Regiment, serving in the Philippines, when Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands. Intense fighting continued until the surrender of the Bataan peninsula on April 9, 1942, and of the Corregidor Island on May 6, 1942. 

Thousands of U.S. and Filipino service members were taken prisoner and sent to prisoner of war camps. Shuey was among those reported captured after the surrender of Corregidor and held at the Cabanatuan POW camp.
More than 2,500 POWs perished in this camp during the remaining years of the war. 

DPAA is grateful to the American Battle Monuments Commission for their partnership in this mission.

Shuey’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission Site site along with others missing from WWII. Although interred as an "unknown" in Manila American Cemetery, Shuey’s grave was meticulously cared for over the past 70 years by the American Battle Monuments Commission. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

USS Oklahoma Sailor killed From World War II Accounted For
March 5, 2019

Navy Fire Controlman 3rd Class Victor P. Tumlinson, 18

Navy Fire Controlman 3rd Class Victor P. Tumlinson, 18, Willacy, Texas killed during the attack on the USS Oklahoma in World War II, was accounted for.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Tumlinson was assigned to the USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Tumlinson.

Fire Controlman Petty Officer Third Class Victor Patrick Tumlinson, who joined the U.S. Navy in Texas, was serving aboard the Oklahoma at the time of the Pearl Harbor attack. His remains could not be identified following the incident and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Petty Officer Tumlinson is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

In 2015, DPAA disinterred remains from the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu.

DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.

Tumlinson's name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from World War II. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Mr. Edward J. Weissenback, 29, of Richmond Hill, Queens, New York, killed during the Vietnam War, was accounted for.

On Dec. 27, 1971, Weissenback, an employee of Air America Incorporated, was a crewman aboard an Air America C-123K from Udorn Airfield, Kingdom of Thailand, headed for Xianghon District, Xaignabouli Province, Laos. The aircraft was on a routine resupply mission for U.S. Agency for International Development and was last heard from when they were northeast of Sayaboury. Laos. Search and rescue efforts were continued through Dec. 31, 1971, but no sign of the aircraft or the four crewmembers were found. Weissenback was subsequently reported missing. 

In October 1997, a Joint U.S./Lao People’s Democratic Republic (L.P.D.R.) team interviewed witnesses in Ban Donkeo, Houn District, Oudomxai Province. The individuals led the team to the crash site, approximately 400 meters north of the village. The team recovered various pieces of aircraft wreckage.

Edward accepting a job with Air America. He left for Laos two weeks after his wedding. He worked as an Air Freight Specialist (Kicker) until April 1969, when he returned to Redmond and smoke jumping for the summer. We then returned to SOC/SOU for each of us to finish up our last year of college. Edward jumped again at Redmond in 1970 and had a terrible accident when his parachute malfunctioned and he drifted into a large tree.

Subsequent field operations in December 2014 and May 2017 led investigators to additional witnesses and a possible burial site.

In October and November 2017, as well as July and August 2018, Joint U.S./L.P.D.R. recovery teams excavated the crash site, recovering possible human remains, personal effects, life support items and aircraft wreckage. The remains were accessioned to the DPAA laboratory for identification. On Sept. 25, 2018, the pilot, George L. Ritter, was accounted for. On Dec. 20, 2018, co-pilot Roy F. Townley was accounted for.

He spent the rest of that summer working at the base with a badly injured back, and he missed out on a great jump season.
Edward was recalled by Air America, got a doctor to sign off on his physical (taking the back brace off on his way into the doctor’s office), and we left for Laos in September 1970. Edward, unfortunately, became a civilian MIA when the plane on which he was working was shot down on December 27, 1971 over a section of northern Laos controlled by the Chinese, who were building a road across northern Laos near the Chinese border.

USS Oklahoma Sailor killed From World War II Accounted For
March 4, 2019

Navy Seaman 1st Class Oris V. Brandt, 20

Navy Seaman 1st Class Oris V. Brandt, 20, Indiana,  killed during the attack on the USS Oklahoma in World War II, was accounted for.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Brandt was assigned to the USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Brandt.

In 2015, DPAA disinterred remains from the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu.

DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.

Brandt's name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from World War II. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Civilian Killed  From Vietnam War Accounted For
March 4, 2019

Mr. Roy F. Townley, 52

 Mr. Roy F. Townley, 52, of Ontario, California, killed during the Vietnam War, was accounted for.

On Dec. 27, 1971, Townley, an employee of Air America Incorporated, was co-piloting an Air America C-123K from Udorn Airfield, Kingdom of Thailand, headed for Xianghon District, Xaignabouli Province, Laos. The aircraft was on a routine resupply mission for U.S. Agency for International Development and was last heard from when they were northeast of Sayaboury. Laos. Search and rescue efforts were continued through Dec. 31, 1971, but no sign of the aircraft or the four crewmembers were found. Townley was subsequently reported missing. 

In October 1997, a Joint U.S./Lao People’s Democratic Republic (L.P.D.R.) team interviewed witnesses in Ban Donkeo, Houn District, Oudomxai Province. The individuals led the team to the crash site, approximately 400 meters north of the village. The team recovered various pieces of aircraft wreckage.

Subsequent field operations in December 2014 and May 2017 led investigators to additional witnesses and a possible burial site.

In October and November 2017, as well as July and August 2018, Joint U.S./L.P.D.R. recovery teams excavated the crash site, recovering possible human remains, personal effects, life support items and aircraft wreckage. The remains were accessioned to the DPAA laboratory for identification. On Sept. 25, 2018, the pilot, George L. Ritter, was accounted for. On Dec. 20, 2018, crewman Edward J. Weissenback was accounted for.

To identify Townley’s remains, DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.

Civilian Killed  From Vietnam War Accounted For
March 1, 2019

Mr. George L. Ritter, 49

Mr. George L. Ritter, 49, of Philadelphia, killed during the Vietnam War, was accounted for.

On Dec. 27, 1971, Ritter, an employee of Air America Incorporated, was piloting an Air America C-123K from Udorn Airfield, Kingdom of Thailand, headed for Xianghon District, Xaignabouli Province, Laos. The aircraft was on a routine resupply mission for U.S. Agency for International Development and was last heard from when they were northeast of Sayaboury. Laos. Search and rescue efforts were continued through Dec. 31, 1971, but no sign of the aircraft or the four crewmembers were found. Ritter was subsequently reported missing.

In October 1997, a Joint U.S./Lao People’s Democratic Republic (L.P.D.R.) team interviewed witnesses in Ban Donkeo, Houn District, Oudomxai Province. The individuals led the team to the crash site, approximately 400 meters north of the village. The team recovered various pieces of aircraft wreckage.

Subsequent field operations in December 2014 and May 2017 led investigators to additional witnesses and a possible burial site.

In October and November 2017, as well as July and August 2018, Joint U.S./L.P.D.R. recovery teams excavated the crash site, recovering possible human remains, personal effects, life support items and aircraft wreckage. The remains were accessioned to the DPAA laboratory for identification. On Dec. 20, 2018, co-pilot Roy F. Townley and crewman Edward J. Weissenback were accounted for.

Townley and Weissenback were known to have been captured alive. Records state that a Pathet Lao communication was intercepted in August 1972 stating that they had downed and captured all the crew.

To identify Ritter’s remains, DPAA used dental analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.

Over 10,000 reports relating to Americans missing in Southeast Asia have been received by the U.S. Government since 1975. A Pentagon panel concluded in 1986 that there were at least 100 men still alive.

USS Oklahoma Sailor killed From World War II Accounted For
February 28, 2019

Navy Seaman 2nd Class David B. Edmonston, 22

Navy Seaman 2nd Class David B. Edmonston, 22, Portland, Oregon, killed during World War II, was accounted for.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Edmonston was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Edmonston.

From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.

In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Edmonston.

In April 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a policy memorandum directing the disinterment of unknowns associated with the USS Oklahoma. On June 15, 2015, DPAA personnel began exhuming the remains from the Punchbowl for analysis.

To identify Edmonston’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.

Navy Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Archie T. Miles, 22, of Elmwood, Illinois, killed during World War II, was accounted for.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Miles was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Miles. 

From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.

In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Miles.

In April 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a policy memorandum directing the disinterment of unknowns associated with the USS Oklahoma. On June 15, 2015, DPAA personnel began exhuming the remains from the Punchbowl for analysis.

To identify Miles’ remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis. 

Airmen killed From World War II Accounted For
February 25, 2019

Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Walter B. Stone,

Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Walter B. Stone, killed during World War II, was accounted for.

In October 1943, Stone served as a pilot in the 350th Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group, VIII U.S. Fighter Command. On Oct. 22, 1943, Stone was killed when his P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft crashed in northern France during a bomber escort mission. Because France was enemy-occupied territory at the time of the crash, search and recovery operations were not possible.

DPAA is grateful to the government of France, the University of Wisconsin, Mr. Jocelyn Leclercq and the Association Maurice Choron (now disbanded,) including Mr. Jean-Pierre Duriez, for their partnership in this mission.

Stone’s name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at the Ardennes American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Neupré, Belgium, along with the others missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Navy Reserve Seaman 2nd Class Ira N. Slaton, 22, of Albertville, Alabama, killed during World War II, was accounted for.

On July 24, 1944, Slaton was aboard the battleship USS Colorado, which was moored approximately 3,200 yards from the shore of Tinian Island, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Early in the morning, the USS Colorado, along with the light cruiser Cleveland and destroyers Remey and Norman Scott, commenced firing toward the island. Within two hours, a concealed Japanese shore battery opened fire on the USS Colorado and the USS Norman Scott. The first hit on the USS Colorado resulted in a heavy explosion, and the ship sustained extensive fragmentation damage. From the attack, four crewmen were declared missing in action, and 39 personnel were killed, including Slaton. Slaton and the other casualties were subsequently interred in the 4th Marine Division Cemetery on Saipan.

In February 1948, under the direction of the American Graves Registration Service’s 9105th Technical Service Unit, three battlefield cemeteries, including the 4th Marine Division Cemetery, were disinterred. While the majority of identifications that had been tentatively made following the attack were upheld, nine sets were reclassified as “unknown.” Of those, five were eventually identified and four were declared as unknown and were interred at the Manila American Memorial and Cemetery in the Philippines.

On Oct. 18, 2017, personnel from DPAA, in partnership with the American Battle Monuments Commission, exhumed Unknown X-76 from the Manila American Memorial and Cemetery and accessioned the remains to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.

To identify Slaton’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.

Soldier killed From World War II Accounted For
February 22, 2019

Army Pfc. Clifford M. Mills, 29

Army Pfc. Clifford M. Mills, 29, of Troy, Indiana, killed during World War II, was accounted for.

Pfc Clifford M Mills enlisted in Evansville, Indiana on 16 December 1942. In September 1944, Mills was a member of the 319th Glider Field Artillery Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, which participated in Operation Market Garden, the invasion of the German-occupied Netherlands. On Sept. 18, 1944, Mills was reported missing in action in the vicinity of Wyler and Zyfflich, Germany.

Because of enemy control of the area, an immediate search for Mills was not possible. After the war, the Army found no evidence that Mills had survived the landing or been captured.

Following the end of hostilities, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC), U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps, was tasked with investigating and recovering deceased and missing American personnel in the European Theater. During the course of these operations, units recovered thousands of unknown sets of remains. One set, designated Unknown X-2566 Neuville, was recovered from an isolated grave near a downed glider. The remains could not be identified and were subsequently buried as an Unknown at the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and Memorial in Hombourg, Belgium.

Following thorough analysis of military records and AGRC documentation by DPAA historians and scientists, which suggested a strong association between X-2566 Neuville and Mills, the remains were disinterred in June 2017 and sent to DPAA for analysis.

To identify Mills’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis, dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.

Airmen killed From World War II Accounted For
February 22, 2019

Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Burleigh E. Curtis, 22

Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Burleigh E. Curtis, 22, of Holliston, Massachusetts, killed during World War II, was accounted for.

On June 13, 1944, Curtis was a member of the 377th Fighter Squadron, 362nd Fighter Group, piloting a P-47D aircraft on a dive-bomb attack near Briouze, France, when his plane crashed. Witnesses reported that he was not seen bailing out of the aircraft prior to the crash. 

The following day, a French cabinet maker, Raphael Merriele, who witnessed the crash, located the crash site and reportedly buried what remains he could recover. 

In 1947, an American Graves Registration Command (AGRC) team traveled to Briouze to retrieve Curtis’ remains, however no remains were found. The AGRC investigator concluded that Curtis’ remains had been removed by a prior AGRC team and was likely identified.

By 1950, receiving no update on the remains or an identification, an AGRC team declared Curtis non-recoverable.

Between 2011 and 2012, the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office, DPMO (a predecessor to DPAA), contacted the mayor of St-Andre-de-Briouze and the Briouze chapter of the Association Normande de Souvenir Aerien, a major aircraft souvenir group, and conducted a number of investigations in the area where Curtis was believed to have been buried. 

In August and September 2017, under a partnership, History Flight, Inc., a nongovernmental organization, excavated the crash site, recovering Curtis’ identification tags, aircraft material, life support equipment, personal effects and possible osseous material. 

To identify Curtis’ remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as historical and material evidence.

Soldier Killed During the Korean War Accounted For
February 22, 2019

Army Capt. Rufus J. Hyman, 24

Army Capt. Rufus J. Hyman, 24, Shelby, Tennessee was killed during the Korean War, was accounted for.

In July 1950, Hyman was an infantry officer with Company A, 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, engaging in combat actions against the North Korean People’s Army in the vicinity of Kwonbin-ni, South Korea. Hyman was declared missing in action on July 30, 1950.

DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.

Hyman’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with the others who are missing from the Korean War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Soldier Killed During the Korean War Accounted For
February 14, 2019

Army Cpl. James C. Rix, 18

Army Cpl. James C. Rix, 18, Wheeler, Ga. was killed during the Korean War, was accounted for.

In November 1950, Rix was a member of Company E, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. He was killed in action on Nov. 30, 1950, during heavy fighting between the Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces (CPVF) and the 7th Cavalry Regiment in the vicinity of South Pyongan Province, North Korea. His remains were processed through a 7th Cavalry Regiment Collection Station on Dec. 1, 1950, and interred at the United Nations Military Cemetery (UNMC) Pyongyang, on Dec. 2, 1950.

DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.

Rix's name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with the others who are missing from the Korean War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Soldier Killed During the Korean War Accounted For
February 13, 2019

Army Sgt. George R. Schipani,

Army Sgt. George R. Schipani, Massachusetts was killed during the Korean War, was accounted for.

In late 1950, Schipani was a member of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, when his unit took part in the Battle of Unsan, North Korea. Early in the morning of Nov. 2, 1950, Schipani’s battalion was struck by enemy units of the Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces. After several days of intense fighting, survivors escaped to friendly lines. Schipani was reported missing in action as of Nov. 2, 1950. 

SGT Schipani was taken to Prisoner of War Camp 5 in Pyoktong, North Korea, where he died of dysentery in early 1951. He was reportedly buried on a hill across the river from Camp 5.

Following the conflict's ceasefire, the U.S. and North Korean governments participated in an exchange of war dead, known as Operation Glory. SGT Schipani's remains were returned as part of Operation Glory; however, they could not be identified at the time and were buried as unknowns at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. 

DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.

Schipani's name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with the others who are missing from the Korean War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

USS Oklahoma Sailor killed From World War II Accounted For
February 12, 2019

Navy Seaman 1st Class Kenneth H. Sampson, 20

Navy Seaman 1st Class Kenneth H. Sampson, 20, of Kansas City, Missouri, killed during World War II, was accounted for.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Sampson was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Sampson.

From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.

In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Sampson.

In April 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a policy memorandum directing the disinterment of unknowns associated with the USS Oklahoma. On June 15, 2015, DPAA personnel began exhuming the remains from the Punchbowl for analysis.

To identify Sampson’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA) and autosomal (auSTR) DNA analysis, dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.

USS Oklahoma Sailor killed From World War II Accounted For
February 12, 2019

Seaman 1st Class John A. Karli, 19

Seaman 1st Class John A. Karli, 19, of San Marino, California, killed during World War II, was accounted for.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Karli was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Karli.

From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.

In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Karli.

In April 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a policy memorandum directing the disinterment of unknowns associated with the USS Oklahoma. On June 15, 2015, DPAA personnel began exhuming the remains from the Punchbowl for analysis.

To identify Karli’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis, dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence.

USS Oklahoma Sailor killed From World War II Accounted For
February 11, 2019

Navy Fire Controlman 1st Class Edward J. Shelden, 29

Navy Fire Controlman 1st Class Edward J. Shelden, 29, of Indianapolis, killed during World War II, was accounted for.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Shelden was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Shelden.

From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.

In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Shelden.

In April 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a policy memorandum directing the disinterment of unknowns associated with the USS Oklahoma. On June 15, 2015, DPAA personnel began exhuming the remains from the Punchbowl for analysis.

To identify Shelden’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis, dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence.

Soldier Killed During the Korean War Accounted For
February 8, 2019

Army Pvt. Winfred L. Reynolds, 20,

Army Pvt. Winfred L. Reynolds, 20, of High Point, North Carolina, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for.

In April 1951, Reynolds was a member of Medical Company, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, and attached to 2nd Platoon, Company C, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, near Hwach’on Reservoir, South Korea.
He was killed on April 26, 1951, while caring for wounded Soldiers. Because of ongoing fighting in the area, Reynolds’ remains were unable to be recovered.

In 2017, the Ministry of National Defense Agency for Killed in Action Recovery and Identification (MAKRI), a South Korean organization with the same mission as DPAA searched in the vicinity of where Reynolds was killed and recovered possible osseous material. The remains were accessioned into the MAKRI laboratory, where it was determined the remains were likely of European decent. They were subsequently sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.

To identify Reynolds’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis, anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.

Soldier Killed During the Korean War Accounted For
February 8, 2019

Army Master Sgt. Charlie J. Mares, 31

Army Master Sgt. Charlie J. Mares, 31, Fayette, Texas killed during the Korean War, was accounted for.

In July 1951, Mares was a member of Company C, 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, engaged in combat against the Korean People’s Army. Mares was reported missing in action following the battle,
fought near Kwonbin-ni, South Korea, on July 31, 1951.

For his leadership and valor, Master Sergeant Mares was awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman Badge the National Defense Service Medal, the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.

DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.

Mares' name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with the others who are missing from the Korean War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Soldier Killed During the Korean War Accounted For
February 8, 2019

Army Cpl. Carlos E. Ferguson,

Army Cpl. Carlos E. Ferguson, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for.

In May 1951, Ferguson was a member of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, engaged in combat against the North Korean People’s Army and the Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces. The battle, fought near Kangye, South Korea, from May 16-20, was named the “Battle of the Soyang River.” Ferguson was reported missing in action on May 18, 1951.

DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.

Ferguson’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with the others who are missing from the Korean War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

USS Oklahoma Marine killed From World War II Accounted For
February 7, 2019

Marine Corps Pvt. Waldean Black, 20

Marine Corps Pvt. Waldean Black, 20, Spearman, Hansford County, Texas, killed during the attack on the USS Oklahoma in World War II, was accounted for.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Black was assigned to the USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Black.

In 2015, DPAA disinterred remains from the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu.

DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.

Black's name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from World War II. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Pilot From World War II Accounted For
February 1, 2019

Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Lynn W. Hadfield, 26

Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Lynn W. Hadfield, 26, of Salt Lake City, killed during World War II, was accounted for.

On March 21, 1945, Hadfield was a member of the 642nd Bombardment Squadron, 409th Bombardment Group, 9th Bombardment Division, 9th Air Force, piloting an A-26B, when his aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire and went missing during a combat mission from Couvron, France to Dülmen, Germany. Hadfield, and his two crewmen, Sgt. Vernon Hamilton and Sgt. John Kalausich, had been participating in the interdiction campaign to obstruct German troop movements in preparation for the Allied crossing of the Rhine River on March 23, 1945. 

After the war, the American Graves Registration Command extensively searched the area where the aircraft was believed to have crashed, however no crash sites could be positively matched with Hadfield’s aircraft.

In June 2016, a German researcher, Adolph Hagedorn, who had previously collaborated with the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, JPAC (a predecessor to DPAA,) contacted DPAA historians regarding a crash site he had found in Hülsten-Reken, Germany, that could possibly be linked to Hadfield’s aircraft. In September 2016, Hagedorn led DPAA to the crash site in a horse paddock, where the aircraft matched the description of Hadfield’s.

In November and December 2016, under a partnership, History Flight, Inc., a nongovernmental organization, excavated the crash site, recovering aircraft material, life support equipment, personal effects and possible osseous material. 

To identify Hadfield’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis, anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.

USS Oklahoma Sailor killed From World War II Accounted For
February 1, 2019

Marine Corps Reserve Pvt. Ted Hall, 23

Marine Corps Reserve Pvt. Ted Hall, 23, Kansas City, Kansas killed during the attack on the USS Oklahoma in World War II, was accounted for.

Ted Hall awoke hungry, as usual, on December 7. No matter how bad the food was, he never missed a meal, said Lowery, whose own opinion was that sometimes I didn't feel the food was worth it. Hall gave Lowery a couple of shakes, asking about breakfast, but Lowery was only vaguely aware of his friend's presence. I didn't even open my eyes, he said, and drifted back to sleep as Hall went down to the galley. Suddenly, everything was shaking. There was a loud noise. Somebody said we were having practice bombing. The first reactions were some expletives of profanity. The call to battle stations and the shuddering impact of the first of nine torpedoes convinced the Marines that this was no drill. Lowery and the rest of the men in the Marine compartment scattered to their battle stations; few made it, and many were never seen again. Much later, Lowery learned that his decision to sleep in had probably saved his life. Ted went down to breakfast that morning, he said. I was told he was down there when one of the torpedoes hit and one of the gear lockers turned over on him. He was crushed.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Hall was assigned to the USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Hall.

In 2015, DPAA disinterred remains from the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu.

DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.

Interment services are pending; more details will be released 7-10 days prior to scheduled funeral services.

Hall's name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from World War II. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

USS Oklahoma Sailor killed From World War II Accounted For
January 31, 2019

Navy Seaman 1st Class Frank A. Hryniewicz, 25

Navy Seaman 1st Class Frank A. Hryniewicz, 25, Pioche, Nevada  was killed during World War II, was accounted for.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Hryniewicz was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Hryniewicz . 

DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this recovery.

Hryniewicz' name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Navy Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Eugene K. Eberhardt., 29

Navy Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Eugene K. Eberhardt., 29, of Newark, New Jersey, killed during World War II, was accounted for.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Eberhardt was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Eberhardt.

From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.

In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Eberhardt.

In April 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a policy memorandum directing the disinterment of unknowns associated with the USS Oklahoma. On June 15, 2015, DPAA personnel began exhuming the remains from the Punchbowl for analysis.

To identify Eberhardt’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA) and Y-chromosome (Y-STR) DNA analysis, as well as anthropological analysis and circumstantial evidence.

Army Pvt. Winfred L. Reynolds, High Point, N.C. was killed during the Korean War, was accounted for.

In April 1951, Reynolds was a member of Medical Company, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, and attached to 2nd Platoon, Company C, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, near Hwach’on Reservoir, South Korea.

He was killed on April 26, 1951, while caring for wounded Soldiers. Because of ongoing fighting in the area, Reynolds’ remains could not be recovered.

DPAA is grateful to the South Korean Government and the Ministry of National Defense Agency for Killed in Action Recovery and Identification for their partnership in this mission.

Reynolds' name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with the others who are missing from the Korean War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

USS Oklahoma Sailor killed From World War II Accounted For
January 24, 2019

Baker 2nd Class David L. Kesler, 22

Baker 2nd Class David L. Kesler, 22, North Platte , Nebraska was killed during World War II, was accounted for.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Kesler was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Kesler. 

DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this recovery.

Kesler's name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Soldier From World War II Accounted For
January 22, 2019

Army Pvt. Floyd A. Fulmer, 20

Army Pvt. Floyd A. Fulmer, 20, of Newberry, South Carolina, killed during World War II, was accounted for.

In November 1944, Fulmer was a member of Company A, 1st Battalion, 110th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on Nov. 14, 1944, after fierce combat in the Raffelsbrand sector of the Hürtgen Forest, near the village of Simonskall, in Germany. Due to ongoing combat operations and extensive land mines throughout the forest American forces were unable to search for him. When the war ended, Fulmer was among more than two dozen Soldiers still missing in the Raffelsbrand sector. On Nov. 15, 1945, the War Department declared him deceased.

After the war, the American Graves Registration Command extensively searched the Hürtgen Forest for Fulmer’s remains. Unable to make a correlation with any remains found in the area, he was declared non-recoverable.

In April 1947, following demining operations, a set of remains was recovered from the Raffelsbrand sector of the Hürtgen Forest. The remains were sent to the central processing point at Neuville, Belgium. They were unable to be identified, were designated X-5460, and buried at Neuville American Cemetery.

Based upon the original recovery location of X-5460, a DPAA historian determined that there was a likely association between the remains and Fulmer. In April 2018, the Department of Defense and American Battle Monuments Commission disinterred X-5460 and accessioned the remains to the DPAA laboratory for identification.

To identify Fulmer’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis, dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.

Soldier Killed During the Korean War Accounted For
January 18, 2019

Army Sgt. Frank J. Suliman

Army Sgt. Frank J. Suliman, Middlesex, N.J.  killed during the Korean War, was accounted for.

In late 1950, Suliman was a member of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, fighting against members of the Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces (CPVF) in North Korea. On Dec. 1, 1950, the convoy of trucks Suliman was riding in was halted by a roadblock south of Kunuri, North Korea, and the Soldiers were commanded to abandon the vehicles and attempt to get through the road block on foot.

Fellow Soldiers reported that Suliman was captured and taken to the CPVF prisoner of war camp at Pukchin-Tarigol, North Korea, where he reportedly died in March 1951.

On July 27, 2018, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) turned over 55 boxes, purported to contain the remains of U.S. servicemen killed during the Korean War. The remains arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii on Aug. 1, 2018, and were subsequently accessioned into the DPAA laboratory for analysis.

DPAA remains fully prepared to resume recovery operations in the DPRK, and looks forward to the continued fulfillment of the commitment made by President Donald Trump and Chairman Kim Jong-un on the return and recovery of U.S. servicemen in North Korea.

Suliman’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with the others who are missing from the Korean War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Airmen From World War II Accounted For
January 16, 2019

Army Air Forces Sgt. John Kalausich,

Army Air Forces Sgt. John Kalausich, Greensboro, North Carolina was killed during World War II, was accounted for.

On March 21, 1945, Kalausich was a member of the 642nd Bombardment Squadron, 409th Bombardment Group, 9th Bombardment Division, 9th Air Force, aboard an A-26B, when his aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire and went missing during a combat mission from Couvron, France to Dülmen, Germany. Kalausich, his pilot, 2nd Lt. Lynn W. Hadfield, and the other crewman, Sgt. Vernon Hamilton, had been participating in the interdiction campaign to obstruct German troop movements in preparation for the Allied crossing of the Rhine River on March 23, 1945. 

DPAA is grateful to Mr. Hagedorn, the government of Germany and History Flight, Inc., for their partnership in this mission.

Kalausich’s name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at the Netherlands American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Margraten, Netherlands, along with the others missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Naval Reserve Lt. Richard C. Lannom, 27, of Union City, Tennessee, killed during the Vietnam War, was accounted for.

On March 1, 1968, Lannom, a bombardier-navigator assigned to Attack Squadron Three Five (ATKRON 35), USS Enterprise (CVA-65), was on board an A-6A aircraft on a night strike mission over Quang Ninh Province of North Vietnam. Radar contact with the aircraft was lost due to the low altitude of the aircraft, and the pilot had been instructed to turn his identification beeper off. The flight path to the target was over islands known to have light anti-aircraft artillery. When the aircraft failed to return to the carrier, a search and rescue effort was mounted. No evidence of the plane could be found. Lannom and his pilot were subsequently declared missing in action. 

In August and September 2006, a Vietnamese Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP) team interviewed three wartime residents concerning a crash site. One witness, reported traveling to the crash site on the top of a mountain in Na San Hamlet several times, finding a pilot’s helmet.

During a JFA in 2007, a witness stated that in 1968, he heard an explosion while he was sleeping. He went outside and observed an aircraft crash and explode on impact. He later observed scattered aircraft wreckage and personal effects. 

Between October and December 2017, a VNOSMP Unilateral Team excavated a crash site below the peak of a steep mountain on the southwestern peninsula of Tra Ban Island. The team recovered possible osseous material, as well as material evidence and aircraft wreckage. 

To identify Lannom’s remains, DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis as well as circumstantial and material evidence.

USS Oklahoma Sailor killed From World War II Accounted For
January 11, 2019

Navy Fireman 1st Class Grant C. Cook, Jr., 20

Navy Fireman 1st Class Grant C. Cook, Jr., 20, of Cozad, Nebraska, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Aug. 27, 2018.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Cook was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Cook. 

From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.

In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Cook.

In April 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a policy memorandum directing the disinterment of unknowns associated with the USS Oklahoma. On June 15, 2015, DPAA personnel began exhuming the remains from the Punchbowl for analysis.

To identify Cook’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis, anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence. 

Navy Chief Pharmacist’s Mate James T. Cheshire, 40, of San Diego, killed during World War II, was accounted for.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Cheshire was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Cheshire. 

From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.

In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Cheshire.

In April 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a policy memorandum directing the disinterment of unknowns associated with the USS Oklahoma. On June 15, 2015, DPAA personnel began exhuming the remains from the Punchbowl for analysis.

To identify Cheshire’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis, anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence.

Navy Chief Warrant Officer John A. Austin, 36, of Warrior, Alabama, killed during World War II, was accounted for.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Austin was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Austin. 

From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.

In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Austin.

In April 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a policy memorandum directing the disinterment of unknowns associated with the USS Oklahoma. On June 15, 2015, DPAA personnel began exhuming the remains from the Punchbowl for analysis.

To identify Austin’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis, dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence. 

Soldier Killed During the Korean War Accounted For
January 3, 2019

Army Pfc. James C. Williams,

Army Pfc. James C. Williams, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for.

On July 20, 1950, Williams was a member of Medical Company, 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, when he was killed in action near Taejon, South Korea. Multiple eye witnesses stated that shortly after Williams had been sent to collect wounded Soldiers with a litter jeep, he was killed while trying to transport patients from the Taejon Air Strip. Fellow Soldiers returned Williams’ remains to the collection point, however after his death, the 34th Infantry Regiment’s Medical Company was ordered to withdraw, and his remains were left behind. 

DPAA is grateful to Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.

Williams' name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with the others who are missing from the Korean War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

USS Oklahoma Sailor killed From World War II Accounted For
January 3, 2019

Navy Steward 2nd Class Felicismo Florese,

Navy Steward 2nd Class Felicismo Florese, from Nabua, Camarines, Philippine Islands was killed during World War II, was accounted for.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Florese was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Florese. 

DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this recovery.

Florese's name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Today there are 1,592 American servicemen and civilians that are still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.

POW/MIA's from 2018

Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Burleigh E. Curtis, 22, Medfield, Maine killed during World War II, was accounted for.

On June 13, 1944, Curtis was a member of the 377th Fighter Squadron, 362nd Fighter Group, piloting a P-47D aircraft on a dive-bomb attack near Briouze, France, when his plane crashed. Witnesses reported that he was not seen bailing out of the aircraft prior to the crash. 

DPAA is grateful to Mr. Raphael Merriele, Mr. Paul Hardy, Mr. Engelbert Serpin, Mr. Jacques Paris, Mr. Jean Claude Clouet, Mr. Raymond Prod’homme, the French government and History Flight, Inc., for their partnerships in this mission.

Curtis’ name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at the Brittany American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Montjoie Saint Martin, France, along with the others missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Soldier Killed During the Korean War Accounted For
December 20, 2018

Army Cpl. John G. Krebs, 19

Army Cpl. John G. Krebs, 19, Sterling IL. killed during the Korean War, was accounted for.

On July 11, 1950, Krebs was a member of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, engaged in combat operations against the North Korean People’s Army south of Chonui, South Korea, when he was declared missing in action.

DPAA is grateful to Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.

Krebs’ name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with the others who are missing from the Korean War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.