Another Two Are Known
Per DPAA’s “Recently Accounted For” webpage, the following formerly-missing US personnel were publicly announced as having been accounted for during the past week.
From World War II
Matt3c Isaac Parker, US Navy, assigned to the crew of the USS Oklahoma, was lost at Pearl Harbor, HI, on 7 December 1941. His accounting was announced on 15 September 2020.
PVT Warren G. H. DeVault, US Army, assigned to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, was lost in Hürtgen, Germany, on 20 November 1944. His accounting was announced on 15 September 2020.
From Korea
None
From Southeast Asia
None
Welcome back, elder brother-in-arms. Our apologies that your return took so long.
You’re home now. Rest easy.
. . .
Over 72,000 US personnel remain unaccounted for from World War II; over 7,500 US personnel remain unaccounted for from the Korean War; over 1,500 remain unaccounted for in Southeast Asia (SEA); 126 remain unaccounted for from the Cold War; 5 remain unaccounted for from the Gulf Wars; and 1 individual remains unaccounted for from Operation Eldorado Canyon. Comparison of DNA from recovered remains against DNA from some (but not all) blood relatives can assist in making a positive ID for unidentified remains that have already been recovered, or which may be recovered in the future.
On their web site’s Contact Us page DPAA now has FAQs. One of those FAQs describes who can and cannot submit DNA samples useful in identifying recovered remains. The chart giving the answer can be viewed here. The text associated with the chart is short and is found in one of the FAQs.
If your family lost someone in one of these conflicts and you qualify to submit a DNA sample, please arrange to submit one. By doing that you just might help identify the remains of a US service member who’s been repatriated but not yet been identified – as well as a relative of yours, however distant. 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
Young man lost too soon.
Navy Mess Attendant 3rd Class Isaac Parker, 17, was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft on Dec. 7, 1941. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Parker. Interment services are pending
Welcome Home Warriors. We Salute your Service and Pay Honors to your Sacrifice.
Thanks Hondo, your work on this project is muchly appreciated. If only these idiots paying attention to thugs would pay some attention to real Heros, folks might watch them play their silly ball games.
Technical question. I know/understand that many of the sailors ID’d from the OK had been originally buried, unknown. in the HI Cemetery. The ones of late from the Hurtgen Forest, were their remains found in the Battle Zone Area or were they ID’d using relatives DNA from a marked Unknown in the Military Cemeteries in Europe?
Thanks!
Welcome home.
RIP
Very little seems to be known publicly about Isaac Ezekiel Parker beyond: “Isaac Parker was born on June 8, 1924. Very little is known about his early life, but he joined the United States Navy when he was in Arkansas at age 17.”
https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/Isaac_Parker
Warren G. H. DeVault was originally from Dayton, Rhea County, Tennessee. At the time of his enlistment he was employed by his father on the family farm.
https://etvma.org/veterans/warren-g-h-devault-10247/