Fifteen More Are Home
My apologies for the delay in this article. A couple of months ago, the organization which formerly announced the identification of US MIAs – the Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office, or DPMO – was assimilated into the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA). It’s taken me a while to learn my way around the new agency’s website.
In the interim, DPAA has identified and accounted for the following 15 formerly-missing US military personnel.
From World War II
• 2nd Lt Harry B. McGuire, 718th Squadron, 449th Bomber Group, 15th Air Force, US Army Air Forces, was lost on 30 January 1944 in Italy. He was accounted for on 10 March 2015.
• 2nd Lt Edward F. Barker, Headquarters Squadron, 8th Air Service Group, U.S. Army Air Forces, was lost on 30 September 1944 in Papua New Guinea. He was accounted for on 4 March 2015.
• 2nd Lt Alvin Beethe, 393rd Fighter Squadron, 367th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force, US Army Air Forces, was lost on 26 November 1944 in Germany. He was accounted for on 28 January 2015.
• 2nd Lt Stephen V. Biezis, 575th Bombardment Squadron, 391st Bombardment Group, 9th Air Force, U.S. Army Air Forces, was lost on 23 December 1944 in Germany. He was accounted for on 3 February 2015.
• 2nd Lt John W. Herb, 1st Air Division, 359th Fighter Group,368th Fighter Squadron, US Army Air Forces, was lost on 13 April 1945 in Germany. He was accounted for on 19 February 2015.
From Korea
• SFC Donald R. Strum, Company C, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 4 November 1950 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 13 January 2015.
• As Jonn noted earlier today, CPL Lindsey C. Lockett, Medical Detachment, Headquarters Battery, 503rd Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 1 December 1950 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 26 January 2015.
• SGT Floyd J. R. Jackson, Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division , US Army, was lost on 12 December 1950 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 27 January 2015.
• SGT Arnold V. Andring, Company L, 3rd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 8th Army, US Army, was lost on 4 February 1951 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 28 January 2015.
• PFC John R. Bowers, Company L, 3rd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 14 February 1951 in South Korea. He was accounted for on 20 February 2015.
• SGT Wallace J. Dawson, Company L. 3rd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 14 February 1951 in South Korea. He was accounted for on 7 March 2015.
• PFC Lotchie J.R. Jones, Company B, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, US Army, was lost on 28 February 1951 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 26 February 2015.
From Southeast Asia
• CMSgt Edwin E. Morgan, 6252nd Combat Support Group, US Air Force, was lost on 13 March 1966 in Laos. He was accounted for on 4 March 2015.
• SSG Bunyan D. Price Jr.,2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, US Army, was lost on 2 May 1970 in Vietnam. He was accounted for on 25 February 2015.
• SGT Rodney L. Griffin, 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, US Army, was lost on 2 May 1970 in Vietnam. He was accounted for on 30 March 2015.
You’re no longer missing, my elder brothers-in-arms. Our apologies that it took so long.
Rest in peace. You’re home now.
. . .
Over 73,000 US personnel remain unaccounted for from World War II; over 7,800 US personnel remain unaccounted for from the Korean War; and over 1,600 remain unaccounted for in Southeast Asia (SEA). Comparison of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from recovered remains against mtDNA from a matrilineal descendant can assist in making a positive ID for unidentified remains that have already been recovered, or which may be recovered in the future.
Regrettably, I’ve not yet found current POC information or instructions for submitting a mtDNA sample on DPAA’s web site (what I’ve found there seems to be outdated). When I do find the current instructions, I’ll post a link to that information.
In the interim: if you have a missing relative from World War II, Korea, or SEA, please consider contacting DPAA and see if you qualify to submit a mtDNA sample. If you qualify, please consider submitting such a sample. By doing so you just might help identify the remains of a US service member who’s been repatriated but not yet been identified. Or you may help to identify remains to be recovered in the future.
Everybody deserves a proper burial. That’s especially true for those who gave their all while serving this nation.
Category: No Longer Missing
welcome home.
Today, April 13th, 2015, I had the honor to fly from Atlanta to Denver with the identified remains of a Vietnam Veteran on Delta. The pilot read a summary of the gentleman and I cannot remember his name. I have been looking for it on the Internet this evening to find nothing definite. I am wondering if someone would know the gentleman’s name? I am so glad he finally got to come home. Thanks to all veterans and a special thanks to those that gave the ultimate sacrifice!!!
Welcome home my elder brothers-in-arms. May you rest well in your native soil.
Perhaps one of these days I will read where Mr. Aston’s remains have been found and returned to his family in Ohio.
Welcome home warriors / heroes. You have been missed. Rest in peace, and thank you!
Rest easy, your tour of duty is done. God bless you and your families.
Welcome Home… Never Forget!
Welcome Home…
Welcome Home ! ! ! ! Heros R.I.P.
Here’s a nice article about CMSgt. Edwin E. Morgan and his children. He was prior Navy, enlisted USAF in 1948, and was loadmaster of an AC-47D call sign “Spooky 73” at the time of his death. He will be interred next to his wife in June. Welcome home sir. You are not forgotten. http://www.salisburypost.com/2015/03/11/coming-home-remains-of-airman-edwin-e-morgan-recovered-in-laos-almost-50-years-after-fatal-crash/
The story or SSG Bunyan D. Price Jr. and SGT. Rodney L. Griffin: Notes from The Virtual Wall On 02 May 1970, a UH-1H Huey (hull number 68-16512) departed Tay Ninh on a logistics mission to Fire Support Base Bruiser, Kontum Province, SVN, just south of the Vietnamese/Cambodian border. Heavy weather forced the Huey to divert over the Cambodian border, where it was shot down by enemy antiaircraft fire. Eight men were aboard the helicopter, four crewmen and four passengers. Pilot WO1 Varnado was wounded by the AAA fire, but co-pilot WO1 Maslowski was able to crash-land the Huey in an area bounded by tall elephant grass. The crew and passengers safely evacuated the aircraft, but were immediately forced to disperse as enemy troops approached. Of the eight men, only one – Private Karreci – was able to evade the enemy and return on foot to friendly lines. The other seven men simply disappeared. During his debrief, Private Karreci stated that he saw WO1 Varnado, CPT Richardson, WO1 Maslowski, and SP4 Crowson captured by the VC and that enemy soldiers pulled the body of an unconscious or dead “blond, heavy-set man” from the bamboo. While Karreci was not able to identify that man, it was suspected to be SP4 Rodney Griffin. Karreci was not able to provide any information regarding CPT Young or SP4 Price. It wasn’t until early 1973 that any further solid information about their fate was received; in January 1973, the PRG announced that Varnado and Young had died in captivity, and in February Maslowski and Crowson were released with other POWs. Maslowski confirmed that Richardson had been captured and that Varnado and Young had died in captivity. Both he and Crowson felt sure that SP4 Price also was captured, although they never saw him in captivity. No-one had certain knowledge of what became of Captain Richardson. Thus, at the end of February 1973, the status of the eight men was as follows: From Company B, 229th Aviation Battalion: WO1 Michael B. Varnado, pilot, died in captivity; WO1 Daniel F. Maslowski, co-pilot, captured, released 12 February 1973;… Read more »