POW/MIA Welcome Home

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (31 July 2023) that U.S. Army Air Forces Tech Sgt. Elton L. Gomillion, 22, of Lola, Texas, killed during World War II, was accounted for March 30, 2023.

In the summer of 1943, Gomillion was assigned to the 409th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force. On Aug. 1, 1943, the B-24 Liberator bomber on which Gomillion was the engineer was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire and crashed during Operation TIDAL WAVE, the largest bombing mission against the oil fields and refineries at Ploiesti, north of Bucharest, Romania. His remains were not identified following the war. The remains that could not be identified were buried as Unknowns in the Hero Section of the Civilian and Military Cemetery of Bolovan, Ploiesti, Prahova, Romania.

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

Gomillion will be buried in Lola, Texas, on September 12, 2023

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (28 July 2023) that U.S. Army Pfc. James L. Miller, 21, of Detroit, Michigan, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for Nov. 28, 2022.

In late 1950, Miller was a member of K Company, 3rd Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Miller and the 24th Infantry Regiment took part in the unsuccessful defense of the town of Sangju in July 1950. He was reported killed in action on July 30, while fighting with the North Korean forces. Following the battle, his remains could not be recovered, and there is no evidence that he was ever a prisoner of war. Miller was declared nonrecoverable on Jan. 16, 1956.

After regaining control of Sanju in the fall of 1950, the Army began recovering remains from the area and temporarily interring them at the United Nations Military Cemetery (UNMC) Taejon. One set of remains recovered during this period was designated Unknown X-5156. After extensive analysis by the Central Identification Unit-Kokura in Japan was unable to identify X-5156, the remains were declared unidentifiable. They were later sent to Hawaii where they were buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu, with other Korean War Unknowns.

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

Miller will be buried in Holly, Michigan, on a date to be determined.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (28 July 2023) that Army Cpl. Donald “Donny” L. DuPont, 22, of Alma Center, Wisconsin, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for Jan. 24, 2023.

In late 1950, DuPont was a member of B Company, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on Dec. 2, 1950, during battle with enemy forces near the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea. Following the battle, his remains could not be recovered, and there is no evidence that he was never a prisoner of war.

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

DuPont will be buried in Fairchild, Wisconsin, on August 23, 2023.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (27 July 2023) that U.S. Army Pfc. Albert A. Gosnell 18, of Greenville, South Carolina, who was killed during the Korean War, was accounted for May 15, 2023.

In July 1950, Gosnell was a member of Heavy Mortar Company, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action after his unit was forced to retreat in the vicinity of Taejon, South Korea, on July 16, 1950. Due to the fighting, his body could not be recovered at that time, and there was never any evidence that he was a prisoner of war. The Army issued a presumptive finding of death on Dec. 31, 1953.

After regaining control of Taejon in the fall of 1950, the Army began recovering remains from the area and temporarily interring them at the United Nations Military Cemetery (UNMC) Taejon. One set of remains recovered during this period was designated Unknown X-274 Taejon. After extensive analysis by the Central Identification Unit-Kokura in Japan was unable to identify X-274, the remains were declared unidentifiable. They were later sent to Hawaii where they were buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu, with other Korean War Unknowns.

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

Gosnell will be buried in Anderson, South Carolina, on a date to be determined.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (26 July 2023) that U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class James L. Wilkinson, 19, of Bowden, Georgia, who was killed during the Korean War, was accounted for Dec. 5, 2022.

In July 1950, Wilkinson, was a member of G Company, 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action during fighting along the Naktong River near Yongson, South Korea, on Sept. 8. Due to the fighting, his body could not be recovered at that time, and there was never any evidence that he was a prisoner of war. The Army issued a presumptive finding of death on Dec. 31, 1953.

In July 1951, the Army began recovering remains from the area and temporarily interring them at the United Nations Military Cemetery (UNMC) Tanggok. One set of remains recovered during this period was designated Unknown X-1588. After extensive analysis by the Central Identification Unit-Kokura in Japan was unable to identify X-1588, the remains were declared unidentifiable. They were later sent to Hawaii where they were buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu, with other Korean War Unknowns.

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

Wilkinson will be buried on Sept. 16, 2023, in Barrow County, Georgia.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (26 July 2023) that Army Cpl. Gordon D. McCarthy, 20, Palmer, Michigan, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for Feb. 13, 2023.

In late 1950, McCarthy was a member of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on Dec. 2, 1950, when his unit was attacked by enemy forces near the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea. Following the battle, his remains could not be recovered.

On July 27, 2018, following the summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un in June 2018, North Korea turned over 55 boxes, purported to contain the remains of American service members killed during the Korean War. The remains arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii on Aug. 1, 2018, and were subsequently accessioned into the DPAA laboratory for identification.

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

McCarthy will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery on date yet to be determined.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (25 July 2023) that U.S. Army Air Forces Sgt. Donal C. Aiken, 22, of Everett, Washington, killed during World War II, was accounted for May 5, 2023.

In the summer of 1944, Aiken was assigned to the 678th Bombardment Squadron, 444th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy), 58th Bombardment Wing, Twentieth Bomber Command. On June 26, Aiken while serving as a crewmember on the B-29 Superfortress crashed into a rice paddy in the village of Sapekhati, India after a bombing raid on Imperial iron and steel works at Yawata, Kyushu Island, Japan. All 11 crew members were killed instantly in the crash.

On June 28, 1944 a team from 342nd Service Squadron, 329th Service Group visited the crash site recovering and identifying only seven sets of remains which were interred at in United States Military Cemetery in Panitola, Assam, India and subsequently disinterred and sent to their final internment on Jan. 13, 1948.

Aiken will be buried in Madison, Tennessee on a date yet to be determined.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (24 July 2023) that U.S. Army Sergeant John W. Radanovich, 23, of Mount Olive, Illinois, reported missing during World War II, was accounted for May 11, 2023.

In November 1944, Radanovich was assigned to Company G, 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division. His rifle platoon was engaged in battle with German forces near the town of Grosshau, in Hürtgen Forest, Germany when he was reported missing in action Dec. 1, 1944. Despite continued progress against German fighting positions, many soldiers were killed along the Company G battle line. The Germans never reported Radanovich as a prisoner of war, and his remains were not immediately recovered. The War Department issued a presumptive finding of death in December 1945.

Radanovich’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at Netherlands American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Margarten, Netherlands, along with the others still missing from World War II. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Radanovich will be buried in Mount Olive, Illinois on a date yet to be determined.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (01 August 2023) that U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Wesley L. Jones, 22, of Wichita, Kansas, killed during World War II, was accounted for March 16, 2023.

In the summer of 1943, Jones was assigned to the 345th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force. On Aug. 1, 1943, the B-24 Liberator bomber on which Jones was the gunner was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire and crashed during Operation TIDAL WAVE, the largest bombing mission against the oil fields and refineries at Ploiesti, north of Bucharest, Romania. His remains were not identified following the war. The remains that could not be identified were buried as Unknowns in the Hero Section of the Civilian and Military Cemetery of Bolovan, Ploiesti, Prahova, Romania.

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

Jones will be buried in Wichita, Kansas, on a date to be determined

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (04 August 2023) that U.S. Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Walter B. Miklosh, 21, of Chicago, Illinois, killed during World War II, was accounted for May 5, 2023.

In the summer of 1944, Miklosh was assigned to the 678th Bombardment Squadron, 444th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy), 58th Bombardment Wing, Twentieth Bomber Command. On June 26, Miklosh while serving as a navigator on a B-29 Superfortress crashed into a rice paddy in the village of Sapekhati, India after a bombing raid on Imperial iron and steel works at Yawata, Kyushu Island, Japan. All 11 crew members were killed instantly in the crash.

On June 28, 1944 a team from 342nd Service Squadron, 329th Service Group visited the crash site recovering and identifying only seven sets of remains which were interred at in United States Military Cemetery in Panitola, Assam, India and subsequently disinterred and sent to their final internment on Jan. 13, 1948.

In September 1948 the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC), investigation team searched the area of the crash site, but they did not discover any remains associated with Miklosh. He was declared non-recoverable Jan. 2, 1948.

Miklosh will be buried in Sierra Vista, Arizona, on a date to be determined.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (09 August 2023) that Army Cpl. Francis James Jury, 23, of Clearfield, Pennsylvania, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for Feb. 10, 2022.

In late 1950, Cpl. Jury was a member of Heavy Mortar Company, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on Dec. 2, 1950, during battle with enemy forces near the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea. Following the battle, his remains could not be recovered, and there is no evidence that he was ever a prisoner of war.

On July 27, 2018, following the summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un in June 2018, North Korea turned over 55 boxes, purported to contain the remains of American service members killed during the Korean War. The remains arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii on Aug. 1, 2018, and were subsequently accessioned into the DPAA laboratory for identification.

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

Cpl. Jury will be buried at Annville, Pennsylvania, on a date to be determined.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (09 August 2023) that U.S. Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Alfred W. Pezzella, 27, of Newton, Massachusetts, killed during World War II, was accounted for April 6, 2023.

In the summer of 1943, Pezzella was assigned to 328th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 93d Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force. On Aug. 1, 1943, the B-24 Liberator bomber on which Pezzella was serving as the bombardier was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire and crashed during Operation TIDAL WAVE, the largest bombing mission against the oil fields and refineries at Ploiesti, north of Bucharest, Romania. His remains were not identified following the war. The remains that could not be identified were buried as Unknowns in the Hero Section of the Civilian and Military Cemetery of Bolovan, Ploiesti, Prahova, Romania.

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

Pezzella will be buried in Bourne, Massachusetts, on a date to be determined.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (15 August 2023) that Army Sgt. Richard M. Sharrow, 22, of Marienville, Pennsylvania, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for Jan. 24, 2023.

In July 1950, Sharrow was a member of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Eighth U.S. Army. He was reported missing in action on July 25 after his unit sustained heavy casualties while defending against the North Korean Army’s advance near Yongdong, South Korea. Following the battle, his remains could not be recovered, and there is no evidence that he was ever a prisoner of war. The Army issued a presumptive finding of death on Dec. 31, 1953, and his remains were determined non-recoverable in Jan. 16, 1956.

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

Sharrow will be buried in Marienville, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 25, 2023

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (15 August 2023) that U.S. Army Pvt. Alvin D. Thurman, 21, Broken Bow, Oklahoma, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for March 30, 2023.

In late 1951, Thurman was a member of 1st Platoon, A Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. Thurman was reported killed in action Nov. 6 after his unit’s withdrawal from Hill 200 in the present-day Korea Demilitarized Zone. The Army issued a presumptive finding of death in Nov. 28, 1951 and declared Thurman non-recoverable in Jan. 16, 1956

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

Thurman will be buried in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, on Oct. 21, 2023.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (14 August 2023) that U.S. Army Pfc. Lex L. Lillard, 20, of Tucson, Arizona, who was captured and died as a prisoner of war during World War II, was accounted for May 22, 2023.

In late 1941, Lillard was a member of the Medical Department of Manila and Subic Bays in the Philippines, when Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands in December. Intense fighting continued until the surrender of the Bataan peninsula on April 9, 1942, and of Corregidor Island on May 6, 1942.

Thousands of U.S. and Filipino service members were captured and interned at POW camps.  Lillard was among those reported captured when U.S. forces in Bataan surrendered to the Japanese. They were subjected to the 65-mile Bataan Death March and then held at the Cabanatuan POW camp. More than 2,500 POWs perished in this camp during the war.

According to prison camp and other historical records, Lillard died July 19, 1942, and was buried along with other deceased prisoners in the local Cabanatuan Camp Cemetery in Common Grave 312.

Although interred as an Unknown in MACM, Lillard’s grave was meticulously cared for over the past 70 years by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC).

Lillard will be buried in Jay, Oklahoma, on September 23, 2023.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (05 Sept 2023) that U.S. Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Edward Barnett, 24, of Chicago, Illinois, killed during World War II was accounted for May 5, 2023.

In the summer of 1943, Barnett served with the 66th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 44th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 8th Air Force. On Aug. 1, 1943, the B-24 Liberator aircraft on which Barnett was serving as a co-pilot crashed as a result of enemy anti-aircraft fire during Operation TIDAL WAVE, the largest bombing mission against the oil fields and refineries at Ploiesti, north of Bucharest, Romania. His remains were not identified following the war. The remains that could not be identified were buried as Unknowns in the Hero Section of the Civilian and Military Cemetery of Bolovan, Ploiesti, Prahova, Romania.

Following the war, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC), the organization that searched for and recovered fallen American personnel, disinterred all American remains from the Bolovan Cemetery for identification. The AGRC was unable to identify more than 80 unknowns from Bolovan Cemetery, and those remains were permanently interred at Ardennes American Cemetery and Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, both in Belgium.

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

Barnett’s funeral will be in Arlington National Cemetery, on a date to be determined.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (31 Aug 2023) that U.S. Army Sgt. Willie J. Baty, 20, of Mexia, Texas, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for Feb. 8, 2023.

In the fall of 1950, Baty was a member of L Company, 3rd Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on Sept. 14 when his unit was forced to withdraw from the Masan area of the Pusan Perimeter, South Korea. Following the battle, his remains could not be recovered, and there is no evidence that he was ever a prisoner of war. The Army issued a presumptive finding of death on Dec. 31, 1953, and his remains were determined to be non-recoverable on Jan. 16, 1956.

The U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps (AGRSG) was responsible for recovering, identifying, and repatriating those lost during the Korean War.  In late 1950 they recovered a set remains designated as Unknown X-159 near Masan. After extensive analysis by the Central Identification Unit-Kokura in Japan was unable to identify X-159 the remains were declared unidentifiable. In Dec. 1950, the remains were buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu, with other Korean War Unknowns.

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

Baty will be buried in Dallas, Texas, on Sept. 15, 2023.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (31 August 2023) that U.S. Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Edward T. McGuire, 22, of Chicago, Illinois, killed during World War II was accounted for June 30, 2023.

In the summer of 1943, McGuire served with the 415th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force. On Aug. 1, 1943, the B-24 Liberator aircraft on which McGuire was serving as a pilot, crashed as a result of enemy anti-aircraft fire during Operation TIDAL WAVE, the largest bombing mission against the oil fields and refineries at Ploiesti, north of Bucharest, Romania. His remains were not identified following the war. The remains that could not be identified were buried as Unknowns in the Hero Section of the Civilian and Military Cemetery of Bolovan, Ploiesti, Prahova, Romania.

Following the war, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC), the organization that searched for and recovered fallen American personnel, disinterred all American remains from the Bolovan Cemetery for identification. The AGRC was unable to identify more than 80 unknowns from Bolovan Cemetery, and those remains were permanently interred at Ardennes American Cemetery and Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, both in Belgium.

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

McGuire will be buried on October 28, 2023, in Alsip, Illinois.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (01 Sept. 2023) that Army Pvt. Daniel Moniz, 19, of Hayward, California, killed during World War II, was accounted for May 5, 2023.

In November 1944, Moniz was assigned to Medical Detachment, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division. His unit was engaged in battle with German forces near Hürtgen, Germany, in the Hürtgen Forest, when he was killed in action on Nov. 11. Due to the tactical situation, his remains could not be immediately recovered.

Following the end of the war, the American Graves Registration Command was tasked with investigating and recovering missing American personnel in Europe. They conducted several investigations in the Hürtgen area between 1946 and 1950, but were unable to recover or identify Moniz’s remains. He was declared non-recoverable in December 1951.

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

Moniz will be buried in Hayward, California, on September 29, 2023.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (07 Sept. 2023) that U.S. Army Air Forces 1st Lt. George W. Winger, 25, of Columbus, Ohio, killed during World War II, was accounted for January 24, 2023.

In the summer of 1943, Winger was assigned to the 66th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 44th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 8th Air Force. On Aug. 1, 1943, the B-24 Liberator aircraft on which Winger was serving as the pilot was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire and crashed during Operation TIDAL WAVE, the largest bombing mission against the oil fields and refineries at Ploiesti, north of Bucharest, Romania. His remains were not identified following the war. The remains that could not be identified were buried as Unknowns in the Hero Section of the Civilian and Military Cemetery of Bolovan, Ploiesti, Prahova, Romania.

Following the war, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC), the organization that searched for and recovered fallen American personnel, disinterred all American remains from the Bolovan Cemetery for identification. The AGRC was unable to identify more than 80 unknowns from Bolovan Cemetery, and those remains were permanently interred at Ardennes American Cemetery and Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, both in Belgium.

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

Winger will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery on a date to be determined.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (07 Sept. 2023) that U.S. Army Air Forces Pfc. Glenn A. Harris, 20, of Monterey, California, who was captured and died as a prisoner of war during World War II, was accounted for July 7, 2023.

In late 1941, Harris was a member of the 93rd Bombardment Squadron, 19th Bombardment Group, when Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands in December. Intense fighting continued until the surrender of the Bataan peninsula on April 9, 1942, and of Corregidor Island on May 6, 1942.

Thousands of U.S. and Filipino service members were captured and interned at POW camps.  Harris was among those reported captured when U.S. forces in Bataan surrendered to the Japanese. They were subjected to the 65-mile Bataan Death March and then held at the Cabanatuan POW Camp #1. More than 2,500 POWs perished in this camp during the war.

According to prison camp and other historical records, Harris died July 26, 1942, and was buried along with other deceased prisoners in the local Cabanatuan Camp Cemetery in Common Grave 225.

Following the war, American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) personnel exhumed those buried at the Cabanatuan cemetery and relocated the remains to a temporary U.S. military mausoleum near Manila. In 1947, the AGRS examined the remains in an attempt to identify them. Three of the sets of remains from Common Grave 225 were identified, but the rest were declared unidentifiable. The unidentified remains were buried at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial (MACM) as Unknowns.

In March 2018, the remains associated with Common Grave 225 were disinterred and sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.

Although interred as an Unknown in MACM, Harris’ grave was meticulously cared for over the past 70 years by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC).

Harris will be buried in Bradley, California, on Sept. 29, 2023.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (11 September 2023) that U.S. Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Charles G. Reynolds, 24, of Bridgeport, Ohio, killed during World War II, was accounted for July 18, 2023.

In late 1943, Reynolds was a pilot assigned to the 498th Bombardment Squadron, 345th Bombardment Group, in the Southwest Pacific Theater. On November 27, the B-25D Mitchell which Reynolds was a crewmember of, did not return from its bombing mission near Wewak, New Guinea. The aircraft had sustained heavy damage from anti-aircraft fire and the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing in the waters of Karau Lagoon, in the Murik Lakes. Efforts to recover Reynolds’s remains were unsuccessful, and the crew was labeled Missing In Action.

Following the war, the American Graves Registration Service, the organization that searched for and recovered fallen American personnel, conducted exhaustive searches of battle areas and crash sites in New Guinea, concluding their search in late 1948. Investigators recovered fragmentary sets of human remains near Murik, as well as wreckage that was identified as belonging to a B-25 Mitchell. The remains, designated X-4180 and X-4196, were consolidated and declared unidentifiable, and were interred at Fort McKinley Cemetery in Manila.

Reynolds’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in the Philippines, along with others still missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Reynolds will be buried in Bridgeport, Ohio, on a date to be determined.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (21 September 2023) that U.S. Army Cpl. Lewis W, Hill, 18, of Detroit, Michigan, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for May 22, 2023.

In July 1950, Hill was a member of L Company, 3rd Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He went missing in action after his unit was forced to retreat from the vicinity of Taejon, South Korea, on July 20. Due to the fighting, his body could not be recovered at that time, and there was never any evidence that he was a prisoner of war. The Army issued a presumptive finding of death on Dec. 31, 1953.

After regaining control of Taejon in the fall of 1950, the Army began recovering remains from the area and temporarily interring them at the United Nations Military Cemetery (UNMC) Taejon. One set of remains recovered during this period was designated Unknown X-29 Taejon. A tentative association was made between X-29 and Hill, but definitive proof could not be found, and X-29 was determined to be unidentifiable. The remains were sent to Hawaii where they were buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu.

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

Hill will be buried in Imlay City, Michigan, on a date to be determined.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (21 September 2023) that U.S. Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Max E. Dailey, 21, of Cherokee, Iowa, killed during World War II was accounted for June 22, 2023.

In the summer of 1943, Dailey served with the 409th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force. On Aug. 1, 1943, the B-24 Liberator aircraft on which Dailey was serving as a navigator, crashed as a result of enemy anti-aircraft fire during Operation TIDAL WAVE, the largest bombing mission against the oil fields and refineries at Ploiesti, north of Bucharest, Romania. His remains were not identified following the war. The remains that could not be identified were buried as Unknowns in the Hero Section of the Civilian and Military Cemetery of Bolovan, Ploiesti, Prahova, Romania.

Following the war, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC), the organization that searched for and recovered fallen American personnel, disinterred all American remains from the Bolovan Cemetery for identification. The AGRC was unable to identify more than 80 unknowns from Bolovan Cemetery, and those remains were permanently interred at Ardennes American Cemetery and Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, both in Belgium.

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

Dailey will be buried in Charles City, Iowa, on a date to be determined.

T he Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (21 September 2023) that U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class James L. Dorrance, 20 of Omaha, Nebraska, who died as a prisoner of war during the Korean War, was accounted for May 22, 2023.

In late 1950, Dorrance was a member of B Battery, 82nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery–Automatic Weapons Battalion, Division Artillery, 2nd Infantry Division, Eighth U.S. Army. He was reported missing in action on Dec. 1, 1950, after his unit’s withdrawal from Kunu-ri to Sunchon, in North Korea. In 1953, several POWs returned during Operation Big Switch reported Dorrance had been a prisoner of war and died on March 17, 1951 at Prisoner of War Camp #5, Pyoktong, North Korea.

In the fall of 1954, during Operation Glory, North Korea returned remains reportedly recovered from Camp #5, to the United Nations Command. However, Dorrance’s name did not appear on any of the transfer rosters and the Central Identification Unit in Kokura, Japan, did not associate any repatriated remains with him.

In July 2018, the DPAA proposed a plan to disinter 652 Korean War Unknowns from the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In September 2019, the DPAA disinterred Unknown X-14402, a set of remains returned during Operation Glory, as part of Phase Two of the Korean War Disinterment Plan and sent the remains to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.

Dorrance’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific along with the others still missing from World War II. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Dorrance will be buried in Omaha, Nebraska, on a date to be determined.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (27 September 2023) that U.S. Army Cpl. James A. Hurt, 25, of East St. Louis, Illinois, who was captured and died as a prisoner of war during World War II, was accounted for Aug. 21, 2023.

In 1942, Hurt was a member of the 17th Pursuit Squadron, 24th Pursuit Group, U.S. Army Air Forces, when Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands in December. Intense fighting continued until the surrender of the Bataan peninsula on April 9, 1942, and of Corregidor Island on May 6, 1942.

Thousands of U.S. and Filipino service members were captured and interned at POW camps. Hurt was among those reported captured when U.S. forces in Bataan surrendered to the Japanese. They were subjected to the 65-mile Bataan Death March and then held at the Cabanatuan POW camp. More than 2,500 POWs perished in this camp during the war.

According to prison camp and other historical records, Hurt died July 19, 1942, and was buried along with other deceased prisoners in the local Cabanatuan Camp Cemetery in Common Grave 312.

Following the war, American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) personnel exhumed those buried at the Cabanatuan cemetery and relocated the remains to a temporary U.S. military mausoleum near Manila. In 1947, the AGRS examined the remains in an attempt to identify them. Twelve sets of remains from Common Grave 312 were identified, but the rest were declared unidentifiable. The unidentified remains were buried at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial (MACM) as Unknowns.

In early 2018, the remains associated with Common Grave 312 were disinterred and sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.

Although interred as an Unknown in MACM, Hurt’s grave was meticulously cared for over the past 70 years by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC).

Hurt will be buried on October 28, 2023, in Fairview, Illinois.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (25 September 2023) that U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Max W. Thurston, 19, of Flint, Michigan, killed during World War II, was accounted for July 7, 2023.

In November 1944, Thurston was assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 109th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division. His regiment was engaged in fierce fighting near the town of Germeter, Germany, in the Hürtgen Forest, when he was reported killed in action on Nov. 6. His body was unable to be recovered due to intense fighting against heavily reinforced German forces. As American forces began to secure the area, many casualties were nonrecoverable due to dense tangled vegetation and heavy snowfall.

Following the end of the war, the American Graves Registration Command was tasked with investigating and recovering missing American personnel in Europe. They conducted several investigations in the Hürtgen area between 1946 and 1950, but were unable to identify Thurston’s remains among hundreds recovered during that period. He was officially declared Killed in Action in November 1944.

While studying unresolved American losses in the Hürtgen area, a DPAA historian determined that one set of unidentified remains, designated X-7476 Neuville, recovered in April 1948, possibly belonged to Thurston. The remains, which had been buried in Ardennes American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium, in 1949, were disinterred in July 2021 and sent to the DPAA laboratory for identification.

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

Thurston will be buried in Holly, Michigan on a date to be determined.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (02 October 2023) that U.S. Army Pvt. 1st Class Charles A. Dickman, 17, of Cashton, Wisconsin, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for June 20, 2023.

In July 1950, Dickman was a member of Mike Company, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He went missing in action after his unit engaged in defensive actions north of Chochiwon, South Korea, on July 12. Due to intense fighting, his body could not be recovered at that time, and there was never any evidence that he was a prisoner of war. The Army issued a presumptive finding of death on Dec. 13, 1953.

After regaining control of Chochiwon in the fall of 1950, the Army began recovering remains from the area and temporarily interring them at the United Nations Military Cemetery (UNMC) Taejon. One set of remains recovered during this period was designated Unknown X-146 Taejon, recovered in the vicinity of the Kum River, South Korea. A tentative association was made between X-146 and Dickman, but definitive proof could not be found, and X-146 was determined to be unidentifiable. The remains were sent to Hawaii where they were buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu.

In July 2018, the DPAA proposed a plan to disinter 652 Korean War Unknowns from the Punchbowl. On July 15, 2019, DPAA disinterred Unknown X-146 Taejon as part of Phase Two of the Korean War Disinterment Project and sent the remains to the DPAA laboratory, for analysis.

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

Dickman will be buried in Cashton, Wisconsin, on Oct. 21, 2023.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (02 October 2023) that Navy Seaman 2nd Class Stanley C. Galaszewski, 29, of Steubenville, Ohio, killed during World War II, was accounted for on May 23, 2022.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Galaszewski was assigned to the battleship USS California, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS California sustained multiple torpedo and bomb hits, which caused it catch fire and slowly flood. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 104 crewmen, including Galaszewski.

From December 1941 to April 1942, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.

In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 39 men from the USS California at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified the 25 Unknowns who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Galaszewski.

In 2018, DPAA personnel exhumed the 25 USS California Unknowns from the Punchbowl for analysis.

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

Galaszewski will be buried on Nov. 3, 2023, in Steubenville, Ohio.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (02 October 2023) that U.S. Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Gilbert H. Myers, 27, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, killed during World War II, was accounted for Aug. 10, 2023.

In the summer of 1943, Myers was assigned to the 381st Bombardment Squadron, 310th Bombardment Group, in the Mediterranean Theater. On July 10, while serving as a co-pilot of a B-25 Mitchell, Myers’ aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire while conducting a bombing mission over Sicily. Myers’s remains were not recovered, and he was subsequently declared missing in action.

In late 1944, American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) researchers discovered that Italian residents of Sciacca, found a body belonging to the B-25 pilot at a crash site. AGRS investigators at the time indicated that they found some remains of the wreckage, but did not locate any additional losses. Later in 1947, investigators conducted search and recovery operations near Sciacca, but were unable to locate anything linking back to Myers.

In 2021 and 2022, DPAA and partner organization personnel from the Cranfield University Recovery and Identification of Conflict Team returned to Sciacca. There they were able to recover additional plane wreckage pieces, as well as human remains from the crash site. These remains were sent to the DPAA Laboratory for examination and identification.

Myers’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at Sicily-Rome American Cemetery, an ABMC site in Nettuno, Italy, along with others still missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Myers will be buried on Nov 10, 2023, in St. Petersburg, Florida.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (09 November 2023) that U.S. Army Cpl. William J. Herrington, 19, of Alliance, Ohio, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for Aug. 26, 2022.

In late 1950, Herrington was a member of Dog Company, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on Dec. 2, while fighting a series of major battles with the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army (CPVA) on the eastern shore of the Chosin Reservoir, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (D.P.R.K. or North Korea). When Herrington’s unit regrouped in Hangnam, he could not be located and was reported missing. There is no evidence that he was ever a prisoner of war. Herrington, absent any evidence of his continued survival, was declared nonrecoverable and the Army issued a presumptive finding of death on Dec. 31, 1953.

On July 27, 2018, following the summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un in June 2018, North Korea turned over 55 boxes, purported to contain the remains of American service members killed during the Korean War. The remains arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii on Aug. 1, 2018, and were subsequently accessioned into the DPAA laboratory for identification.

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

Herrington will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery, in July, 2024.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (09 November 2023) that U.S. Army Pfc. Clinton E. Smith, Jr., 19, of Wichita Falls, Texas, killed during World War II, was accounted for Sept. 28, 2022.

In January 1945, Smith was assigned to Company D, 1st Battalion, 157th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. The unit was engaged with German forces during the Battle of Reipertswiller in France and was surrounded, along with four other companies. Smith was killed in an artillery strike on Jan. 14, but his body could not be recovered because of the fighting.

Beginning in 1946, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC), the organization that searched for and recovered fallen American personnel in the European Theater, searched the area around Reipertswiller, finding 37 unidentified sets of American remains, none of which could be identified as Smith. He was declared non-recoverable on March 29, 1951.

DPAA historians have been conducting on-going research into Soldiers missing from combat around Reipertswiller, and found that X-6985 St. Avold, which had been buried at Lorraine American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in St. Avold, France, could be associated with Smith. X-6985 was disinterred in August 2021 and transferred to the DPAA Laboratory at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, for analysis.

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

Smith will be buried in San Antonio, Texas, on Nov 27, 2023.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (08 November 2023) that U.S. Army Air Force Pfc. Henry J. McConnell, 28, of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, who was captured and died as a prisoner of war during World War II, was accounted for July 27, 2023.

In early 1942, McConnell was assigned to the 2nd Observation Squadron in the Philippines, when Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands in December. Intense fighting continued until the surrender of the Bataan peninsula on April 9, 1942, and of Corregidor Island on May 6, 1942.

Thousands of U.S. and Filipino service members were captured and interned at POW camps.  McConnell was among those reported captured when U.S. forces in Bataan surrendered to the Japanese. They were subjected to the 65-mile Bataan Death March and then held at the Cabanatuan POW camp. More than 2,500 POWs perished in this camp during the war.

According to prison camp and other historical records, McConnell died July 26, 1942, and was buried along with other deceased prisoners in the local Cabanatuan Camp Cemetery in Common Grave 225.

Following the war, American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) personnel exhumed those buried at the Cabanatuan cemetery and relocated the remains to a temporary U.S. military mausoleum near Manila. In 1947, the AGRS examined the remains in an attempt to identify them. Three of the sets of remains from Common Grave 225 were identified, but the rest were declared unidentifiable. The unidentified remains were buried at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial (MACM) as Unknowns.

Although interred as an Unknown in MACM, McConnell’s grave was meticulously cared for over the past 70 years by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC).

McConnell will be buried in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, on November 30, 2023.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (07 November 2023) that U.S. Army Cpl. R. V. Leo Short, 19, of Seminole, Oklahoma, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for June 22, 2023.

In November 1950, Short was a member of George Company, 2nd Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, Eighth U.S. Army. He went missing in action after his unit was forced to retreat from Kunu-ri in the vicinity of Unbong-dong, North Korea. Due to intense fighting in the area, his body could not be recovered at that time. In 1953, several POWs returned during Operation Big Switch reported Short had been a prisoner of war and died in March, 1951, at Prisoner of War Camp #5.

In the fall of 1954, during Operation Glory, North Korea returned remains reportedly recovered from Pyoktong, also known as Prisoner of War Camp #5, to the United Nations Command. However, Short’s name did not appear on any of the transfer rosters and the Central Identification Unit in Kokura, Japan, did not associate any repatriated remains with him. Short was determined non-recoverable in January 1956.

In 2018, DPAA’s request to disinter 652 Korean War Unknowns—in seven phases—from the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific—also known as the Pounchbowl—in Honolulu, Hawaii, was approved. In September 2019, the DPAA disinterred Unknown X-14743, a set of remains returned during Operation Glory, as part of Phase Two of the Korean War Disinterment Plan and sent the remains to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.

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

Short will be buried in Seminole, Oklahoma, on December 9, 2023.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (07 November 2023) that U.S. Army Air Force Sergeant White S. Goings Jr., 22, of Auburn, Nebraska, who was captured and died as a prisoner of war during World War II, was accounted for June 27, 2023.

In late 1942, Goings was a member of the 93rd Bombardment Squadron (Bomb Sq), 19th Bombardment Group (Bomb Gp), when Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands in December. Intense fighting continued until the surrender of the Bataan peninsula on April 9, 1942, and of Corregidor Island on May 6, 1942.

Thousands of U.S. and Filipino service members were captured and interned at POW camps.  Goings was among those reported captured when U.S. forces in Bataan surrendered to the Japanese. They were subjected to the 65-mile Bataan Death March and then held at the Cabanatuan POW camp. More than 2,500 POWs perished in this camp during the war.

According to prison camp and other historical records, Goings died July 19, 1942, and was buried along with other deceased prisoners in the local Cabanatuan Camp Cemetery in Common Grave 312.

Following the war, American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) personnel exhumed those buried at the Cabanatuan cemetery and relocated the remains to a temporary U.S. military mausoleum near Manila. In 1947, the AGRS examined the remains in an attempt to identify them. Twenty-two sets of remains from Common Grave 312 were identified, but the rest were declared unidentifiable. The unidentified remains were buried at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial (MACM) as Unknowns.

In early 2018, the remains associated with Common Grave 312 were disinterred and sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis

Although interred as an Unknown in MACM, Goings’s grave was meticulously cared for over the past 70 years by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC).

Goings will be buried in Auburn, Nebraska, in June, 2024.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (23 October 2023) that U.S. Army Army Staff Sgt. Robert G, Rudd, 34, of Gatesville, Texas, killed during World War II, was accounted for June 20, 2022.

In the early fall of 1944, Rudd was assigned to Company C, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2D Infantry Division. On Jan. 30, Rudd was killed during the Battle of the Bulge when his company attacked heavily fortified enemy forces near the town of Rocherath, Belgium. Due to intense fighting and fierce artillery shelling, Rudd’s body was unrecoverable and the War Department a Report of Death on Feb. 20, 1945.

In 2017, after reviewing information provided by Belgian and American researchers, DPAA historians analyzed evidence related to several sets of remains initially recovered by Belgian locals in the Elsenbuchel Forest that had been interred at what is now the Ardennes American Cemetery in 1949, including unknown remains X-3144 Neuville. Following an interdisciplinary analysis by DPAA historical and scientific staff, the X-3144 remains were disinterred from Ardennes American Cemetery in 2021 for comparison with a list of candidates including Rudd.

To identify Rudd’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis and dental records. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), Y chromosome DNA (Y-STR), and autosomal DNA (auSTR) analysis.

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

Rudd will be buried in Belton, Texas, on a date to be determined.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (16 October 2023)  that U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Woodrow F. Gerdes, 31, of St. Louis, Missouri, killed during World War II, was accounted for July 25, 2023.

In November 1944, Gerdes was assigned to Company K, 3rd Battalion, 110th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division. His battalion had been tasked with advancing on the enemy within the Raffelsbrand, near the town of Germeter, Germany, in the Hürtgen Forest. During intense fighting and heavy artillery fire, Gerdes was reported missing in action on Nov. 9. German forces never reported him as a prisoner of war, nor did U.S. Army officials learn any details of his fate. With no evidence that he survived the fighting, Army officials eventually determined he was killed in action.

Following the end of the war, the American Graves Registration Command was tasked with investigating and recovering missing American personnel in Europe. They conducted several investigations in the Hürtgen area between 1946 and 1950, but were unable to account for Gerdes’s remains. He was declared non-recoverable in November 1951.

While studying unresolved American losses in the Hürtgen area, a DPAA historian determined that one set of unidentified remains, designated X-4507 Neuville, recovered from a foxhole near Raffelsbrand in April 1947, possibly belonged to Gerdes. The remains, which had been buried in Ardennes American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium, in 1949, were disinterred in June 2018 and sent to the DPAA laboratory for identification.

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

Gerdes will be buried in St. Louis, Missouri, on a date to be determined.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (20 November 2023) that U.S. Army Air Force 2nd Lt. Kenyon Brindley, 23, of Little Rock, Arkansas, killed during World War II, was accounted for Sept. 21, 2023.

In early 1944, Brindley was assigned to the 703rd Bombardment Squadron, 445th Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force in the European Theater. On Feb 24, Brindley, a bombardier onboard a B-24J “Liberator”, was killed in action when his plane was hit by heavy anti-aircraft fire over Gotha, Germany. One of the surviving crewmembers reported seeing the plane on fire and in a steep dive, before eventually exploding on the ground. While two crewmembers survived, the others, including Brindley, were killed in the incident. German forces garrisoned in the area documented the crash site north of Leimbach Bahnhof, near Bad Salzungen, Germany. After the crash, German troops recovered the remains of the ball turret gunner and buried them in a local cemetery. The other six crewmembers, including Brindley, were unaccounted for following the war.

In March 1952, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC), the organization that searched for and recovered fallen American personnel in the European Theater, took custody of comingled unidentified remains recovered from Bad Salzungen Cemetery. These remains, X-9093 Griesheim Mausoleum (X-9093), X-9094 Griesheim Mausoleum (X-9094), and X-9095 Griesheim Mausoleum (X-9095), were believed to be those belonging to 2nd Lt. Brindley’s downed aircraft. At the time, identification of these remains was not possible, and they were interred in the Ardennes American Cemetery, Belgium.

Brindley’s name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, Hombourg, Belgium, along with others still missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Brindley will be buried on Dec. 18, 2023, in Conway, Arkansas.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today (22 November 2023) that U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Gene F. Walker, 27, of Richmond, Indiana, killed during World War II, was accounted for July 21, 2023.

In November 1944, Walker was assigned to Company H, 3rd Battalion, 32nd Armored Regiment, 3rd Armored Division, as the commander of an M4 Sherman tank. His unit was engaged in battle with German forces near Hücheln, Germany, when his tank was hit by an 88-mm anti-tank round. The hit caused a fire and is believed to have killed Walker instantaneously. The surviving crew bailed out of the tank, but when they regrouped later were unable to remove Walker from the tank due to heavy fighting. The War Department issued a presumptive finding of death in April 1945.

Following the end of the war, the American Graves Registration Command was tasked with investigating and recovering missing American personnel in Europe. They conducted several investigations in the Hücheln area September 1948. Town locals were interviewed, but there were no reports of deceased American servicemembers in the area. All efforts to locate 2LT Walker proved unsuccessful at the time.

While studying unresolved American losses in the Hücheln area, a DPAA historian determined that one set of unidentified remains, designated X-157 Henri-Chapelle, recovered from one of the burned-out tanks in Hücheln in December 1944 possibly belonged to Walker. The remains, which had been buried in Henri-Chapelle U.S. Military Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Hombourg, Belgium, were disinterred in August 2021 and sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.

Walker’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at Netherlands American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Margarten, Netherlands, along with the others still missing from World War II. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Walker will be buried in San Diego, California, in early 2024.