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.
"Prisoners of
War-Missing inaction"
“If you are able, save for them a place
inside of you
and save one backward glance when you are leaving
for the places they can no longer go.
Be not ashamed to say you loved them,
though you may or may not have always.
Take what they have
left and what they have taught you
with their dying and keep it with your own.
And in that time when men decide and feel safe
to call the war insane,
take one moment to embrace those gentle heros you left behind.”
Major
Michael O’Donnell,
January 1, 1970 Dak To, Vietnam
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 national
accounts.
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)
Displaying the POW/MIA
Flag
Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action come from
EVERY STATE, thus the POW/MIA flag has precedence over
state flags. The following guidelines should be
followed in flying the POW/MIA flag:
If
flying the flag from ONE FLAG POLE, the POW/MIA
flag is flown directly below the National
Colors.
If
flying National, POW/MIA and State flags from
TWO poles, the POW/MIA flag should be flown from
the same pole as the National Colors, and
beneath the American Flag, with the state flag
flying from the pole to the left.
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
2012**
TBA/to be announced
*
Credited event
** VA Hospital credited event
FEBRUARY
12 – MEMBERSHIP MEETING*
VA HOSPITAL VISIT– DIRECTLY FOLLOWING MEMBERSHIP MEETING**
13 – BINGO AT THE VA HOSPITAL – 7:00 PM**
MARCH
3 – STATE MEETING MT PLEASANT 1:00PM
8 – EX-POW LUNCHEON AT VA- NOON**
11 – MEMBERSHIP MEETING*
VA HOSPITAL VISIT – DIRECTLY FOLLOWING MEMBERSHIP MEETING**
17 - PINCKNEY ST. PAT'S DAY PARADE at NOON*
31 – MPV OLYMPIC TEAM SPAGHETTI DINNER (WORKED *)
APRIL
15 – MEMBERSHIP MEETING *(Third Sunday because
Easter is the second Sunday)
VA HOSPITAL VISIT – DIRECTLY FOLLOWING MEMBERSHIP MEETING**
17 – BINGO AT THE VA HOSPITAL 7:00 PM**
MAY
12 – ANNUAL RIDE TO REMEMBER HOWELL, 1:00 PM*
13 – MEMBERSHIP MEETING*
VA HOSPITAL VISIT – DIRECTLY FOLLOWING MEMBERSHIP MEETING**
18-19 – TIGHT LINE FOR TROOPS MANISTEE*
24-28 – 25TH RUN TO THE WALL WASHINGTON DC*
JUNE
9 – TIP UP FOR TROOPS KENSINGTON METRO PARKS*
10 – MEMBERSHIP MEETING*
VA HOSPITAL VISIT – DIRECTLY FOLLOWING MEMBERSHIP MEETING**
13-16- HAMBURG FAMILY FUN FEST. (WORKED *)
16-17- WALLEYE FOR WARRIORS BAY CITY*
JULY
8 – MEMBERSHIP MEETING*
VA HOSPITAL VISIT – DIRECTLY FOLLOWING MEMBERSHIP MEETING**
9 – BINGO AT THE VA HOSPITAL 7:00 PM**
27-29- ALL VETERANS REUNION CHEBOYGAN
AUGUST
12 – MEMBERSHIP MEETING*
VA HOSPITAL VISIT – DIRECTLY FOLLOWING MEMBERSHIP MEETING**
13 – BINGO AT THE VA HOSPITAL 7:00 PM**
SEPTEMBER
9 – MEMBERSHIP MEETING*
VA HOSPITAL VISIT – DIRECTLY FOLLOWING MEMBERSHIP MEETING**
10 – BINGO AT THE VA 7:00 PM**
21 – POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY X-POW VA HOSPITAL **
22- POW/MIA CEREMONY GLNC HOLLY*
OCTOBER
6 – STATE MEETING MT. PLEASANT 1:00 PM
14 – MEMBERSHIP MEETING*
VA HOSPITAL VISIT – DIRECTLY FOLLOWING MEMBERSHIP MEETING**
20.)
GRAND COURT RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
45182 PARK DR.
NOVI. (FLAG REPLACEMENT)
21.) PARSHALLVILLE CEDAR
MILL (DONE)
PARSHALLVILLE
22.)
FOWLERVILLE POST OFFICE
(DONE)
GRAND RIVER AVE.
FOWLERVILLE. (FLAG REPLACEMENT)
23.)
HARTLAND INSURANCE
AGENCY (DONE)
2532 OLD US-23 (1 MILE NORTH
OF M-59)
IN HARTLAND (FLAG REPLACEMENT)
POW / MIA FLAG
RAISING CEREMONY
SCHEDULE IN 2011
1.) CITY OF BRIGHTON
MILL POND (DONE)
BRIGHTON
2.) ANN ARBOR V.A.
HOSPITAL (DONE)
ANN ARBOR
3.) T.S.C.
(DONE)
HOWELL
4.) Howell
Elks #2168
(DONE)
2380
GRAND RIVER
HOWELL (FLAG REPLACEMENT)
5.) KRUG FORD
(DONE)
2798 E. GRAND RIVER
HOWELL (FLAG REPLACEMENT)
6.) CARPET CENTER
& FLOORS
(DONE)
3500 E. GRAND RIVER AVE.
HOWELL (FLAG REPLACEMENT)
7.)GATESMAN &
SPICKARD
LAW OFFICE
(DONE)
1360 W. GRAND RIVER AVE.
IN HOWELL (FLAG REPLACEMENT)
8.)
BRIGHTON HARLEY-DAVIDSON
(DONE)
IN BRIGHTON (FLAG REPLACEMENT)
9.)
HOWELL
ARMORY
(DONE)
HOWELL
10.) KRUG FORD
(DONE)
2798 E. GRAND RIVER
HOWELL (FLAG REPLACEMENT)
11.)
HOWELL ELKS #2168
(DONE)
2380 GRAND RIVER
HOWELL (FLAG REPLACEMENT)
12.) CARPET CENTER
& FLOORS
(DONE)
3500 E. GRAND RIVER AVE.
HOWELL (FLAG REPLACEMENT)
13.) VIKING SALES
INC. (DONE)
169 SUMMIT ST.
IN BRIGHTON (FLAG REPLACEMENT)
14.) FOOTE TRACTOR
INC.
(DONE)
4881 W. GRAND RIVER AVE
IN HOWELL
15.)GATESMAN &
SPICKARD
LAW OFFICE
(DONE)
1360 W. GRAND RIVER AVE.
IN HOWELL (FLAG REPLACEMENT)
16.) GENOA
TOWNSHIP HALL
2911 DORR ROAD
BRIGHTON (FLAG REPLACEMENT)
17.) REEMS MINI
MART (DONE)
GRAND RIVER
FOWLERVILLE
18.) HOWELL FIRE
DEPARTMENT
(DONE)
GRAND RIVER
HOWELL (FLAG REPLACEMENT)
19.) LIVINGSTON
CONS. & SPORT ASSO.(DONE)
8532 McCLEMENTS RD.
BRIGHTON.
20.)
HOWELL ELKS #2168
(DONE)
2380 GRAND RIVER
HOWELL (FLAG REPLACEMENT)
21.) CARPET CENTER
& FLOORS
(DONE)
3500 E. GRAND RIVER AVE.
HOWELL
22.)
HOWELL
ARMORY
(DONE)
HOWELL
23.)
BRIGHTON HARLEY-DAVIDSON
(DONE)
IN BRIGHTON (FLAG REPLACEMENT)
24.) HOWELL FIRE
DEPARTMENT
(DONE)
GRAND RIVER
HOWELL (FLAG REPLACEMENT)
25.)
FOWLERVILLE POST OFFICE
(DONE)
GRAND RIVER AVE.
FOWLERVILLE. (FLAG REPLACEMENT)
26.) HOWELL CARE
CENTER
(DONE)
GRAND RIVER
HOWELL
POW / MIA FLAG
RAISING CEREMONY
SCHEDULE IN 2012
1.) PINCKNEY POLICE
DEPT.(DONE)
220 SOUTH HOWELL ST.
PINCKNEY
2.) VAL'S SERVICE
STATION
(DONE)
11065 WHITMORE LK RD.
WHITMORE LAKE (FLAG REPLACEMENT)
3.)
HOWELL
MASONIC TEMPLE
GRAND RIVER WEST OF MICHIGAN AVE.
IN HOWELL. (FLAG
REPLACEMENT)
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
America in our simple bur
important Mission,
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 Missionand what we are doing. We are the only
group in Americathat offers a Gratis Medal recognizing the efforts of our
Vietnam Heroes.
I must add we
are not seeking money or donations . We at this point need your help in
this life saving
Mission.
Take Care
, I sure hope we can chat soon at your convenience.
Gary Chenett
Former POW Jessica
Lynch
Honors fallen comrade, and best
friend, Lori
Piestewa
PHOENIX – Almost two years to the day
after their company was ambushed, former POW Jessica Lynch on Tuesday
honored fallen comrade Army Spc. Lori Piestewa – the first American servicewoman
killed in the Iraqwar.
Former POW Jessica Lynch holds Carla Piestewa, 5,
daughter of Lynch's fallen friend Lori
Piestewa, during a ceremony in Phoenix.
The women were best friends who served together in the 507th Maintenance
Company from Fort Bliss , Texas. They were also roommates at
FortBliss and tentmates in Iraq.
"Many of you may know our story, but what you may not know is what a great
friend Lori
was, what a great mother she is to these kids, what a great daughter she is,
and what a great devoted soldier she was," Lynch said at a news conference.
"She taught me so much and knowing her made me a better person."
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 U.S.military.
The 23-year-old Piestewa died and Lynch was captured March 23, 2003, in an
attack near the southern Iraq city of Nasiriyah. Soldiers rescued Lynch April 1,
2003; the videotaped rescue made her an international celebrity.
Lynch is recovering from injuries that included a broken back. She still
walks with a cane. She has enrolled at the University of Virginiaand hopes to become an elementary
school teacher.
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,
Lori 's father. "We know she was
blaming herself for what happened. She was blaming herself that she didn't
bring
Lori home.
"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 PiestewaPeak
, a north Phoenixmountain named after the fallen soldier. She is scheduled to visit
Piestewa's hometown of TubaCity on Thursday, and visit her grave
on the Hopi reservation in northern Arizona.
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.
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 Ann Arbor,
Mich.,
was declared
missing-captured
on Dec. 11.
On Oct. 23, Altaie was categorized as
DUSTWUN when he allegedly was kidnapped while on his way to visit family in Baghdad, Iraq. The soldier is assigned to the
Provincial Reconstruction Team Baghdad.
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
TOTAL NUMBER OF HEROES THAT ARE
STILL MISSING
AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE STILL WAITING FOR SOME ANSWERS
FROM ALL WARS.
WW-I
3344
WW-II
78,556
COLD WAR 120
KOREA
8105
VIETNAM 1710
IRAQI
1
AFGHANISTAN 1
U.S. Unaccounted-For
from the Vietnam War
Prisoners of War,
Missing in Action and Killed in Action/Body not Recovered
Report for: Michigan
MILITARY
SERVICE
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
XX
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
XX
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
XX
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
D.P.M.O.
ANNOUNCED REMAINS RETURNED FOR BURIAL
REPORT TOTALS
Total BB
- Killed in Action, Body Not Recovered
20
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
38
Total
59
Soldiers Missing from
Vietnam War Identified
November 07, 2011
The
Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today
that the remains of three servicemen, missing in action from the Vietnam
War, have been identified and are being returned to their families for
burial with full military honors.
Army Capt. Arnold E. Holm Jr. of
Waterford, Conn.; Spc. Robin R. Yeakley of South Bend, Ind.; and Pfc. Wayne
Bibbs of Chicago, will be buried as a group, in a single casket representing
the entire crew, on Nov. 9, in Arlington National Cemetery. On June 11,
1972, Holm was the pilot of an OH-6A Cayuse helicopter flying a
reconnaissance mission in Thua Thien-Hue Province, South Vietnam.
Also on board were his observer,
Yeakley, and his door gunner, Bibbs. The aircraft made a second pass over a
ridge, where enemy bunkers had been sighted, exploded and crashed, exploding
again upon impact. Crews of other U.S. aircraft, involved in the mission,
reported receiving enemy ground fire as they over flew the crash site
looking for survivors.
Aircrew Missing in Action from
WWII
Identified
October 21, 2011
The Department of Defense POW/Missing
Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of 10 servicemen,
missing in action from World War II, have been identified and are being
returned to their families for burial with full military honors.
Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Robert R.
Bishop of Joliet, Ill.; 2nd Lt. Thomas Digman, Jr. of Pittsburgh; 2nd Lt.
Donald W. Hess of Sioux City, Iowa; 2nd Lt. Arthur W. Luce, of Fort Bragg,
Calif.; Staff Sgt. Joseph J. Karaso, of Philadelphia; Staff Sgt. Ralph L.
McDonald of East Point, Ga.; Sgt. John P. Bonnassiolle of Oakland, Calif.;
Sgt. James T. Blong of Port Washington, Wis.; Sgt. Michael A. Chiodo of
Cleveland; and Sgt. John J. Harringer, Jr. of South Bend, Ind., will be
buried as a group, in a single casket representing the entire crew, on Oct.
26, in Arlington National Cemetery. Hess and Karaso will be interred
individually in Arlington National Cemetery.
On April 29, 1944, the 10 airmen were
ordered to carry out a bombing mission over Berlin, Germany, in their B-24J
Liberator aircraft, piloted by Bishop and Luce. German documents captured
after the war noted that the aircraft crashed near the town of East Meitze,
Germany, and there were no survivors. German forces buried the remains of
Digman, Blong, and one unknown airman in a cemetery near Hannover, Germany,
around the time of the crash. In 1946, the Army Graves Registration Service
exhumed the remains of the three individuals for identification and reburied
them in a U.S. Military Cemetery in Condroz, Belgium.
U.S. Soldier MIA from
Korean War Identified October 05, 2011
The
Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today
that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War,
have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full
military honors.
Army
Cpl. Edward M. Pedregon of El Paso, Texas, will be buried on Oct. 6 in
Arlington National Cemetery. A memorial service was held in San Elizario,
Texas, on Oct. 1. In late November 1950 Pedregon and the Heavy Mortar
Company, of the 31st Regimental Combat Team known as Task Force
Faith were overrun by Chinese forces near the Chosin Reservoir in North
Korea. After several days of heavy attacks, Task Force Faith was forced to
withdraw, but was stopped by enemy blockades that overpowered them on Dec.
2, 1950. Pedregon was reported missing in action on Nov. 30, 1950.
In
1953, following the exchange of all prisoners of war by both sides of the
conflict, no further information was gained to indicate that Pedregon had
been held as a prisoner of war, and he was declared dead.
Missing
Vietnam War Soldiers
Identified October 03, 2011
The
Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today
that the remains of three servicemen, missing in action from the Vietnam
War, have been identified and returned to their families for burial with
full military honors.
Master Sgt.
Charles V. Newton of Canadian, Texas; Sgt. 1st Class Douglas E.
Dahill of Lima, Ohio; and Sgt. 1st Class Charles F. Prevedel of
St. Louis, Mo., all U.S. Army, will be buried as a group on Oct. 5 at
Arlington National Cemetery. Newton was also individually identified and
will be interred individually at Arlington on the same day as the group
interment. On April 17, 1969, the men and three Vietnamese soldiers were on
a long-range reconnaissance patrol operating in Quang Nam Province, Vietnam,
near the border of Laos. That afternoon the patrol was ambushed by enemy
forces and radioed for air support but thunderstorms in the area prevented
rescue attempts. Search and rescue teams reached the site the next day but
over the next week found no signs of the men.
Airmen Missing in Action from
WWII
Identified September 20, 2011
The Department of
Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains
of nine servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been
identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full
military honors.
Army Air Forces
1st Lt. William J. Sarsfield of Philadelphia; 2nd Lt. Charles E. Trimingham
of Salinas, Calif.; Tech. Sgt. Robert L. Christopherson of Blue Earth,
Minn.; and Tech. Sgt. Leonard A. Gionet of Shirley, Mass., will be buried as
a group in a single casket on Sept. 21 in Arlington National Cemetery, along
with remains representing previously identified crew members 2nd Lt. Herman
H. Knott, 2nd Lt. Francis G. Peattie, Staff Sgt. Henry Garcia, Staff Sgt.
Robert E. Griebel, and Staff Sgt. Pace P. Payne, who were individually
buried in 1985. These nine airmen were ordered to carry out a bombing
mission over Rabaul, Papau New Guinea (P.N.G.), in their B-17E Flying
Fortress nicknamed Naughty but Nice, taking off from an airfield near
Dobodura, P.N.G., on June 26, 1943. The aircraft was damaged by
anti-aircraft fire and ultimately shot down by Japanese fighter aircraft. A
tenth man, the navigator and only survivor of the crash -- 2nd Lt. Jose L.
Holguin -- was held as a prisoner of war until his release in September
1945.
In 1949, U.S.
military personnel in the area were led by local citizens to a B-17 crash
site on New Britain Island. Remains were recovered but couldn't be
identified given the technology of the time. The remains were buried as
unknown at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.
Air Force Pilot Missing From
Vietnam War
Identified September 01, 2011
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced
today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam
War, have been identified and returned to his family for burial with full
military honors.
Air Force Major Thomas E. Reitmann of Red Wing, Minn., will be buried
on Sept. 8 in Arlington National Cemetery.ďż˝ In 1965, Reitmann was assigned
to the 334th Tactical Fighter Squadron deployed out of
Seymour-Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., to Takhli Air Base, Thailand. On Dec
1, 1965, he was flying a strike mission as the number three aircraft in a
flight of four F-105D Thunderchiefs as part of Operation Rolling Thunder.
His target was a railroad bridge located about 45 nautical miles northeast
of Hanoi. As the aircrew approached the target area, they encountered
extremely heavy and accurate anti-aircraft artillery (AAA). While attempting
to acquire his target and release his ordnance, Reitmann received a direct
AAA hit and crashed in Lang Son Province, North Vietnam. Other pilots in the
flight observed no parachute, and no signals or emergency beepers were
heard. Due to the intense enemy fire in the area a search-and-rescue team
was not able to survey the site and a two-day electronic search found no
sign of the aircraft or Reitmann.
In 1988, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) repatriated remains
to the United States believed to be those of Reitmann. The remains were
later identified as those of another American pilot who went missing in the
area on the same day as Reitmann.
Soldier Missing in
Action from WWII
Identified August 08, 2011
The
Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today
that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from World War II, have
been identified and are being buried with full military honors.
Army Pfc.
William F. Stehlin of Dayton, Ky., will be buried on Aug. 11 in Arlington
National Cemetery. On Nov. 20, 1944, Stehlin, as part of the 333rd
Infantry Regiment, 84th Infantry Division, went missing near
Süggerath while his unit conducted a largely successful offensive to capture
towns in Western Germany. In 1951, after an extensive search, his remains
were determined unrecoverable by U.S. Army Graves Registration personnel.
In 2009, a
German citizen digging in a wooded area near Süggerath, discovered a grave
with the remains of two individuals, military-related equipment and
identification tags.
Among other
forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from
the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command laboratory also used dental comparisons
in the identification of the remains. The other individual, Pfc. Edward L.
O'Toole, was identified and buried on July 15 in San Bruno, Calif.
Today, more
than 73,000 are unaccounted-for from the conflict.
Soldier Missing from
Vietnam War
Identified August 02, 2011
The Department of Defense
POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a
serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and
will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Chief Warrant Officer
George A. Howes, of Knox, Ind., will be buried Aug. 5 in Arlington National
Cemetery. On Jan. 10, 1970, Howes and three aircrew members were returning
to their base at Chu Lai, South Vietnam aboard a UH-1C Huey helicopter. Due
to bad weather, their helicopter went down over Quang Nam Province,
Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.). A search was initiated for the
crew, but no sign of the helicopter or crew was spotted.
In 1989, the S.R.V. gave to
U.S. specialists 25 boxes that reportedly contained the remains of U.S.
servicemen related to this incident. Later that year, additional remains
and a military identification tag from one of the other missing servicemen
were obtained from a Vietnamese refugee.
Between 1993 and 1999, joint
U.S./S.R.V. teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC),
conducted three investigations in Ho Chi Minh City and two investigations in
Quang Nam-Da Nang Province (formerly Quang Nam Province). A Vietnamese
citizen in Ho Chi Minh City turned over a military identification tag
bearing Howes' name and told the team he knew where the remains of as many
as nine American servicemen were buried. He agreed to lead the team to the
burial site. In 1994, the team excavated the site and recovered a metal box
and several bags containing human remains. In 2006, the remains of three of
the four men were identified and buried. No remains could be attributed to
Howes given the technology of the time. In 2008, given advances in DNA
technology, the remains were reanalyzed.
Missing
World War II
Soldiers Indentified July 28, 2011
The Department of
Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced Monday that the
remains 12 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 Army Air
Forces 1st Lt. Jack E. Volz, 21, of Indianapolis; 2nd
Lt. Regis E. Dietz, 28, of Pittsburgh, Pa.; 2nd Lt. Edward J.
Lake, 25, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; 2nd Lt. Martin P. Murray, 21, of
Lowell, Mass.; 2nd Lt. William J. Shryock, 23, of Gary, Ind.;
Tech. Sgt. Robert S. Wren, 25, of Seattle, Wash.; Tech. Sgt. Hollis R.
Smith, 22, of Cove, Ark.; Staff Sgt. Berthold A. Chastain, 27, Dalton, Ga.;
Staff Sgt. Clyde L. Green, 24, Erie, Pa.; Staff Sgt. Frederick E. Harris,
23, Medford, Mass.; Staff Sgt. Claude A. Ray, 24, Coffeyville, Kan.; and
Staff Sgt. Claude G. Tyler, 24, Landover, Md. The remains representing the
entire crew will be buried as a group, in a single casket, Aug. 4 in
Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C. Eight of the airmen were
identified and buried as individuals during previous ceremonies. Shryock,
Green and Harris were also individually identified and will be interred
individually at Arlington on the same day as the group interment.
These 12 airmen were
ordered to carry out a reconnaissance mission in their B-24D Liberator,
taking off from an airfield near Port Moresby, New Guinea, on Oct. 27, 1943.
Allied plans were being formulated to mount an attack on the Japanese
redoubt at Rabaul, New Britain. American strategists considered it critical
to take Rabaul in order to support the eventual invasion of the
Philippines. The crew's assigned area of reconnaissance was the nearby
shipping lanes in the Bismarck Sea. But during their mission, they were
radioed to land at a friendly air strip nearby due to poor weather
conditions. The last radio transmission from the crew did not indicate
their location, and in the following weeks, multiple searches over land and
sea areas did not locate the aircraft.
Following World War II, the Army Graves Registration
Service conducted investigations and searches for 43 missing airmen,
including these airmen, in the area but concluded in June 1949 that they
were unrecoverable.
Missing
World War II
Soldiers Identified July 18, 2011
The Department of Defense
POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of
three servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been identified
and are being returned to their families for burial with full military
honors.
Army Pfc. Lawrence N. Harris,
of Elkins, W.V., Cpl. Judge C. Hellums, of Paris, Miss., and Pvt. Donald D.
Owens, of Cleveland, will be buried as a group, in a single casket, on July
20 in Arlington National Cemetery. In late September 1944, their unit, the
773rd Tank Battalion, was fighting its way east to France's
eastern border, clearing German forces out of the Parroy Forest near
Lunéville. On Oct. 9, 1944, in the final battle for control of the region,
Hellums, Harris, Owens and two other soldiers were attacked by enemy fire in
their M-10 Tank Destroyer. Two men survived with serious injuries but
Harris, Hellums and Owens were reported to have been killed. Evidence at the
time indicated the remains of the men had been destroyed in the attack and
were neither recovered nor buried near the location.
In November 1946, a French
soldier working in the Parroy Forest found debris associated with an M-10
vehicle and human remains, which were turned over to the American Graves
Registration Command. The remains were buried as unknowns in what is now
known as the Ardennes American Cemetery in Belgium. A year later the AGRC
returned to the Parroy Forest to conduct interviews and search for
additional remains. Investigators noted at that time that all remains of
U.S. soldiers had reportedly been removed in the last two years and that the
crew was likely buried elsewhere as unknowns.
Air Force Pilot Missing from
Vietnam War
Identified
July 07, 2011
The Department of Defense
POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a
serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and
returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Air Force Maj. Richard G.
Elzinga of Shedd, Ore., will be buried on July 8 in Arlington National
Cemetery. On March 26, 1970, Elzinga and his co-pilot went missing when
their O-1G Birddog aircraft failed to return to base from a familiarization
flight over Laos. Fifteen minutes after the last radio contact, a
communication and visual search showed no sign of the men or their
aircraft. Search and rescue missions continued for two days with no
results.
Between 1994 and 2009, joint
U.S.-Lao People's Democratic Republic teams led by Joint POW/MIA Accounting
Command, analyzed leads, interviewed villagers and surveyed possible crash
site locations. During several joint field surveys, teams recovered human
remains, aircraft wreckage, and crew-related equipment.
Among other forensic
identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Armed
Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA -- which
matched that of his aunt and cousin -- in the identification of Elzinga's
remains.
Airman Missing in Action From
WWII
Identified
June 20, 2011
The Department of
Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains
of a serviceman, missing in action from World War II, have been identified
and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Staff Sgt. Marvin
J. Steinford, of Keystone, Iowa, will be buried on June 21 in Cedar Rapids,
Iowa. On March 24, 1945, Steinford, along with nine other crew members,
bailed out of their B-17G Flying Fortress bomber over Gic, Hungary. It had
been hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire while on a bombing mission over
Germany. Steinford and another crew member were struck by small arms fire
while parachuting into a firefight between Soviet and German forces. The
remains of the other crew member were found after the war where they had
been buried by Hungarian villagers. The remaining eight members of the
aircrew were captured by the Germans, held as POWs, and released at the end
of the war.
According to accounts
gathered by U.S. Army Graves Registration Service personnel in the late
1940s, Steinford's body was seen beside a German tank near Gic, but no
further details about his exact whereabouts were recorded. Growing tensions
in Soviet-controlled Eastern Europe closed off further U.S. access to
Hungary.
Airman Missing from
Vietnam War
Identified June 17, 2011
The Department of Defense POW/Missing
Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman,
missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and are being
returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Air Force 1st Lt. David A.
Thorpe of Seneca Falls, N.Y., will be buried June 23 at Arlington National
Cemetery. On Oct. 3, 1966, Thorpe's C-130E, with four other men aboard,
failed to arrive at Nha Trang Air Base following their departure from Tan
Son Nhut Air Base in South Vietnam. Rescue personnel found their remains at
the crash site in South Vietnam eight days later approximately 40 miles west
of Nha Trang. The cause of the crash is not known.
Between 1984 and 1996, the
Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) received human remains tentatively
linked to Thorpe and the other crew members from various sources including
refugees from the Vietnam War and Vietnamese citizens. Lacking advanced
scientific tools and complete records during this time period, JPAC was
unable to make an individual identification of Thorpe's remains, so he was
buried as part of a group at Arlington. Other remains associated with the
entire group were held at JPAC's laboratory for future testing.
As DNA testing procedures
improved in the late 1990s, JPAC's forensic anthropologists applied the
latest technologies from the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory to
include mitochondrial testing, a sample of which matched the DNA from
Thorpe's sister. His dental records also helped confirm the identification.
With the accounting of this
airman, 1,687 service members still remain missing from the Vietnam War.
Soldier Missing from
Korean War
Identified
June 13, 2011
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 are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. A.V. Scott, 27, of Detroit, Mich.,
will be buried June 22 at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
On Feb. 12, 1951, Scott's unit, the 503rd Field Artillery
Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, was supplying friendly forces
approximately 70 miles east of Seoul, South Korea, when Chinese Communist
units attacked the area and forced a withdrawal. Scott was captured by
enemy forces and marched north to a prisoner-of-war camp in Suan County,
North Korea. Surviving POWs within the camp reported Scott died in April
1951.
Between 1991 and
1994, North Korea gave the United States 208 boxes of remains believed to
contain the remains of 200 to 400 U.S. servicemen. North Korean documents
turned over with one of the boxes indicated the remains were exhumed near
Suan County, which correlates with Scott's last known location.
Among forensic
identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint
POW/MIA Accounting Command used dental comparisons, and the Armed Forces DNA
Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA, which matched that of
Scott's cousins, in the identification.
In 1995, the U.S. government evaluated
Spinler's case and determined his remains unrecoverable based on witness
statements and available evidence. Teams working in the area revisited the
location in 1999 and 2003 and confirmed Spinler's remains had likely been
carried away by the Xekong River. However, in 2010, JPAC conducted a full
excavation of the location and recovered aircraft wreckage, human remains,
crew-related equipment and personal effects.
Among other forensic
identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint
POW/MIA Accounting Command used dental x-rays in the identification of
Spinler's remains.
Missing
Vietnam War
Airman Identified June
07, 2011
The Department of Defense
POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a
serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and
will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Air Force Capt. Darrell J.
Spinler of Browns Valley, Minn., will be buried on June 18 near his
hometown. On June 21, 1967, Spinler was aboard an A-1E Skyraider aircraft
attacking enemy targets along the Xekong River in Laos when villagers
reported hearing an explosion before his aircraft crashed. The pilot of
another A-1E remained in the area for more than two hours but saw no sign of
Spinler.
In 1993, a joint U.S.-Laos
People's Democratic Republic team, led by Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC),
interviewed villagers who witnessed the crash. They claimed Spinler's body
was on the river bank after the crash but likely washed away during the
ensuing rainy season. The team surveyed the location and found wreckage
consistent with Spinler's aircraft.
U.S.
Soldier MIA from Korean War
Identified May 11, 2011
The Department of Defense
POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a
serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and
are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. Primo C.
Carnabuci of Old Saybrook, Conn., will be buried May 12 in his hometown. On
Nov. 1, 1950, Carnabuci's unit, the 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry
Division, occupied a defensive position along the Kuryong River, near Unsan,
North Korea. Chinese units attacked the area and forced a withdrawal.
Almost 600 men, including Carnabuci, were reported missing or killed in
action following the battle.
In 2000, a joint
U.S-Democratic People's Republic of Korea team, led by the Joint POW/MIA
Accounting Command (JPAC), excavated a mass grave discovered earlier in
Unsan County, south of the area known as "Camel's Head." The team recovered
remains of at least five individuals as well as military clothing.
Analysts from DPMO
and JPAC developed case leads with information spanning more than 58 years.
They evaluated the circumstances surrounding the soldier's death and
researched wartime documentation on the movements of U.S. and enemy forces
on the battlefield.
Among forensic
identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC used
dental comparisons and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used
mitochondrial DNA -- which matched that of Carnabuci's brother -- in the
identification.
With this
identification, 7,997 service members still remain missing from the conflict
Soldier
Missing in Action from WWII
Identified May 04, 2011
The Department of Defense
POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a
serviceman, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and
are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Pfc. Robert B.
Bayne, of Dundalk, Md., will be buried on May 7 in his hometown. On March
28, 1945, while patrolling the Rhine River in an inflatable raft, Bayne, a
lieutenant and two other enlisted men were attacked near Schwegenheim,
Germany. Bayne and the officer were wounded, forcing all four men into the
swift waters of the river. The lieutenant was rescued but the enlisted men
were not found.
Between 1945 and
1946, Army Graves Registration personnel exhumed remains of three men from
two different locations when German citizens reported the graves contained
remains of American soldiers recovered from the river in March 1945. Among
items found with the remains were military identification tags. Two of the
men were identified as enlisted men from the raft -- Pvt. Edward Kulback and
Pfc. William Gaffney -- but due to limited forensic science of the time, the
remains of the other individual could not be identified and were interred at
the U.S. Military Cemetery in St. Avold, France as "unknown."
In 1948, the
remains of the unknown soldier were exhumed to compare them to available
records for Bayne. After several years of analysis the remains could not be
identified and were reinterred as unknown at the Rhone American Cemetery and
Memorial in Draguignan, France, in 1951.
More than 60 years
later, analysts from DPMO and the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC)
developed case leads, evaluated records and determined that modern forensic
technology could offer methods to identify the remains. In 2010, the
remains were exhumed once again for analysis.
Missing
WWII
Airman Identified April 22, 2011
The Department of Defense
POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a
serviceman, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and
are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
U.S. Army Air Forces Pfc.
Mervyn E. Sims, 23, of Petaluma, Calif., will be buried Friday in his
hometown. On April 24, 1943, Sims and four crew members aboard a C-87
Liberator Express departed from Yangkai, China, in support of "the Hump"
resupply mission between India and China. Prior to takeoff, a ground crew
determined the aircraft had sufficient fuel for the six-hour flight to the
air base on other side of the Himalayas in Chabua, India. Once cleared for
takeoff, there was no further communication between the aircrew and airfield
operators. Army officials launched a search effort when the plane did not
arrive at the destination. No evidence of the aircraft was found and the
five men were presumed killed in action.
In 2003, an American citizen
in Burma reported to U.S. officials at the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command
(JPAC) that he had found aircraft wreckage he believed to be an American
C-87 in the mountains 112 miles east of Chabua. He was detained by Burmese
officials when he attempted to leave the country with human remains and
artifacts from the site. The remains and materials were handed over to
officials at the U.S. Embassy in Rangoon. Attempts to excavate the site are
being negotiated with the Indian government.
Missing
WWII
Airman Identified April 20, 2011
The Department of Defense
POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a
serviceman, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and
returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
U.S. Army Air Forces Tech. Sgt. James G. Maynard, of Ellenwood, Ga., will be
buried on April 22 at Arlington National Cemetery. On March 12, 1945,
Maynard and five crew members aboard a C-47A Skytrain departed Tanauan
Airfield on Leyte, Philippines, on a resupply mission to guerilla troops.
Once cleared for takeoff, there was no further communication between the
aircrew and airfield operators. When the aircraft failed to return, a
thorough search of an area ten miles on either side of the intended route
was initiated. No evidence of the aircraft was found and the six men were
presumed killed in action. Their remains were determined to be
non-recoverable in 1949.
In 1989, a Philippine National Police officer contacted U.S. officials
regarding a possible World War II-era aircraft crash near Leyte. Human
remains, aircraft parts and artifacts were turned over to the local police,
then to U.S. officials at the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC).
At the end of the war, the
U.S. government was unable to recover and identify approximately 79,000
Americans. Today, more than 72,000 are unaccounted-for from the conflict.
Airman Missing in Action from WWII Identified April 13, 2011
The Department
of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the
remains of a serviceman, missing in action from World War II, have been
identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full
military honors.
Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Martin P. Murray, 21, of Lowell, Mass.,
will be buried on April 16 in Marshfield, Mass. Murray, along with 11 other
crew members, took off on Oct. 27, 1943, in their B-24D Liberator from an
airfield near Port Moresby, New Guinea. Allied plans were being formulated
to mount an attack on the Japanese redoubt at Rabaul, New Britain. The
crew's assigned area of reconnaissance was the nearby shipping lanes in the
Bismarck Sea. But during their mission, they were radioed to land at a
friendly air strip nearby due to poor weather conditions. The last radio
transmission from the crew did not indicate their location. Multiple search
missions in the following weeks did not locate the aircraft.
Following World War II, the Army Graves Registration Service conducted
searches for 43 missing airmen, including Murray, in the area but concluded
in June 1949 that all were unrecoverable.
In August 2003, a team from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC)
received information on a crash site from a citizen in Papua New Guinea
while it was investigating another case. The citizen also turned over an
identification card from one of the crew members and reported that there
were possible human remains at the site of the crash. Twice in 2004 other
JPAC teams attempted to visit the site but were unable to do so due to poor
weather and hazardous conditions at the helicopter landing site. Another
team was able to successfully excavate the site from January to March 2007
where they found several identification tags from the B-24D crew as well as
human remains.
Soldier Missing from
Korean War
Identified April 12, 2011
The Department
of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the
remains of a serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been
identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. John W. Lutz, 21, of Kearny, N.J., will be buried tomorrow at
Arlington National Cemetery. From May 16-20, 1951, Task Force Zebra, a
multinational force made up of Dutch, French, and U.S. forces, was attacked
and isolated into smaller units. Lutz, of the 1st Ranger
Infantry Company, part of Task Force Zebra, went missing while his unit was
attempting to infiltrate enemy lines near Chaun-ni, South Korea, along the
Hongcheon River Valley
After the 1953 armistice, surviving POWs said Lutz had been captured by
enemy forces on May 19, marched north to a POW camp in Suan County, North
Korea, and died of malnutrition in July 1951.
Between 1991-94, North Korea gave the
United States 208 boxes of remains believed to contain the remains of
200-400 servicemen. North Korean documents turned over with one of the
boxes indicated the remains inside were exhumed near Suan County. This
location correlates with the corporal's last known location.
Analysts from
DPMO developed case leads with information spanning more than 58 years.
Through interviews with surviving POW eyewitnesses, experts validated
circumstances surrounding the soldier's captivity and death, confirming
wartime documentation of his loss.
Airmen Missing in Action From
WWII Identified
February 10, 2011
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 are being returned to their families for burial with
full military honors.
Army Air Forces Technical Sgt. Charles A.
Bode, 23, Baltimore, will be buried on Feb. 11 in Arlington National
Cemetery. On Nov. 20, 1943, Bode, along with 10 other B-24D Liberator crew
members, took off from Jackson Airfield, Port Moresby, New Guinea, on an
overwater mission near the northern coast of the country. During the
mission, the only radio transmission from the crew indicated they were 20
miles northwest of Port Moresby, but they did not return to Jackson
Airfield. Subsequent searches failed to uncover any evidence of either the
crew or the aircraft.
Following the
war, the Army Graves Registration Service conducted investigations and
searches for 43 missing airmen including Bode and the other 10 airmen, but
concluded in June 1949 that all were unrecoverable. In 1984, the government
of Papua New Guinea notified U.S. officials of a World War II crash site in
a ravine in Morobe Province. A U.S. search and recovery team investigated
the crash site in late 1984 and located B-24 aircraft wreckage. They also
recovered human remains but were unable to complete the mission due to time
constraints and the threat of landslides. From that time until 2004,
multiple teams from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) attempted to
access and excavate the location but the threat of landslides made recovery
too dangerous to continue. During a site visit in 2004, local villagers
turned over human remains they had previously removed from the area.
In addition to
Bode's individual burial, the crew of 11 men, 1st
Lt. Richard T. Heuss, 23, Berkley, Mich.; 2nd Lt.
Robert A. Miller, 22, Memphis, Tenn.; 2nd Lt. Edward R. French,
23, Erie, Pa.; 2nd Lt. Robert R. Streckenbach, Jr., 21, Green
Bay, Wis.; Tech. Sgt. Charles A. Bode; Tech. Sgt. Lucian I. Oliver, Jr., 23
Memphis, Tenn.; Staff Sgt. Ivan O. Kirkpatrick, 36, Whittier, Calif.; Staff
Sgt. William K. Musgrave, 24, Hutsonville, Ill.; Staff Sgt. James T. Moran,
21, Sloatsburg, N.Y.; Staff Sgt. James B. Moore, 21, Woburn, Mass.; and
Staff Sgt. Roy Surabian, 24, Medford, Mass., will be buried as a group on
March 24 at Arlington National Cemetery.
Among other
forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from
JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial
DNA in the identification of Bode's remains.
At the end of World War II, the U.S. government was unable to recover and
identify approximately 79,000 Americans. Today, more than 74,000 are
unaccounted-for from the conflict
Airmen Missing From
Vietnam War
Identified
January
12, 2011
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced
today that the remains of two servicemen, missing in action from the Vietnam
War, have been identified and returned to their families for burial with
full military honors.
Air Force Col. James E. Dennany, 34, of
Kalamazoo, Mich., and Maj. Robert L. Tucci, 27,
of Detroit, will be buried as a
group Jan. 14, in the Dallas-Ft. Worth National Cemetery.
On Nov. 12, 1969, Dennany and Tucci were flying the number three aircraft of
three F-4Ds escorting an AC-130 gunship on a night strike mission over
Laos. After the gunship attacked six trucks and set two of them on fire,
the AC-130 crew's night vision equipment was impacted by the glow from the
fires. They requested that Tucci attack the remaining trucks. During the
attack, gunship crew members observed anti-aircraft artillery gunfire
directed at Tucci's plane followed by a large explosion. No radio
transmissions were heard from the F-4D following the attack and no
parachutes were seen in the area. An immediate electronic search revealed
nothing and no formal search was initiated due to heavy anti-aircraft fire
in the area.
Soldier Missing in
Action from World War I
Identified December 08, 2010
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office
announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action
from World War I, have been identified and returned to his family for burial
with full military honors.
Army Private Henry A. Weikel, 28, of Mt. Carmel, Pa., will be buried on Dec.
9 in Annville, Pa. On Sept. 16, 1918, as part of the 60th
Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division,
his unit encountered heavy enemy artillery barrage and machine gun fire near
Jaulny, France, in a wooded area known as Bois de Bonvaux. Weikel was
killed during the battle and his remains were buried with two other soldiers
in a wooded area between Bois de Bonvaux and Bois de Grand Fontaine.
Attempts to locate his remains by U.S. Army Graves Registration personnel
following the war were unsuccessful.
In September 2006, French nationals hunting for metal in the area found
human remains and World War I artifacts. A Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command
team, operating near the location, was notified of the discovery and
recovered human remains upon excavating the site
U.S. Soldier MIA from
Korean War
Identified December 02, 2010
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 returned to his family for
burial with full military honors.
Army Sgt. First Class Wallace L. Slight, 24, of Yates City, Ill., will be
buried Dec. 3 in Van Meter, Iowa. On Nov. 1, 1950, Slight was assigned to M
Company, 8th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division, occupying a defensive position
in North Korea, along the Nammyon River, near a bend known as the "Camel's
Head." Two enemy elements attacked the 1st Cavalry Division's lines,
collapsing their perimeter and forcing a withdrawal. Almost 400 men,
including Slight, were reported missing or killed in action following the
battle.
In 1953, a U.S. soldier captured during the same battle reported that a
fellow prisoner of war had told him Slight had died on the battlefield
during the attack.
Between 1991 and 1994, North Korea gave the United States 208 boxes of
remains believed to contain the remains of 200-400 U.S. servicemen. North
Korean documents turned over with one of the boxes indicated the remains in
one of the boxes were exhumed near Unsan County, North Pyongan Province.
This location correlates with the location of the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry
Regiment on Nov. 2, 1950.
Analysts from DPMO and the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) developed
case leads with information spanning more than 58 years. Through interviews
with eyewitnesses, experts evaluated circumstances surrounding the soldier's
captivity and death and researched wartime documentation of his loss.
Soldier Missing from
Korean War
Identified November 08, 2010
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO)
announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from the
Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for
burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. Floyd E. Hooper, 27, of Stratton, Colo., will be buried on Nov. 13
in his hometown. In February 1951, his unit, the 19th Infantry
Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, fought against Chinese
Communist forces in support of Operation Thunderbolt, an operation to sweep
and clear enemy forces occupying areas south of the Han River. Strong enemy
forces supported by artillery fire forced his unit to withdraw to a
defensive perimeter where he was captured on Feb. 4, 1951, near Yangp'yong,
Korea. After the 1953 armistice, it was learned from surviving POWs that he
had been held in a POW camp in Suan County, North Korea, and died of
malnutrition and dysentery just a few months later.
Between 1991 and 1994, North Korea gave the United States 208 boxes of
remains believed to contain the remains of 200-400 servicemen. North Korean
documents turned over with one of the boxes indicated the remains were
exhumed near Suan County. This location correlates with Hooper's last known
location.
Analysts from DPMO developed case leads with information spanning more than
58 years. Through interviews with surviving POW eyewitnesses, experts
validated circumstances surrounding the soldier's captivity and death,
confirming wartime documentation of his loss.
Airmen Missing in Action
from WWII
Identified October 27, 2010
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO)
announced today that the remains of two 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.
Army Air Forces Staff Sgts. Claude A. Ray, 24, Coffeyville, Kan., and Claude
G. Tyler, 24, Landover, Md., will both be buried today -- Ray in Fallbrook,
Calif., and Tyler in Arlington National Cemetery. These two airmen, along
with 10 other crew members, were ordered to carry out a reconnaissance
mission in their B-24D Liberator, taking off from an airfield near Port
Moresby, New Guinea, on Oct. 27, 1943. Allied plans were being formulated to
mount an attack on the Japanese redoubt at Rabaul, New Britain. American
strategists considered it critical to take Rabaul in order to support the
eventual invasion of the Philippines. The crew's assigned area of
reconnaissance was the nearby shipping lanes in the Bismarck Sea. But
during their mission, they were radioed to land at a friendly air strip
nearby due to poor weather conditions. The last radio transmission from the
crew did not indicate their location, and searchers that day and the
following weeks were unable to locate the aircraft in spite of multiple
searches over land and sea areas.
Following World War II, the Army Graves Registration Service conducted
investigations and searches for 43 missing airmen, including Ray and Tyler,
in the area but concluded in June 1949 that they were unrecoverable.
Missing Vietnam War
Soldiers Identified October 18, 2010
The Department of Defense
POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of
three servicemen, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been
identified and will be returned to their families for burial with full
military honors.
Army Staff Sgt. Robert S.
Griffith, of Hapeville, Ga., will be buried on Oct. 23 in Fairburn, Ga. The
group remains of the other two soldiers which could not be individually
identified -- Army Staff Sgt. Melvin C. Dye, of
Carleton, Mich., and Sgt. 1st Class Douglas J. Glover, of
Cortland, N.Y., will be buried at a later date. The men were aboard a UH-1H
Iroquois helicopter on Feb. 19, 1968, when it was shot down by enemy fire in
Laos. They were involved in an attempt to extract a long-range
reconnaissance patrol in the mountains of Attapu Province. Three other
American service members survived the crash and were rescued, but three
Vietnamese Montagnards did not survive.
Several hours after the crash, a team was dispatched to survey the location
and reported seeing remains of at least five people. Enemy activity
prevented remains recovery at that time. The following month a second team
was sent to the crash site but found no remains.
In 1995, a joint U.S.-Lao People's Democratic Republic team traveled to the
recorded grid coordinates for the crash site but found no evidence of a
helicopter crash. The team then surveyed a second location in the area
where they found helicopter wreckage and human remains. In 2006, a
follow-on team was not able to resurvey the same site due to severe
overgrowth and time constraints. Another team excavated the location in
late 2007 recovering human remains, wreckage and military-related equipment.
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,
419 Wakefield Lane , Geneva , IL60134-1006.
The Joint POW/MIA Accounting
Command’s mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting of
all Americans missing as a result of the nation’s past conflicts.
JPAC specialists search for, recover and identify remains of
Americans missing from all conflicts from World War II through the
Persian Gulf War.
Today, there
is one American missing from the Gulf War, more than 1,800 from the
Vietnam War, 120 from the Cold War, more than 8,100 from the Korean
War, and more than 78,000 from World War II.
Meetings are the
second Sunday of each month @ 10am
Everyone is Welcome to Join Our Meetings and Events.
"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.
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POW/MIA Flag
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accounts.
