Rolling Thunder®Inc. Michigan Chapter 5
P.O. BOX 305
HARTLAND, MICHIGAN 48353
(810)-632-6860
Meetings are the second Sunday of each month, 10am
Click
Here to Enter the
Members Only Area
Officers
President: Lou Scott.Jr. (10)
Vice President: Elaine Levin (11)
Treasurer: John Mazurkiewicz (11)
Secretary: Magi Newman (10)
Chairman of the Board: Laurie Gamble (11)
Board Members
Hershel Killebrew (11)
L. Jim Marinelli (11)
Jim Hoskins (10)
Keith Brockette (10)
Jeff Thomas (11)
Mike Omstead (11)
Don Churches (10)
Membership Chairperson: Randy Galbraith & Magi Newman
Products: Jim Marinelli
Jr. Membership: OPEN
Chaplain's Corner
Please let the chaplain know if there's anything he can do for you.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR MEMBERS
FOR ALL
THEIR HARD WORK TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR MEMBERS THAT MADE
THIS POSSIBLE.
IT WAS GREAT TO BE ABLE TO ACCEPT THIS AWARD FOR OUR CHAPTER
AND TO KNOW THAT OUR COMMUNITY THANKS
US FOR EVERYTHING WE DO.
POW's Prayer
By Jean Ray and L. Vancil
Father,
Your own Son was a prisoner.
Condemned, he died for us.
Victorious, He returned to bring us the gift of life everlasting.
Comfort us now in our longing for the return of the Prisoners Of War and those
Missing In Action.
Help Us Father;
Inspire us to remove the obstacles.
Give courage to those who know the truth to speak out.
Grant wisdom to the negotiators, and compassion to the jailors.
Inspire the media to speak out as loudly as they have in the past.
Protect those who seek in secret and help them to succeed.
Show us the tools to do Your will.
Guard and bless those in captivity, their families, and those who work for their
release.
Let them come home soon.
Thank you Father.
Amen.
Take what they have left
and what they have
with their dying and keep it with
And in that time when men decide
take one
Major
Michael O’Donnell,
January 1,
1970 Dak To,
History of the League's POW/MIA Flag
The POW/MIA Flag
Prisoners of War, soldiers captured by enemy soldiers during times of war, are casualties that can all too often be easy to forget. You can't ignore the image of crosses lined in neat rows at Arlington, and other National cemeteries, that remind us of the high cost of freedom. In any gathering of veterans, the scars of war wounds and evidence of missing limbs quickly reminds us of the sacrifice of those who have fought for freedom. It is impossible to forget those Killed in Action (KIA) or Wounded In Action (WIA) because the evidence of their sacrifice is ever before us.
Sadly, the same can not be said for those who are Missing In Action or who may have been taken prisoner by the enemy and never repatriated. Since World War I more than 200,000 Americans have been listed as Prisoners of War or Missing in Action. Less than half of them were returned at the end of hostilities, leaving more than 125,000 American servicemen Missing In Action since the beginning of World War I.
During the 14-years of American involvement in Southeast Asia, and specifically the Vietnam War, more than 2,500 Americans were captured or listed as missing in action. The politics of our Nation's most unpopular war could have eclipsed the fate of these dedicated soldiers, were it not for the NATIONAL LEAGUE OF FAMILIES. As the spouses, children, parents and other family members of soldiers missing in Southeast Asia banded together to keep the plight of their loved ones before the American conscience, the organization grew in strength and influence that reached all the way into the White House. Through the League the missing and the imprisoned servicemen had a voice, but by 1971 something more was needed. Mrs. Michael Hoff, whose husband was among the missing, believed that what the cause lacked was a standard....a flag to remind more fortunate families of those who were still unaccounted for.
It was during this period of time that the People's Republic of China was admitted to the United Nations. Annin & Company was one of the largest manufacturers of flags in the world, and made it their policy to provide flags for each member of that organization. One day, while reading an article in the Jacksonville, Florida Times-Union about this matter, Mrs. Hoff decided to contact Annin's Vice President Norman Rivkees about providing a flag for soldiers captured or missing. Mr. Rivkees quickly adopted the idea, and turned to one of their advertising agencies to consider drafting a design.
Newt Heisley
Newt Heisley was a pilot during World War II, a dangerous
role that accounts for many war-time POWs and MIAs. Years after the
war he had come to New York looking for work. "It took me four days
to find a bad job at low pay," he later said of his introduction to
"Big Apple" advertising agencies. But, by working hard, by 1971 he
had gradually moved upward in the industry, eventually working for
an agency with many nation As a veteran, the call for a flag designed to raise awareness of our Nation's POW/MIAs was a personal challenge. It was even more challenging when he considered that his oldest son Jeffrey was, during these Vietnam War years, training for combat with the United States Marines at Quantico, Virginia. As he pondered this new challenge a series of events set in motion the ideas that would create a flag unlike anything since the days of Betsy Ross. First, Jeffery became very ill while training for combat. The illness, diagnosed as hepatitis, ravaged his body emaciating his face and structure. When he returned home, medically discharged and unable to continue further, his father looked in horror at what had once been a strong, young man. Then, as Newt Heisley looked closer at his son's gaunt features, he began to imagine what life must be like for those behind barbed wire fences on foreign shores. Slowly he began to sketch the profile of his son, working in pencil to create a black and white silhouette, as the new flag's design was created in his mind. Barbed wire, a tower, and most prominently the visage of a gaunt young man became the initial proposal. Newt Heisley's black and white pencil sketch was one of several designs considered for the new POW/MIA flag. Newt planned, should his design be accepted, to add color at a later date...perhaps a deep purple and white. "In the advertising industry, you do everything in black and white first, then add the color," he says. Mr. Heisley's proposal for the new flag was unique. Rarely does a flag prominently display the likeness of a person. None-the-less, it was the design featuring the gaunt silhouette of his son Jeffrey that was accepted and, before Mr. Heisly could return to refine his proposal and add the colors he had planned, the black and white flags were already being printed in quantity by Annon & Company. (Though the POW/MIA flag has been produced in other colors, often in red and white, the black and white design became the most commonly used version.) The design for the MIA/POW flag was never copyrighted. It became a flag that belongs to everyone, a design that hauntingly reminds us of those we dare not ever forget. Behind the black and white silhouette is a face we can't see...the face of a husband, a father, or a son who has paid with their freedom, for our freedom. Beneath the image are the words.... You Are Not Forgotten |
Today Newt Heisley and his family, including Jeffrey, live in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Few people know the story behind the flag he designed, which is well enough for Newt. What is important for Mr. Heisley is not that he had the rare opportunity to create something powerful and timeless....that in his own sense he is a modern "Betsy Ross". What is important to Newt is that the image he created years ago as the result of the tragedy that befell his own son, continue to remind us of the real tragedy faced daily by those who have served, been left behind, but are not forgotten.
On August 10, 1990, the 101st Congress passed U.S. Public Law
101-355, which recognized the League’s POW/MIA flag and designated it "as
the symbol of our Nation’s concern and commitment to resolving as fully as
possible the fates of Americans still prisoner, missing and unaccounted for in
Southeast Asia, thus ending the uncertainty for their families and the
Nation".
The importance of the League’s POW/MIA flag lies in its continued visibility, a constant reminder of the plight of America’s POW/MIAs. Other than "Old Glory", the League’s POW/MIA flag is the only flag ever to fly over the White House, having been displayed in this place of honor on National POW/MIA Recognition Day since 1982. Passage by the 105th Congress of Section 1082 of the 1998 Defense Authorization Act requires that the League’s POW/MIA flag fly six days each year: Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, National POW/MIA Recognition Day and Veterans Day. It must be displayed at the White House, the U.S. Capitol, the Departments of State, Defense and Veterans Affairs, headquarters of the Selective Service System, major military installations as designated by the Secretary of the Defense, all Federal cemeteries and all offices of the U.S. Postal Service. By law passed in 2002, it must fly year-round at the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial and the World War II Memorial.
RELATED ARTICLE
|
Evelyn Fowler Grubb was not well known by the
general public when she died December 28th at her home in Melbourne,
Fl at the age of 74.
In January 1966, Grubb's husband, Air Force
Capt. Wilmer Newlin "Nerk" Grubb was shot down over North
Vietnam.
Grubb became frustrated with trying to get
information on her husband and learned other wives were also having
difficulty getting information on their missing husbands.
The result was the formation of the National
League of POW/MIA
Families. In 1971 and 1972, she served as National Coordinator for the
organization and played a part in creating the well - known POW/MIA
"You Are Not Forgotten" black and white flag
Grubb demonstrated that one individual with
passion and determination can make a difference. Thousands of families
will forever be grateful for her efforts.
(Op-Ed Piece from the Stuart News, Stuart, Florida, a Scripps Howard Treasure Coast Newspaper) |
|
History of the Missing Man Table
The table is round - to
show our everlasting concern for our men still missing.
The cloth is white - symbolizing the purity of their motives when
answering the call to duty.
The single red rose, displayed in a vase,
reminds us of the life of each of the missing, and their loved ones and friends
who keep the faith, awaiting answers.
The vase is tied with a red ribbon, symbol
of our continued determination to account for our missing.
A slice of lemon on the bread plate is to remind us of the bitter fate of
those captured and missing in a foreign land.
A pinch of salt symbolizes the tears endured
by those missing and their families who seek answers.
The Bible represents the strength gained
through faith to sustain those lost from our country, founded as one nation
under God.
The glass is inverted - to symbolize their inability to share this
evening's toast.
The chairs are empty - they are missing.
Let us now raise our water glasses in a
toast to honor
America's POW/MIA's and to the
success of our efforts to account for them.
Rolling Thunder®
was presented this award (minute man) because we were
nominated by the 1462nd National Guards from Howell.
We want to thank the Howell National Guard for their nomination.
Minuteman Award Presented to Rolling Thunder®
Chapter #5.
With the following words:
"Behind our mobilization there stands
an organization that went out of it's way to ensure
that our soldiers were looked after, and for that we wish to publicly
acknowledge our
sincere gratitude to Rolling Thunder® of the Brighton American Spirit Certre for
their outstanding support by acknowledging them as an Outstanding Center of
Influence."
Please accept this prestigious 17" Minuteman statue as our
"Outstanding Center of Influence."
SCHEDULED EVENTS for 2010**
*MAY 9th. MEMBERSHIP MEETING 10am.
*MAY 9th. V.A. HOSPITAL VISIT AFTER MEETING.
*MAY 15th. 7th ANNUAL “RIDE TO REMEMBER” TO HOWELL.
MAY 22-23rd. TRADITIONAL POW-WOW BRIGHTON REC. AREA.
*MAY 26th-31st XXIII RUN TO THE WALL IN WASHINGTON D.C.
*JUNE 6th. MEMBERSHIP MEETING 2pm. (DAY & TIME CHANGE)
*JUNE 6th. V.A. HOSPITAL VISIT AFTER MEETING. (DAY CHANGE)
*JUNE 16th-20th. 4th. ANNUAL HAMBURG FAMILY FUN FEST & POKER RUN.
JULY 3rd. "LZ" IN GRAND RAPIDS.
*JULY
4th. BRIGHTON PARADE.
JULY 10th 4th ANNUAL L.T.B.F. FUND RAISER.
*JULY 7-14th MOVING WALL IN HAMBURG.
*JULY 17th INJURED SOLDIER POKER RUN from LYON TWP. PARK.
*JULY 18th. MEMBERSHIP MEETING 10am. (DAY CHANGE)
*JULY 18th. V.A. HOSPITAL VISIT AFTER MEETING. (DAY CHANGE)
JULY 31st. 6th. MOTOR CITY WOUNDED AMERICAN RUN.
*AUGUST 7th. VVA-310 3rd ANNUAL CAR & BIKE SHOW.
*AUGUST 8th. MEMBERSHIP MEETING 10am.
*AUGUST 8th.
V.A. HOSPITAL VISIT AFTER MEETING.
AUGUST 12-15th CHEBOYGAN FUND RAISER.
*SEPTEMBER 12th. MEMBERSHIP MEETING 10am.
*SEPTEMBER 12th. V.A. HOSPITAL VISIT AFTER MEETING.
*SEPTEMBER 17th. “MISSING MAN TABLE” at GRAND COURT NOVI.
*SEPTEMBER 17th. 32nd ANNUAL POW/MIA CEREMONY @ OAKLAND HILLS.
*SEPTEMBER 18th. STATE POW/MIA “GUNNER RUN” TO LANSING.
*OCTOBER 10th. MEMBERSHIP MEETING 10am.
*OCTOBER 10th. V.A. HOSPITAL VISIT AFTER MEETING.
*OCTOBER 29th VVA-310 V.A. HOSPITAL HALLOWEEN PARTY 5:30pm.
*OCTOBER 30th ANNUAL SPAGHETTI DINNER & RAFFLE FUND RAISER.
*NOVEMBER ? BRIGHTON’S VETERANS DAY PARADE.
NOVEMBER 4-7th NATIONAL CONVENTION IN D.C.
NOVEMBER 11th BRIGHTON’S CEMETERY VETERANS SERVICE.
*NOVEMBER 14th. MEMBERSHIP MEETING 10am.
*NOVEMBER 14th. V.A. HOSPITAL VISIT AFTER MEETING.
*NOVEMBER 26th. HOWELL FANTASY OF LIGHTS PARADE.
*DECEMBER 4th. FOWLERVILLE CHRISTMAS PARADE.
*DECEMBER 11th WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA.
*DECEMBER 12th. MEMBERSHIP MEETING 10am.
*DECEMBER 12th. DET. VETERANS HOMELESS SHELTER VISIT AFTER MEETING.
*DECEMBER 21st VVA-310 V.A. HOSPITAL CHRISTMAS PARTY 6pm.
(*)= SANCTION EVENT FOR CREDIT.
(S.W.)= SANCTION EVENT FOR CREDIT IF WORKED.
PLEASE NOTE ALL OF THESE
DATES ON YOUR CALENDAR. IF YOU WOULD
LIKE TO HELP OUT
AT ANY OF THESE EVENTS, PLEASE CONTACT THE
CHAIRPERSON OF THE EVENT.
TO MAKE ANY EVENT A SUCCESS WE ARE
GOING TO NEED ALL OF OUR MEMBERS
TO HELP IN SOME WAY.
REMEMBER
THIS IS YOUR CHAPTER TOO.
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT WE NEED TO DO THESE
EVENTS TO RAISE THE FUNDS
TO HELP OUR
VETERANS AND FAMILIES. THAT'S WHY WERE HERE.
"Thank
You"
POW / MIA FLAG RAISING CEREMONY
SCHEDULE IN 2006
1.) HARTLAND
INSURANCE AGENCY (DONE)
2532 OLD US-23 (1
MILE NORTH OF M-59)
IN HARTLAND
2.)
LLOYD
MILLER
& SONS
NEW
HOLLAND
TRACTOR
DEALER (DONE)
Off I-96 & Fowlerville Rd. Exit-129
In
Fowlerville.
(Thank you Tony Trendel)
3.) THE
BRIDGEWATER
BANK RESTAURANT
&
TAVERN
8452 BOETTNER RD. (@ AUSTIN RD.)
In BRIDGEWATER. (5 MILES WEST OF SALINE)
(Thank You Dave
Hizer)
4.) NEW
HORIZONS R.V.
CENTER (DONE)
4272 N. LINDEN RD. @ PERSON RD.
IN FLINT.
(Thanks
"Killer")
5.) CLEARY'S
RESTAURANT &
PUB (DONE)
117 E. GRAND RIVER
IN HOWELL.
(Thanks Jim
Lemke, INSIDE)
6.) HOWELL
MASONIC TEMPLE (DONE)
GRAND RIVER WEST OF MICHIGAN AVE.
IN HOWELL.
(Thanks Jay
Brick)
7.) TRINITY
FREE WILL
BAPTIST
CHURCH (DONE)
(Thanks to Dave
Hizer,
INSIDE)
8.) NORTHFIELD ROAD HOUSE
US-23 @ WHITMORE LAKE RD.
(FLAG REPLACEMENT)
9.) FOOTE TRACTOR INC.
(DONE)
4881 W. GRAND RIVER AVE
IN HOWELL
(Thanks Tony Trendel)
10.) VIKING SALES INC.
(DONE)
169 SUMMIT ST.
IN BRIGHTON
(Thanks Ron Rice)
11.)
GATESMAN & SPICKARD
LAW OFFICE
(DONE)
1360 W. GRAND RIVER AVE.
IN HOWELL
(Thanks Tony Trendel)
12.) BRIGHTON
HARLEY-DAVIDSON
IN BRIGHTON
(FLAG REPLACEMENT)
13.) LUCKY'S
PUB (DONE)
119 N. GRAND RIVER AVE.
FOWLERVILLE
(Thanks Tony Trendel, INSIDE)
14.) CARPET CENTER &
FLOORS
(DONE)
3500 E. GRAND RIVER AVE.
HOWELL
(Thanks Tony Trendel)
15.) GENOA
TOWNSHIP HALL
2911 DORR ROAD
BRIGHTON
(FLAG REPLACEMENT)
16.) HOLMES CHIROPRACTIC CENTER
(DONE)
4350 S. OLD-23
BRIGHTON
(Thanks Tony Trendel)
17.) VAL'S SERVICE
STATION (DONE)
11065 WHITMORE LK RD.
WHITMORE LAKE
(Thanks Sue Divine)
18.) HARTLAND POST
OFFICE
(DONE)
HARTLAND
19.) HAMBURG
PUB (DONE)
10668 HAMBURG RD.
HAMBURG TWP.
(Thanks Bill Lusk)
20.) CEDAR CLOSET
STORAGE
5670 E. GRAND RIVER AVE.
HOWELL
(Thanks Jim Lemke)
SCHEDULE IN 2007
IN BRIGHTON
(FLAG REPLACEMENT)
4272 N. LINDEN RD. @ PERSON RD.
IN FLINT.
3.) RED DOG
SALOON (DONE)
250 W. SUMMIT
MILFORD.
(THANKS JIM LEMKE, INSIDE)
4.) GKI
FOODS INC.
(DONE)
7926 LOCHLIN DRIVE
BRIGHTON
(INSIDE)
5.) GREAT LAKES NATIONAL
CEMETERY (DONE)
NORTH HOLLY ROAD
HOLLY
6.) HOWELL
CYCLE (DONE)
2445 W. GRAND RIVER
HOWELL
(THANKS JIM LEMKE)
7.) PORKY'S HOG
TROUGH
4525 E. GRAND RIVER
BRIGHTON
(INSIDE)
8.) TIRE -2-
TIRE (DONE)
9293 E. M-36
GREEN OAKS TWP
(THANKS JIM LEMKE)
9.) SLM
TRAILERS
6480 WHITMORE LAKE RD.
WHITMORE LAKE
(THANKS JIM LEMKE)
10.) HELL CREEK
RANCH
HELL
(FLAG REPLACEMENT)
11.)
GRAND RIVER WEST OF MICHIGAN AVE.
IN HOWELL.
(FLAG
REPLACEMENT)
2911 DORR ROAD
BRIGHTON
(FLAG REPLACEMENT)
5670 E. GRAND RIVER AVE.
HOWELL
(FLAG REPLACEMENT)
3500 E. GRAND RIVER AVE.
HOWELL
15.) KRUG
FORD
2798 E. GRAND RIVER
HOWELL
16.) FORBIDDEN WHEELS
M/C
GRAND RIVER
BRIGHTON
17.) HAMBURG'S BENNETT
PARK
MERRILL RD
HAMBURG
18.) HOWELL FIRE
DEPARTMENT
GRAND RIVER
HOWELL
19.) M-59
WEST
HIGHLAND ROAD
HIGHLAND
20.) A.B. HELLER
INC.
1235 HOLDEN AVE.
MILFORD
21.) AMERICAN HARLEY-DAVIDSON
& BUELL
5436 JACKSON ROAD
ANN ARBOR
22.) FOWLERVILLE POST
OFFICE.
FOWLERVILLE
23.) HOWELL COURT HOUSE
@ MONUMENT
HOWELL
SCHEDULE IN 2008
2532 OLD US-23 (1
MILE NORTH OF M-59)
IN HARTLAND
IN BRIGHTON
(FLAG REPLACEMENT)
2798 E. GRAND RIVER
HOWELL
4.) LOOSE SENIOR
CENTER
707 NORTH BRIDGE STREET
LINDEN
5.) SAM'S CLUB
(DONE)
LANSING
IN BRIGHTON
(FLAG REPLACEMENT)
5670 E. GRAND RIVER AVE.
HOWELL
(FLAG REPLACEMENT)
2798 E. GRAND RIVER
HOWELL
GRAND RIVER WEST OF MICHIGAN AVE.
IN HOWELL.
4350 S. OLD-23
BRIGHTON
HOWELL
2532 OLD US-23 (1
MILE NORTH OF M-59)
IN HARTLAND
13.) HAMBURG'S BENNETT
PARK
MERRILL RD
HAMBURG
5436 JACKSON ROAD
ANN ARBOR
15.) HOME ZONE VETERANS
HOME
WHITMORE LAKE
16.) HERITAGE HILLS
CHURCH
5530 RUNYAN LAKE RD.
FENTON
17.) HIGHLAND POST
OFFICE
HIGHLAND ROAD (M-59)
HIGHLAND
18.)
GENOA MEDICAL CENTER
BRIGHTON
19.)
Howell
Elks #2168
2380 GRAND
RIVER
HOWELL
20.) GRAND
COURT RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
45182 PARK DR.
NOVI.
21.)
FOWLERVILLE POST OFFICE
GRAND RIVER AVE.
FOWLERVILLE.
22.)
FOWLERVILLE POLICE STATION
FOWLERVILLE ROAD
FOWLERVILLE.
169 SUMMIT ST.
IN BRIGHTON
HARTLAND
25.) RE/MAX
6870 GRAND RIVER AVE.
BRIGHTON
26.) CHAMPION'S AUTO
FERRY
1700 NORTH CHANNEL DRIVE
HARSENS ISLAND
2798 E. GRAND RIVER
HOWELL
IN BRIGHTON
(FLAG REPLACEMENT)
10500 CITATION DR.
BRIGHTON.
SCHEDULE IN 2009
1.)
VAL'S SERVICE
STATION (DONE)
11065 WHITMORE LK RD.
WHITMORE LAKE
GRAND RIVER
HOWELL
3
2798 E. GRAND RIVER
HOWELL
169 SUMMIT ST.
IN BRIGHTON
5436 JACKSON ROAD
ANN ARBOR
1360 W. GRAND RIVER AVE.
IN HOWELL
GRAND RIVER AVE.
FOWLERVILLE.
8.) SNAPPERS
6484 BENNETT LAKE RD.
IN FENTON
IN BRIGHTON
(FLAG REPLACEMENT)
10.) HAMBURG'S BENNETT
PARK
MERRILL RD
HAMBURG
11.) FORBIDDEN WHEELS
M/C
GRAND RIVER
BRIGHTON
12.) HELL CREEK
RANCH
HELL
(FLAG REPLACEMENT)
707 NORTH BRIDGE STREET
LINDEN
14.) DAM SITE
INN
HELL
15.) CHEBOYGAN VETERANS
PARK
CHEBOYGAN
16.) CHEBOYGAN POST
OFFICE
CHEBOYGAN
17.) MOOSE LODGE
#2314
CHEBOYGAN
18.) NORTH COUNTRY
INN
CHEBOYGAN
45182 PARK DR.
NOVI.
2798 E. GRAND RIVER
HOWELL
21.)
HOWELL ELKS #2168
2380 GRAND
RIVER
HOWELL
HARTLAND
23.) INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY
GRAND RIVER
BRIGHTON
24.) MEMORIES RESTAURANT
OLD US-23
BRIGHTON
5670 E. GRAND RIVER AVE.
HOWELL
(FLAG REPLACEMENT)
SCHEDULE IN 2010
IN BRIGHTON
(FLAG REPLACEMENT)
5436 JACKSON ROAD
ANN ARBOR
3500 E. GRAND RIVER AVE.
HOWELL
2911 DORR ROAD
BRIGHTON
(FLAG REPLACEMENT)
5670 E. GRAND RIVER AVE.
HOWELL
(FLAG REPLACEMENT)
2798 E. GRAND RIVER
HOWELL
7.)
Howell
Elks #2168
2380 GRAND
RIVER
HOWELL
5530 RUNYAN LAKE RD.
FENTON
9.) ZION RESTORATION
10500 CITATION DR.
BRIGHTON.
4350 S. OLD-23
BRIGHTON
11.) REEMS MINI
MART
GRAND RIVER
FOWLERVILLE
EVERYONE CHECK AROUND AND
START LOOKING FOR PLACES
WHERE WE CAN OFFER A POW / MIA FLAG.
LETS GET THE WORD OUT.
PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU
FIND A LOCATION
SO I CAN POST IT, AND WE'LL SCHEDULE A TIME.
"THE SILVER ROSE"
My name is Gary Chenett and I am the National Director of The Order of The
Silver Rose. I was referred to you by a Silver rose receipient
I would like to invite you to our website at http://silverrose.org
. We are a Non Profit Tax Exempt Vets group that have been helping Vietnam Veterans
since 1997.
We offer a gratis Silver Rose Medal and Award to all Vietnam Veterans sickened
or killed by AO Dioxins, Our award can also be presented to the families of
deceased Veterans. I am very proud to lead a group of over 60 Directors all
across
We are bringing Honors and Recognition to all of these sickened and
deceased Heroes or to their families, also our Primary Mission is to try and
make all Vietnam Veterans and Gulf War Veterans know that it is imperative
that they have yearly full physicals with catscans when possible.
At this point the death toll for both Vietnam Veterans and Gulf War Veterans
exceeds 400,000 each.
We would like you to consider working with us to spread the word that this
simple yearly full physical can save lives by hopefully having these illnesses
diagnosed in early stages before they become terminal.
We have awarded almost 2,400 Silver Rose Medals and Awards to these heroes and
everyone in our group including myself all work as volunteers, We sustain the
Silver Rose on donations from all of our supporters,
If you have further questions please feel free to email me or call at
810-714-2748, I am home almost always as I am a 100% disabled Combat Vietnam
Veteran myself.
We also have the endorsement of the VVA, 9 States and thousands of individuals
and many hundreds of individual Veterans Posts.
Again I would like to give you a call to really give you a feel for our
I
must add we are not seeking money or donations . We at this point need your
help in this life saving
Take Care , I sure hope we can chat soon at your convenience.
Gary Chenett
Former
POW Jessica Lynch
Honors
fallen comrade, and best friend,
Former POW Jessica Lynch holds Carla Piestewa, 5, daughter
of Lynch's fallen friend
The women were best friends who served together in the 507th Maintenance Company
from
"Many of you may know our story, but what you may not know is what a great
friend
Piestewa, a member of the Hopi Tribe and single mother of two, is believed to be
the first American Indian woman killed while fighting for the
The 23-year-old Piestewa died and Lynch was captured March 23, 2003, in an
attack near the southern
Lynch is recovering from injuries that included a broken back. She still walks
with a cane. She has enrolled at the
With proceeds from a $1 million book deal, Lynch created the Jessica Lynch
Foundation to help Piestewa's two children. She later expanded the foundation's
mission to educate children of military veterans and casualties.
"We love her like a daughter," said Terry Piestewa,
"She wants to be there for the kids. It's good for her, helps her
heal."
On Wednesday, Lynch was to attend a sunrise ceremony held on
Service members Missing From WWII Now Listed In Electronic
Database
June 04, 2007
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO)
announced today that an electronic database listing the names of service members
still unaccounted for from World
War II is now available for family
members and researchers.
This new listing will aid researchers and analysts in WWII remains
recovery operations. Prior to this three-year effort, no comprehensive list
of those missing from WWII has existed.
This database, listing nearly 78,000 names, was compiled by
researchers from DPMO and the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command. They used
hard-copy sources including "The American Graves Registration Service Rosters
of Military Personnel Whose Remains were not Recovered" from the
National Archives II repository in
College Park, Md., and
"The World War II
Rosters of the Dead."Once transferred into electronic formats, they used
computer programs to compare the two lists and determined possible
discrepancies among the entries. These differences were then resolved using
additional sources from the
National Archives and thousands of
personnel files from the Washington National Records Center.
After more than three years of research and coordination to transfer
information into an electronic format, efforts to gather more data on
unaccounted-for WWII service members continue. New names and information
will be added as historical documents and personnel files are located. The
names of servicemen whose remains are recovered and identified in the
future will be removed as families accept the identification and inter
their loved ones in cemeteries of their choice.
This WWII database, along with databases listing
the missing from the
Korean War, Cold War,
Vietnam War and Gulf War,
are available on DPMO's
Web site at
http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo
. For additional information on the
Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit
the DPMO Web site or call
(703) 699-1169.
Remains of U.S. Pilot Missing 18 Years in Iraq Found
Captain Michael Scott Speicher, USN
On August 2, 2009, the Navy reported that Captain Speicher's remains were found in Iraq. His jawbone, which was used to identify him, was found in the desert, where according to local civilians, he was buried by Bedouins following his crash in 1991. This confirmed that Speicher was never captured.
The Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP)
has positively identified remains recovered in Iraq as those of Captain Michael
Scott Speicher. Captain Speicher was shot down flying a combat mission in an
F/A-18 Hornet over west-central Iraq on January 17th, 1991 during Operation
Desert Storm.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Captain Speicher's family for the ultimate
sacrifice he made for his country," said Ray Mabus, Secretary of the Navy. "I
am also extremely grateful to all those who have worked so tirelessly over the
last 18 years to bring Captain Speicher home."
"Our Navy will never give up looking for a shipmate, regardless of how long or how difficult that search may be," said Admiral Gary Roughead, Chief of Naval Operations. "We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Captain Speicher and his family for the sacrifice they have made for our nation and the example of strength they have set for all of us."
Acting on information provided by an Iraqi citizen in early July, US Marines stationed in Al Anbar Province went to a location in the desert which was believed to be the crash site of Captain Speicher's jet. The Iraqi citizen stated he knew of two Iraqi citizens who recalled an American jet impacting the desert and the remains of the pilot being buried in the desert. One of these Iraqi citizens stated that they were present when Captain Speicher was found dead at the crash site by Bedouins and his remains buried. The Iraqi citizens led US Marines to the site who searched the area. Remains were recovered over several days during the past week and flown to Dover Air Force Base for scientific identification by the AFIP's Office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner.
The recovered remains include bones and multiple skeletal fragments. Positive identification was made by comparing Captain Speicher's dental records with the jawbone recovered at the site. The teeth are a match, both visually and radiographically.
While dental records have confirmed the remains to be those of Captain Speicher, the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology DNA Lab in Rockville, Maryland is running DNA tests on the remains recovered in Iraq and comparing them to DNA reference samples previously provided by family members. Results will take approximately 24 hours.
DoD Announces Soldier's Captured Status
December 14, 2006
The Department of Defense announced today a change in the status of a soldier serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom from duty status whereabouts unknown (DUSTWUN) to missing-captured.
Spc. Ahmed K. Altaie, 41,
of
On Oct. 23, Altaie was categorized as
DUSTWUN when he allegedly was kidnapped while on his way to visit family in
Efforts continue to obtain the successful and safe return of Altaie.
Dec. 13, 2007
Reps. Amos and Marleau urge Michigan's support for POW/MIAs
Lawmakers introduce resolution for annual recognition for soldiers who are prisoners of war and missing in action
In a tribute to Waterford resident Private Byron Fouty, Ann Arbor resident Specialist Ahmed Altaie and all soldiers missing in action and being held prisoners of war, state Reps. Fran Amos and Jim Marleau introduced a House Resolution today to proclaim Dec. 16 "POW/MIA Recognition Day" in Michigan.
"Private Fouty, Specialist Altaie, past and current soldiers missing in action and prisoners of war deserve the highest amount of gratitude from the very citizens they fight to protect," said Amos. "I am honored to observe with these brave soldiers' families the unselfishness and patriotism of our men and women who are serving oversees."
Private Fouty's step-father, Gordon Dibler, joined Amos and Marleau to witness the introduction of the resolution after being welcomed on the Senate floor earlier this morning when an identical resolution was introduced by Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop.
Private Fouty and Specialist Altaie, both from Michigan, are 2 of only 4 soldiers declared missing in action in the current conflict in Iraq.
"My heart goes out to the friends and family of those who cope with the devastation of having loved ones who are prisoners of war and missing in action, especially during this difficult holiday season," said Marleau. "However, I am proud to join with my colleagues and the concerned citizens of Michigan in order to remind our loyal men and women in uniform that they are not forgotten."
The resolution establishes Dec. 16 as 'POW-MIA Recognition Day.'
PHOTO ADVISORY: (From left to right)
Pictured in the state capitol: Dennis Koski, Post Commander of the
Sterling Heights American Legion;
State Rep. Fran Amos; Gary Tanner, Post Commander of the Dearborn American
Legion;
Gordon Dibler, step-father of missing soldier Byron Fouty of Waterford; State
Rep. Jim Marleau;
Diane Prater and Tracy Roberts, Director of MI Military Moms and author of
"surviving the war from your kitchen table."
Missing POW/MIA's Section
|
MILITARY |
COUNTRY of
CASUALTY |
NAME
|
LOSS
RANK |
STATUS
|
DATE of
INCIDENT |
HOME of
RECORD |
| USA | S. Vietnam | Allard, Richard Michael | E4 | XX | 1967/08/24 | Chesaning, MI |
| USAF | N. Vietnam | Anderson, Warren Leroy | O3 | XX | 1966/04/26 | Camden, MI |
| USN | N. Vietnam | Austin, Ellis Ernest | O4 | XX | 1966/04/21 | Vermontville, MI |
| USA | S. Vietnam | Beckwith, Harry Medfor III | E5 | BB | 1971/03/24 | Flint, MI |
| USMC | S. Vietnam | Boltze, Bruce Edward | W2 | BB | 1972/10/06 | Flint, MI |
| USA | S. Vietnam | Buckley, Louis, Jr. | E5 | XX | 1966/05/21 | Detroit, MI |
| USA | S. Vietnam | Burgess, John Lawrence | E5 | BB | 1970/06/30 | Kingsley, MI |
| USAF | Laos | Carroll, Patrick Henry | O2 | XX | 1969/11/02 | Allen Park, MI |
| USN | N. Vietnam | Chapman, Rodney Max | O4 | BB | 1969/02/18 | Alpena, MI |
| USA | S. Vietnam | Cline, Curtis Roy | E2 | XX | 1969/09/18 | Burlington, MI |
| USAF | N. Vietnam | Crossman, Gregory John | O2 | XX | 1968/04/25 | Sturgis, MI |
| USA | S. Vietnam | Cudlike, Charles Joseph | E4 | BB | 1969/05/18 | Detroit, MI |
| USAF | Laos | Dailey, Douglas Vincent | E5 | XX | 1968/12/13 | Waterford, MI |
| USAF | Laos | Dennany, James Eugene | O4 | XX | 1969/11/12 | Mattawan, MI |
| USA | Cambodia | Dix, Craig Mitchell | E4 | XX | 1971/03/17 | Livonia, MI |
| USA | Laos | Dye, Melvin C. | E5 | XX | 1968/02/19 | Carleton, MI |
| USAF | N. Vietnam | Feneley, Francis James | O3 | BB | 1966/05/11 | Curtis, MI |
| USAF | LOAS | GALBRAITH, RUSSELL | O4 | BB | 1968/12/11 | OHIO |
| USA | S. Vietnam | Gauthier, Dennis L. | E3 | XX | 1969/10/31 | Rochester, MI |
| USMC | S. Vietnam | Green, Larry Edward | E4 | BB | 1968/03/26 | Mount Morris, MI |
| USN | N. Vietnam | Greiling, David Scott | O4 | XX | 1968/07/24 | Hillsdale, MI |
| USA | S. Vietnam | Groth, Wade L. | E4 | XX | 1968/02/12 | Greenville, MI |
| USMC | S. Vietnam | Hammond, Dennis Wayne | E6 | KK | 1968/02/08 | Detroit, MI |
| USAF | N. Vietnam | Hill, Robert L. | E6 | XX | 1966/10/18 | Detroit, MI |
| USN | N. Vietnam | Holman, Gerald Allan | O2 | BB | 1966/12/14 | Northville, MI |
| USAF | N. Vietnam | Jarvis, Jeremy M. | O2 | XX | 1967/07/25 | Warren, MI |
| USN | N. Vietnam | Jerome, Stanley Milton | E6 | BB | 1969/02/18 | Detroit, MI |
| USA | S. Vietnam | Johnson, Bruce G. | O3 | XX | 1965/06/10 | Harbor Beach, MI |
| USAF | N. Vietnam | King, Donald L. | O3 | XX | 1966/05/14 | Muskegon, MI |
| USA | Laos | Kipina, Marshall F. | E4 | XX | 1966/07/14 | Calumet, MI |
| USA | S. Vietnam | Klimo, James Robert | E4 | XX | 1969/11/04 | Muskegon, MI |
| USN | N. Vietnam | Klugg, Joseph Russell | O3 | BB | 1970/11/14 | Okemos, MI |
| USMC | S. Vietnam | Kooi, James Willard | E3 | BB | 1967/06/11 | Fruitport, MI |
| USAF | S. Vietnam | Lapham, Robert Granthan | O4 | FOUND | 1968/02/08 | Marshall, MI |
| USA | Laos | Leonard, Marvin Maurice | W2 | BB | 1971/02/15 | Grand Rapids, MI |
| USN | N. Vietnam | Marvin, Robert Clarence | O3 | BB | 1967/02/14 | Dexter, MI |
| USAF | N. Vietnam | Massucci, Martin J. | O2 | XX | 1965/10/01 | Royal Oak, MI |
| USA | Cambodia | May, Michael Frederick | E4 | BB | 1969/03/02 | Vassar, MI |
| USA | S. Vietnam | Nelson, James R. | E5 | XX | 1967/06/11 | Ludington, MI |
| USA | S. Vietnam | Paul, James Lee | W1 | BB | 1971/02/05 | Riverview, MI |
| USA | S. Vietnam | Perry, Otha Lee | W2 | BB | 1971/12/14 | Detroit, MI |
| USN | S. Vietnam | Pineau, Roland Robert | E7 | FOUND | 1967/10/08 | Berkley, MI |
| USA | S. Vietnam | Riggs, Thomas F. | W2 | XX | 1967/06/11 | Farmington, MI |
| USA | S. Vietnam | Roberts, Richard D. | E3 | XX | 1969/03/25 | Lansing, MI |
| USA | S. Vietnam | Robertson, Mark John | W1 | BB | 1971/02/10 | Detroit, MI |
| USA | S. Vietnam | Seablom, Earl Francis | E3 | BB | 1968/07/18 | Ishpeming, MI |
| USAF | N. Vietnam | Stroven, William Harry | O3 | XX | 1968/10/28 | Fremont, MI |
| USAF | Cambodia | Stuifbergen, Gene Paul | E5 | BB | 1968/11/27 | Augusta, MI |
| USN | N. Vietnam | Tromp, William Leslie | O2 | XX | 1966/04/17 | Fennville, MI |
| USAF | Laos | Tucci, Robert L. | O3 | XX | 1969/11/12 | Detroit, MI |
| USAF | N. Vietnam | Tyler, George E. | O4 | XX | 1968/10/24 | Royal Oak, MI |
| USAF | S. Vietnam | Walker, Kenneth Earl | O3 | BB | 1964/10/02 | Lansing, MI |
| USA | S. Vietnam | Wallace, Michael J. | E5 | XX | 1968/04/19 | Ann Arbor, MI |
| USAF | N. Vietnam | Welch, Robert J. | O3 | XX | 1967/01/16 | Detroit, MI |
| USN | N. Vietnam | Woloszyk, Donald J. | O2 | XX | 1966/03/01 | Alpena, MI |
| USN | N. Vietnam | Worcester, John B. | O2 | XX | 1965/10/19 | Big Rapids, MI |
| USAF | N. Vietnam | Wozniak, Frederick J. | O2 | XX | 1967/01/17 | Alpena, MI |
| USA | S. Vietnam | Wright, Arthur | E4 | XX | 1967/02/21 | Lansing, MI |
| REPORT TOTALS | |
| Total BB - Killed in Action, Body Not Recovered | 22 |
| Total KK - Died in Captivity, Remains Not Returned | 1 |
| Total MM - Missing (Civilians Only) | 0 |
| Total PP - Prisoner (Civilians Only) | 0 |
| Total XX - Presumptive Finding of Death | 34 |
| Total | 57
|
POW/MIA UPDATE:
Soldier Missing In Action From
Korean War
Is Identified
April 16,
2009
He is Pfc. David Woodruff, U.S. Army, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. He will be buried on April 22 in St. Louis, Mo.
Representatives from the Army's Mortuary Office met with Woodruff's next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process on behalf of the Secretary of the Army.
Woodruff was assigned to Company K, 3rd Battalion, 9th Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. In early 1951, the 2nd ID was augmented by Republic of Korea (R.O.K.) forces and was occupying positions near Hoengsong, South Korea. On Feb. 11, the Chinese Army launched a massive attack on the U.S. line, overwhelming R.O.K. forces and exposing the American flank. The 2nd ID was forced to withdraw to the south and Woodruff was captured by enemy forces. He died in, or near, one of the North Korean prison camps in Suan County, North Hwanghae Province.
Soldiers Missing In Action From The
Korean War Are Identified
April 03, 2009
They are Cpl. Samuel C. Harris Jr., of Rogersville, Tenn; Cpl. Lloyd D. Stidham, of Beattyville, Ky.; Cpl. Robert G. Schoening, of Blaine, Wash; and one serviceman whose name is being withheld pending a briefing to his family. All men were U.S. Army. Harris will be buried April 10 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C., Stidham will be buried April 13 in Nicholasville, Ky., and Schoening will be buried June 19 in Arlington.
Representatives from the Army's Mortuary Office met with these servicemembers' next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the secretary of the Army.
These soldiers were assigned to Company C, 65th Combat Engineer Battalion, 25th Infantry Division. On Nov. 25, 1950, Company C came under intense enemy attack when it was occupying a position near Hill 222 situated south of the Kuryong River east of the "Camel's Head" bend, North Korea. The men were reported missing in action on Nov. 27.
Airman Missing
In Action From The Vietnam War
Is Identified
April 02, 2009
He is Lt. Col. Earl P. Hopper
Jr., U.S. Air Force, of Phoenix, Ariz. He is
to be buried on April 3 at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix.
On
Jan. 10, 1968, Hopper and Capt. Keith Hall were flying an F-4D Phantom near
Hanoi, North Vietnam, as part of a four-ship MiG combat air patrol. Before they
reached the target, an enemy surface-to-air missile exploded slightly below
their aircraft. Hall radioed that he and Hopper were ejecting. He told Hopper to
eject, but when he heard no response, he repeated "Earl get out!" Hopper
replied, "I've pulled on it and it [the ejection seat] did not go," followed by
"you go!" Hall then pulled on his primary ejection handle but it failed to
initiate, forcing him to use the alternate. Hall was captured and held as a
prisoner of war until 1973, but Hopper was unable to get out of the aircraft.
Soldier Missing From Korean War
Is Identified
March 16,
2009
The Department of Defense
POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S.
serviceman, missing from the Korean War, have been identified and will be
returned to his family for burial with full military honors. He is
Sgt. 1st Class Patrick J. Arthur,
U.S. Army, of Broken Bow, Neb. He will be buried on May 1 in Arlington
National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
Representatives from the Army's Mortuary Office met with Arthur's next-of-kin to
explain the recovery and identification process on behalf of the secretary of
the Army. Arthur was a member of Headquarters Company, 2nd
Battalion, 38th Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. In mid
May 1951, elements of the 2nd ID were securing their positions on the
No Name Line south of the Soyang River, South Korea, when the Chinese Army
launched a major counter-offensive.
The 2nd ID was forced to withdraw south to a more defensible position
north and east of the Hongch'on River. During the withdrawal, Arthur was
captured by enemy forces on May 18, 1951, and was marched north into North
Korea.
Arthur died of malnutrition and disease in July, and he was buried at the Suan
Mining POW Camp near Pyongyang. Between 1991-94, North Korea gave the United
States 208 boxes of remains believed to contain the remains of 200-400 U.S.
servicemen. Accompanying some of the remains were Arthur's military
identification tag and a denture fragment bearing his name.
Missing WWII
Soldiers are Identified
January 23, 2009
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of two U.S. servicemen, missing from World War II, have been identified and will be returned to their families for burial with full military honors.
They are Pfc. Julian H. Rogers, of Bloomington, Ind, and Pvt. Henry E. Marquez, of Kansas City, Kan. Both men were U.S. Army. Rogers will be buried in the spring in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C., and Marquez will be buried on May 30 in Kansas City, Mo.
Representatives from the Army's Mortuary Office met with the next-of-kin of these men in their hometowns to explain the recovery and identification process and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the Secretary of the Army.
In November 1944, the 112th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division, was attacking east through the Hürtgen Forest in an attempt to capture the German towns of Vossenack and Schmidt. On Nov. 4, the Germans counterattacked in what would become one of the longest running battles in U.S. history. Rogers and Marquez, both members of G Company, 112th Infantry Regiment, were reported killed in action near Vossenack on Nov. 4. Their bodies were not recovered.
Soldier Missing in Action From Korean War is Identified
January 12, 2009
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is Master Sgt. Cirildo Valencio, U.S. Army, of Carrizo Springs, Texas. He will be buried on Aug. 4 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
Representatives from the Army met with Valencio's next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process on behalf of the Secretary of the Army.
Valencio was assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division then occupying a defensive position near Unsan, North Korea in an area known as the "Camel's Head." On Nov. 1, 1950, parts of two Chinese Communist Forces divisions struck the 1st Cavalry Division's lines, collapsing the perimeter and forcing a withdrawal. In the process, the 3rd Battalion was surrounded and effectively ceased to exist as a fighting unit. Valencio was one of the more than 350 servicemen unaccounted-for from the battle at Unsan.
Soldier Missing in Action From
Korean War is Identified
January 12, 2009
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is Sgt. Dougall H. Espey Jr., U.S. Army, of Mount Laurel, N.J. He will be buried April 3 in Elmira, N.Y.
Representatives from the Army's Mortuary Office met with Espey's next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process on behalf of the secretary of the Army.
Espey was assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. On Nov. 1, 1950, the 8th Cavalry was occupying a defensive position near Unsan, North Korea, in an area known as the "Camel's Head," when elements of two Chinese Communist Forces divisions struck the 1st Cavalry Division's lines, collapsing the perimeter and forcing a withdrawal. The 3rd Battalion was surrounded and effectively ceased to exist as a fighting unit. Espey was one of the more than 350 servicemen unaccounted-for from the battle at Unsan.
Marine Pilot
Missing In Action From WWII
Is Identified
December 19, 2008
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is Maj. Marion R. McCown Jr., U.S. Marine Corps, of Charleston, S.C. He will be buried on Jan. 18 in Charleston.
Representatives from the Marine Corps Mortuary Office met with McCown's next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the secretary of the Navy.
On Jan. 20, 1944 McCown was the pilot of an F-4U Corsair aircraft that failed to return from a combat mission over Rabaul, New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
In 1991, a Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) team excavated an F-4U crash site in Rabaul and recovered human remains and McCown's identification tag. However, forensic science at that time precluded an identification.
Marines Missing From Vietnam
War Are Identified
November 05, 2008
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of four U.S. servicemen, missing from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to their families for burial with full military honors.
They are Lance Cpl. Kurt E. La Plant, of Lenexa, Kan., and Lance Cpl. Luis F. Palacios, of Los Angeles, Calif. Remains that could not be individually identified are included in a group. Among the group remains are Lance Cpl. Ralph L. Harper, of Indianapolis, Ind., and Pfc. Jose R. Sanchez, of Brooklyn, N.Y. All men were U.S. Marine Corps. Palacios will be buried Friday in Bellflower, Calif., and the other Marines will be buried as a group in the spring in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
On June 6, 1968, these men were aboard a CH-46A Sea Knight helicopter that was attempting an emergency extraction of elements of the 1st Battalion, 4th Regiment, 3rd Marine Division then engaged against hostile forces in the mountains southwest of Khe Sanh, Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam. The helicopter was struck by enemy ground fire and crashed, killing 12 of the 23 crewmen and passengers on board. All but four of the men who died were subsequently recovered and identified.
Between 1993 and 2005, joint U.S./Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), investigated the incident in Quang Tri Province, interviewed witnesses and surveyed the crash site three times. The team found a U.S. military boot fragment and wreckage consistent with that of a CH-46 helicopter.
Airman Missing In Action
From WW ll is
Identified
November 03, 2008
The Department of Defense POW/Missing
Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman,
missing in action from World War II, have been identified and will be returned
to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is Staff Sgt. Martin F. Troy,
U.S. Army Air Forces, of Norwalk, Conn. He will be buried on Nov. 20 in
Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
Representatives from the Army's Mortuary Office met with Troy's next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the Secretary of the Army.
On June 30, 1944, Troy was on a B-24H Liberator participating in a mission to bomb an oil refinery in Blechammer, Germany. The plane was shot down by German aircraft and crashed into a swampy area near Nemesvita, Hungary beside Lake Balaton. Seven of the crewmembers parachuted to safety where they were captured by enemy forces and subsequently released. Three crewmen died in the crash and the remains for two of them were eventually recovered and identified. Troy's remains were not recovered.
In 1999 and 2003, Hungarian citizens turned over to U.S. officials human remains supposedly recovered from Troy's crash site. In 2003 and 2005, Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) teams surveyed the site.
Pilot
Missing in Action From The
Vietnam War is Identified
October 08, 2008
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is Capt. Lorenza Conner, U.S. Air Force, of Cartersville, Ga. He will be buried Oct. 25 in Cartersville.
On Oct. 27, 1967, Conner and his copilot flew an F-4D Phantom II fighter jet in a flight of four on a combat air patrol mission over North Vietnam where the plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire over Tuyen Quang Province, North Vietnam. The copilot ejected safely, was captured and later released by Vietnamese forces, but Conner could not eject from the aircraft before it crashed.
In 1992, Vietnamese citizens told U.S. officials that they had information concerning the remains of missing U.S. servicemen and they turned over Conner's identification tag.
Between 1992 and 2003, several joint U.S./Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), investigated this incident, interviewed witnesses and surveyed the crash site. At the crash site, teams found aircrew-related equipment and aircraft wreckage consistent with an F-4 Phantom II.
Pilot Missing In Action From The
Vietnam War Is Identified
September 30, 2008
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is Col. David H. Zook, Jr., U.S. Air Force, of West Liberty, Ohio. He will be buried Oct. 4 in West Liberty.
On Oct. 4, 1967, Zook was on a psychological warfare operation over Song Be Province, South Vietnam, when his U-10B Super Courier aircraft collided in mid-air with a C-7A Caribou. The C-7 pilot said he saw the other aircraft hit the ground and explode. Several search and rescue attempts failed to locate Zook's remains.
In 1992, a joint U.S./Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) team, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), investigated the incident in Song Be Province. The team interviewed Vietnamese citizens who witnessed the crash and saw remains amid the wreckage. The team surveyed the site and found evidence consistent with Zook's crash. While later examining the evidence recovered from the site, a small fragment of bone was found.
In 1993, another joint team excavated the crash site and recovered a bone fragment and non-biological material including small pieces of military clothing. In March 2008, a final excavation was conducted and more human remains were recovered.
Soldier Missing From The
Vietnam War
Is Identified
September 23,
2008
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is Sgt. Timothy J. Jacobsen, U.S. Army, of Oakland, Calif. He will be buried on Oct. 4 in Ferndale, Calif.
Representatives from the Army met with Jacobsen's next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process, and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the Secretary of the Army.
On May 16, 1971, Jacobsen was one of four U.S. soldiers and an unknown number of Republic of Vietnam (R.V.N.) Marines who were aboard a UH-1H Iroquois helicopter. The crew was on a combat assault mission near Hue, South Vietnam when they came under heavy enemy ground fire as their aircraft touched down at the landing zone. The pilot tried to lift off, but the damaged aircraft struck a tree line and exploded. A few days later, a search and rescue team recovered the remains of some of the Vietnamese Marines, but there were remains still trapped under the helicopter wreckage. No remains for the U.S. soldiers were recovered.
Missing
WWII Soldier Is Identified
September 09, 2008
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is Pvt. James W. Turner, U.S. Army, of Altus, Okla. He will be buried on Sept. 11 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
Representatives from the Army met with Turner's next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the Secretary of the Army.
In November 1944, the 112th
Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division was attacking east through
the Hürtgen Forest in an attempt to capture the German towns of Vossenack and
Schmidt. On Nov. 4, the Germans counterattacked in what would become one of the
longest running battles in U.S. history. Turner, a member of G Company, 112th
Infantry Regiment, was reported missing in action near Vossenack on Nov. 9.
In 2005, a German citizen who was searching for wartime relics in the Hürtgen
Forest, near Vossenack, found human remains and other items, including Turner's
military identification tag. The remains and items were turned over to the Joint
POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) for further analysis.
Three Missing
WWII
Sailors Are Identified
September
04, 2008
The Department of Defense
POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of three
U.S. servicemen, missing from World War II, have been identified and will be
returned to their families for burial with full military honors.
They are Ensign Irvin A.R. Thompson, of Hudson County, N.J.; Ensign Eldon P. Wyman, of Portland, Ore.; and Fireman 2nd Class Lawrence A. Boxrucker, of Dorchester, Wis.; all U.S. Navy. Boxrucker will be buried on Sept. 6 in Dorchester, and the funerals for Thompson and Wyman are being set by their families.
When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941, the battleship USS Oklahoma suffered multiple torpedo hits and capsized. As a result, 429 sailors and Marines died. Following the attack, 36 of these servicemen were identified and the remaining 393 were buried as unknowns in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii.
In 2003, an independent researcher contacted the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) with information he believed indicated that one of the USS Oklahoma casualties who was buried as an unknown could be positively identified. After reviewing the case, JPAC exhumed the casket, and discovered that it contained what is believed to be the remains of at least 28 other men in addition to the three identified.
Missing
WWII
Pilot Is Identified
August
13, 2008
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from World War II, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is 2nd Lt. Howard C. Enoch Jr., U.S. Army Air Forces, of Marion, Ky. He will be buried on Sep. 22 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
Representatives from the Army met with Enoch's next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the Secretary of the Army.
On March 19, 1945, Enoch was the pilot of a P-51D Mustang that crashed while engaging enemy aircraft about 20 miles east of Leipzig, near the village of Doberschütz, Germany. His remains were not recovered at the time, and Soviet occupation of eastern Germany precluded his recovery immediately after the war.
Sailor Missing from The Vietnam War
is Identified
August 04,
2008
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that a U.S. serviceman, missing from the Vietnam War, has been identified.
He is Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Manuel R. Denton, U.S. Navy, of Kerrville, Texas. He will be buried as part of a group on Thursday in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
On Oct. 8, 1963, Denton was one of six men who crewed a UH-34D Choctaw helicopter that was on a search-and-rescue mission. While over Quang Nam Province, Vietnam, the helicopter came under intense enemy ground fire and crashed. There were no survivors. Over the next several days, the remains of four of the crewmen were recovered, however the remains of Denton and one other crewman, U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Luther E. Ritchey Jr., were not recovered.
Between 1991 and 2000, several joint U.S./Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), traveled to Quang Nam Province to investigate the incident and interview witnesses. Teams also surveyed the crash site and found wreckage consistent with a UH-34D.
Soldier Missing in Action
from Korean War
is Identified
July 24, 2008
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He
is Master Sgt. Cirildo Valencio,
U.S. Army, of Carrizo Springs, Texas. He will be buried on Aug. 4 in
Arlington National Cemetery near
Washington, D.C.
Representatives from the Army met with Valencio's next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process on behalf of the Secretary of the Army.
Valencio was assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division then occupying a defensive position near Unsan, North Korea in an area known as the "Camel's Head." On Nov. 1, 1950, parts of two Chinese Communist Forces divisions struck the 1st Cavalry Division's lines, collapsing the perimeter and forcing a withdrawal. In the process, the 3rd Battalion was surrounded and effectively ceased to exist as a fighting unit. Valencio was one of the more than 350 servicemen unaccounted-for from the battle at Unsan.
Soldiers Missing From The Vietnam War Are Identified
July 17, 2008
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of two U.S. servicemen, missing from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to their families for burial with full military honors.
They are Chief Warrant Officer Bobby L. McKain, of Garden City, Kan.; and Warrant Officer Arthur F. Chaney, of Vienna, Va., both U.S. Army. McKain will be buried on Aug. 11 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C., and Chaney will be buried Sept. 16 in Arlington.
Representatives from the Army met with the next-of-kin of these men to explain the recovery and identification process, and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the secretary of the Army.
On May 3, 1968, these men flew an AH-1G Cobra gunship on an armed escort mission to support a reconnaissance team operating west of Khe Sanh, in Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam. Their helicopter was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire, exploded in mid-air and crashed west of Khe Sanh near the Laos-Vietnam border. The crew of other U.S. aircraft flying over the area immediately after the crash reported no survivors, and heavy enemy activity prevented attempts to recover the men's bodies.
Soldier
Missing In Action From the Korean War
Is Identified
July 11, 2008
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors. He is Sgt. John H. White, U.S. Army, of Long Island, Ala. He will be buried on Saturday in Bryant, Ala.
Representatives from the Army met with White's next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process, and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the secretary of the Army.
In November 1950, White was a member of H Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division then occupying a defensive position near Unsan, North Korea, north of a bend in the Kuryong River known as the Camel's Head. On Nov. 1, elements of two Chinese Communist divisions struck the 1st Cavalry Division's lines, collapsing the perimeter and forcing a withdrawal. White was reported missing on Nov. 2, 1950, and was one of the more than 350 servicemen unaccounted-for from the battle at Unsan.
Soldier Missing In Action From
Korean War
Is Identified
July 09, 2008
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is Cpl. Steven Lucas, U.S. Army, of Johnson City, N.Y. He will be buried July 11 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
Representatives from the
Army met with Lucas' next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification
process, and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the
Secretary of the Army.
In late November 1950, Lucas was assigned to the Heavy Mortar Company, 31st
Infantry Regiment making up part of the 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT),
then engaging enemy forces east of the Chosin Reservoir near Kaljon-ri, South
Hamgyong Province, North Korea. On Nov. 29, remnants of the RCT began a fighting
withdrawal to more defensible positions near Hagaru-ri, south of the reservoir.
Lucas never made it to the lines at Hagaru-ri and was last seen on Nov. 30.
Pilot Missing In Action
From The Korean War Is
Identified
July 03, 2008
The Department
of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains
of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been
identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military
honors.
He is Capt. William K. Mauldin, U.S. Air Force,
of Pickens, S.C. He will be buried on July 18 in
Easley, S.C.
On Feb. 21, 1952, Mauldin departed Kimpo Air Base, South Korea, on an aerial reconnaissance mission of enemy targets in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (D.P.R.K.). While over Odong-ni, Mauldin's RF-51 Mustang was hit by enemy fire and crashed near Sinan-ri, Hoeyang County, D.P.R.K. An aerial search of the crash site was conducted that day and the next, but found no evidence that Mauldin escaped the aircraft before it crashed.
Soldier Missing in Action From The Korean War
is Identified
June 25,
2008
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is Sgt. Gene F. Clark, U.S. Army, of Muncie, Ind. He will be buried June 28 in Muncie.
Representatives from the Army met with Clark's next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process, and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the secretary of the Army.
In September 1950, Clark was assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division then occupying a defensive position along the Nammyon River near a bend known as the "Camel's Head." On Nov. 1, 1950, parts of two Chinese Communist divisions struck the 1st Cavalry Division's lines, collapsing the perimeter and forcing a withdrawal. Clark was reported missing on Nov. 2, 1950, and was one of the more than 350 servicemen unaccounted-for from the battle at Unsan.
Between 1991-94, North Korea turned over to the United States 208 boxes of remains believed to contain the remains of 200-400 U.S. servicemen. Among several boxes turned over in 1993, one contained a dog tag for Clark, and the accompanying North Korean documents indicated that the remains were exhumed near Chonsung-Ri, Unsan County, North Pyongan Province. This location correlates with where Clark's unit fought during the battle at Unsan.
Soldier Missing In Action From
Korean War Is Identified
June 09,
2008
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is Sgt. 1st Class W.T. Akins, U.S. Army, of Decatur, Ga. He will be buried on June 26 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
Representatives from the Army met with Akins' next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process, and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the Secretary of the Army.
In November 1950, Akins was a member of the Medical Company, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division then occupying a defensive position near Unsan, North Korea north of a bend in the Kuryong River known as the Camel's Head. On Nov. 1, elements of two Chinese Communist Divisions struck the 1st Cavalry Division's lines, collapsing the perimeter and forcing a withdrawal. Akins was reported missing on Nov. 2, 1950 and was one of the more than 350 servicemen unaccounted-for from the battle at Unsan.
Soldier Missing In Action From
Korean War Is Identified
June 04, 2008
The Department of Defense POW/Missing
Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing
in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his
family for burial with full military honors.
He is Pfc. Milton Dinerboiler Jr.,
U.S. Army, of Elkhart, Ind. His burial date is being set by his family.
Representatives from the Army met with Dinerboiler's next-of-kin to explain the
recovery and identification process, and to coordinate interment with military
honors on behalf of the secretary of the Army.
In late November 1950, Dinerboiler was assigned to the Heavy Mortar Company, 32nd
Infantry Regiment, then attached to the 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT),
7th Infantry Division. The team was engaged in battle against the
Chinese People's Volunteer Forces near the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, from
late November to early December 1950. Dinerboiler was captured by the Chinese
and marched on a route north of the Chosin Reservoir. He died in mid-to-late
April 1951, from poor health and the lack of medical treatment. He was buried
beside a hill along the route.
Airmen MIA From
Vietnam War
are Identified
May 27, 2008
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO)
announced today that the remains of four U.S. servicemen, missing in action from
the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to their families for
burial with full military honors.
They are Maj. Barclay B.
Young, of Hartford, Conn.; and
Senior Master Sgt. James K. Caniford,
of Brunswick, Md. The names of the two others are being withheld at the
request of their families. All men were U.S. Air Force. Caniford will be buried
May 28 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C., and Young's burial
date is being set by his family.
Remains that could not be individually identified are included in a group which
will be buried together in Arlington. Among the group remains is Air Force Lt.
Col. Henry P. Brauner of Franklin Park, N.J., whose identification tag was
recovered at the crash site.
On March 29, 1972, 14 men were aboard an AC-130A Spectre gunship that took off
from Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, on an armed reconnaissance
mission over southern Laos. The aircraft was struck by an enemy surface-to-air
missile and crashed. Search and rescue efforts were stopped after a few days due
to heavy enemy activity in the area.
Missing
WWII Airmen are Identified
April 25,
2008
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of 11 U.S. servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and will be returned to their families for burial with full military honors.
They are Capt. Robert L. Coleman, of Wilmington, Del.; 1st Lt. George E. Wallinder, of San Antonio, Texas; 2nd Lt. Kenneth L. Cassidy, of Worcester, Mass.; 2nd Lt. Irving Schechner, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; 2nd Lt. Ronald F. Ward, of Cambridge, Mass.; Tech. Sgt. William L. Fraser, of Maplewood, Mo.; Tech. Sgt. Paul Miecias, of Piscataway, N.J.; Tech. Sgt. Robert C. Morgan, of Flint, Mich.; Staff Sgt. Albert J. Caruso, of Kearny, N.J.; Staff Sgt. Robert E. Frank, of Plainfield, N.J.; and Pvt. Joseph Thompson, of Compton, Calif; all U.S. Army Air Forces. The dates and locations of the funerals are being set by their families.
Representatives from the Army met with the next-of-kin of these men in their hometowns to explain the recovery and identification process and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the secretary of the Army.
On Dec. 3, 1943, these men crewed a B-24D Liberator that departed Dobodura, New Guinea, on an armed-reconnaissance mission over New Hanover Island in the Bismarck Sea. The crew reported dropping their bombs on target, but in spite of several radio contacts with their base, they never returned to Dobodura. Subsequent searches failed to locate the aircraft
Soldiers Missing From the
Korean War are Identified
April
04, 2008
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of two U.S. servicemen, missing from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to their families for burial with full military honors.
They are Capt. Edward B. Scullion of Norfolk, Va; and Pfc. Elwood D. Reynolds of Schoolfield, Va.; both U.S. Army. Reynolds will be buried April 18 in Danville, Va., and Scullion will be buried this summer in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
Representatives from the Army met with Scullion's and Reynolds' next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process, and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the Secretary of the Army.
Both men were members of A Company, 32nd Infantry Regiment, then attached to the 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT), 7th Infantry Division. The team was engaged against the Chinese People's Volunteer Forces near the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, from Nov. 27-Dec. 1, 1950. Both soldiers died in late November as result of intense enemy fire, but their bodies were not recovered at the time.
Soldier Missing in Action From The Korean War
is Identified
March 26, 2008
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is U.S. Army Sgt. Harry J. Laurence of Cleveland, Ohio. He will be buried April 9 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
Representatives from the Army met with Laurence's next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process, and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the secretary of the Army.
Laurence was a member of L Company, 31st Infantry Regiment, then making up the 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT), 7th Infantry Division. The team was engaged against the Chinese People's Volunteer Forces near the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, from Nov. 27-Dec. 11, 1950. The unit was forced to retreat to the south due to intense enemy fire. Laurence was among many soldiers reported missing in action.
Missing
WWII
Airman is
Identified
March 24, 2008
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from World War II, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is 2nd Lt. Arthur F. Eastman, U.S. Army Air Forces, of East Orange, N.J. He will be buried in September in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C. Representatives from the Army met with Eastman's next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the Secretary of the Army.
On Aug. 18, 1944, Eastman departed the airdrome at Finschhafen, New Guinea, on a test flight of his F-5E-2 aircraft, but never returned. Subsequent searches failed to locate Eastman or his aircraft.
Missing
WWII Airmen Are Identified
February 15, 2008
They are 2nd Lt. John F. Lubben, of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.; Sgt. Albert A. Forgue, of North Providence, R.I.; and Sgt. Charles L. Spiegel, of Chicago, Ill.; all U.S. Army Air Forces. They will be buried on April 18 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
On Dec. 12, 1944, these men crewed an A-20J Havoc aircraft departing from Coullomiers, France, to bomb enemy targets near Wollseifen, Germany. The aircraft was last seen entering a steep dive near Cologne, Germany. Several searches and investigations of this area and reviews of wartime documents failed to provide information concerning the incident.
In 1975, a German company clearing wartime mines and unexploded ordnance near Simmerath, Germany, reported the discovery of a gravesite northeast of Simmerath where American service members were buried. U.S. officials evaluated the remains and determined they represented three individuals, but they could not make identifications at that time. The remains were subsequently buried as unknowns in the Ardennes American Military Cemetery in Neupre, Belgium.
Soldier Missing
from Korean War
is Identified
January 24, 2008
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from the Korean War, have been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is Pfc. Billy M. MacLeod, U.S. Army, of Cheboygan, Mich. He was buried Saturday in Cheboygan.
Representatives from the Army met with MacLeod's next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process, and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the secretary of the Army.
MacLeod was a member of Company B, 32nd Infantry Regiment, then making up part of the 31st Regimental Combat Team, 7th Infantry Division, operating along the eastern banks of the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. From Nov. 27-Dec. 1, 1950, the Chinese People's Volunteer Forces overran the U.S. positions, forcing their southward withdrawal. Regimental records compiled after the battle indicate that MacLeod was killed in action on Nov. 28, 1950.
Sailor Missing from
WWII
is Identified
January 03,
2008
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from World War II, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is Seaman 1st Class General P. Douglas, U.S. Navy, of Newcomb, Tenn. He will be buried Jan. 26 in Sneedville, Tenn.
On July 6, 1943, the light cruiser "USS Helena"was struck by torpedoes fired by Japanese destroyers off the coast of Kolombangara Island, Solomon Islands, in what would become known as the Battle of the Kula Gulf. More than 700 servicemen were rescued, but Douglas was one of more than 150 servicemen who were missing as the ship sunk.
In June 2006, a resident of Ranongga Island, Solomon Islands, notified U.S. officials that he exhumed human remains and Douglas' dog tag that he found eroding out of the ground near a trail by his village. The officials contacted the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) who subsequently traveled to Ranongga Island to examine the burial location where they verified that no additional remains were present.
Airmen Missing in Action
from Korean
War are Identified
December 12, 2007
The
Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the
remains of two U.S. servicemen, missing in action from the Korean War, have been
identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full
military honors.
They are Col. Douglas H. Hatfield, of Shenandoah, Va., and Capt. Richard H. Simpson, of Fairhaven, Mich., both U.S. Air Force. Funeral dates have not been set by the families.
On April 12, 1951, Hatfield and Simpson were two of eleven crewmembers on a B-29 Superfortress that left Kadena Air Base, Japan, to bomb targets in the area of Sinuiju, North Korea. Enemy MiG-15 fighters attacked the B-29, but before it crashed, three crewmembers were able to bail out. They were captured and two of them were later released in 1954 to U.S. military control during Operation "Big Switch." The third crewmember died in captivity. He and the eight remaining crewmembers were not recovered.
In 1993, the North Korean government turned over to the United Nations Command 31 boxes containing the remains of U.S. servicemen listed as unaccounted-for from the Korean War. Four sets of remains from this group were subsequently identified as crewmembers from the B-29.
Navy Crew
MIA From Vietnam War
is Identified
October 26, 2007
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of five U.S. servicemen, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been accounted-for and will be returned to their families for burial with full military honors.
They are Lt. j.g. Norman L. Roggow, of Aurelia, Iowa; Lt. j.g. Donald F. Wolfe, of Hardin, Mont.; Lt. j.g. Andrew G. Zissu, of Bronx, N.Y.; Chief Petty Officer Roland R. Pineau, of Berkley, Mich.; and Petty Officer 3rd Class Raul A. Guerra, of Los Angeles, Calif.; all U.S. Navy. Pineau was buried on Oct. 8 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C. The dates and locations of the funerals for the other servicemen are being set by their families.
On Oct. 8, 1967, Zissu and Roggow were the pilots of an E-1B Tracer en route from Chu Lai Air Base, Vietnam, back to the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany. Also on board were Wolfe, Pineau and Guerra. Radar contact with the aircraft was lost approximately 10 miles northwest of Da Nang, Vietnam. Adverse weather hampered immediate search efforts, but three days later, a search helicopter spotted the wreckage of the aircraft on the face of a steep mountain in Da Nang Province. The location, terrain and hostile forces in the area precluded a ground recovery.
Air Force Pilot Missing
From Vietnam War is
Identified
October 18, 2007
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO)
announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from the Vietnam
War, have been identified and returned to his family for burial with full
military honors.
He is Maj. Robert G. Lapham, U.S. Air Force, of Marshall, Mich. He will be buried Friday in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
On Feb. 8, 1968, Lapham was flying the lead
A-1G Skyraider in a flight of two in Quang Tri Province, Vietnam. The aircraft
were alerted to join an airborne forward air controller to destroy enemy tanks
that had overrun the Lang Vei Special Forces Camp. After completing one pass on
the tanks, Lapham was nearing his target on the second pass when he crashed. The
crew of the other aircraft involved in the mission reported seeing no parachute.
Between 1993 and 1998, joint U.S./Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), traveled to Quang Tri Province two times to investigate the incident and interview witnesses. One team also surveyed the crash site and found aircraft wreckage.
NINE
MISSING WWII AIRMEN
ARE IDENTIFIED
Oct. 10, 2007
The Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of nine U.S. servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.
They are 1st Lt. David P.
McMurray, of Melrose, Mass.;
1st Lt. Raymond Pascual, of
Houston, Texas; 2nd Lt. Millard C.
Wells, Jr., of Paris, Ky.;
Tech. Sgt. Leonard J. Ray,
of Upper Falls, Md.; Tech. Sgt. Hyman L. Stiglitz,
of Boston, Mass.; Staff Sgt. Robert L. Cotey,
of Vergennes, Vt.; Staff Sgt. Francis E. Larrivee,
of Laconia, N.H.; Staff Sgt. Robert J. Flood,
of Neelyton, Pa.; and
Staff Sgt. Walter O.
Schlosser,
of Lake City, Mich.;
all U.S. Army Air Forces. Ray and Flood were buried last week in Harford County,
Md. and Dry Run, Pa., respectively. The burials of the other servicemen will be
at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C. on a date to be
determined.
Representatives from the Army met with the next-of-kin of these men in their hometowns to explain the recovery and identification process and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the Secretary of the Army.
On July 7, 1944, the men were aboard a B-24J Liberator that departed North Pickenham, England, on a mission to bomb a German aircraft factory near Bernburg, Germany. The plane was last seen by U.S. aircrew members in that vicinity. Captured records revealed that it had crashed near Westeregeln, about 20 miles northwest of the target in what would become the Soviet sector of a post-war-divided Germany.
Airmen Missing In Action From
WWII
is Identified
May 11, 2007
He is 1st Lt. Archibald Kelly, U.S. Army Air Forces, of Detroit, Mich. He will be buried on May 12 in Great Lakes National Cemetery, Holly, Mich. Representatives from the Army met with Kelly's next-of-kin in his hometown to explain the recovery and identification process and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the Secretary of the Army.
On July 22, 1944, Kelly was the navigator on a B-24J Liberator on a bombing raid of the oil fields at Ploesti, Romania. Returning to Lecce air base in Italy, the plane was struck by enemy anti-aircraft fire and crashed in what is now Croatia, approximately 430 miles southwest of Ploesti. Of the ten crewmen on board, eight survived and bailed out of the aircraft before it crashed. The rear gunner died and his body was later recovered. One of the surviving crewmen saw Kelly bail out before the crash, but said he struck a rocky cliff face when the wind caught his parachute. His body was not found at that time.
After researching information contained in U.S. wartime records, specialists from DPMO's Joint Commission Support Directorate (JCSD) in 2005 interviewed residents from Dubrovnik and Mihanici village who had information related to WWII aircraft losses in the area. One resident recalled a crash in which one of the crewmen landed on a pile of rocks on Mt. Snijeznica after his parachute failed to open. He said locals buried the individual. Based on witness descriptions of the burial location, the team searched the mountaintop, but was unable to locate the burial site.
Ten Missing
WWII Airmen are Identified
April 09, 2007
The Department of Defense
POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of ten U.S.
servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and will
be returned to their families for burial with full military honors.
They are 2nd Lt. Raymond A. Cooley, of Leary, Texas; 2nd Lt. Dudley R. Ives, of Ingleside, Texas; 2nd Lt. George E. Archer, of Cushing, Okla.; 2nd Lt. Donald F. Grady, of Harrisburg, Pa.; Tech. Sgt. Richard R. Sargent, of North Girard, Pa.; Tech. Sgt. Steve Zayac, of Cleveland, Ohio; Staff Sgt. Joseph M. King, of Detroit, Mich.; Staff Sgt. Thomas G. Knight, of Brookfield, Ill.; Staff Sgt. Norman L. Nell, of Tarkio, Mo.; and Staff Sgt. Blair W. Smith, of Nu Mine, Pa.; all U.S. Army Air Forces. The dates and locations of the funerals are being set by their families.
Representatives from the Army met with the next-of-kin of these men in their hometowns to explain the recovery and identification process and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the secretary of the Army.
On April 16, 1944, a B-24 Liberator crewed by these airmen was returning to the aerodrome at Nadzab, New Guinea, after bombing enemy targets near Hollandia. The aircraft was altering course due to bad weather and was proceeding to the aerodrome at Saidor, but it never returned to friendly lines.
NEW POW/MIA BRACELETS AVAILABLE:
The
Special Projects Committee’s Fundraising Subcommittee initiated a project to
raise sorely needed funds by producing generic black silicone POW/MIA bracelets.
Not intended to replace the original POW/MIA bracelets bearing the name
of an American POW or MIA, the concept is to bring the issue to a new generation
of Americans with this readily available, inexpensive symbol of support and
awareness.
Send a check made out to the National League of POW/MIA Families, with a
donation of only $2 per bracelet (and postage would be appreciated as well) to:
Traci Wood,
Rolling Thunder®Inc.
Chapter 5 Michigan
Housed at:
Hamburg VFW Post 1224
8891 Spicer Road.
Hamburg, Mi. 48139
810-231-1224
Meetings are the second
Sunday of each month @ 10am
Everyone is Welcome to Join Our Meetings and Events.
(810) 632-6860
"DISCLAIMER"
This is a personal web site that is not sponsored and/or does not claim to be the official pages of the organizations listed on this site. This is a free site for information purposes only and is to list contacts and events.
al
accounts.