Another Returns
Per DPAA’s “Recently Accounted For” webpage, the following formerly-missing US airman was recently announced as having been accounted for.
From World War II
TSgt. Alfred F. Turgeon, US Army, assigned to 344th Bombardment Squadron, 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force, US Army Air Forces, was lost IVO Ploetsi, Romania, on 1 August 1943. His accounting was announced on 14 January 2021.
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
…TSgt Turgeon was a part of OPERATION TIDAL WAVE, the valiant attempt to take out Romania’s oil refining capability at Ploesti. It was a mission that – if it worked – would have shortened the war. But despite a good, solid plan Murphy’s Law went berserk and led 177 B-24s into Gehenna. By the end of the day, 53 Liberators had been lost, 55 more had been seriously damaged, 310 aircrew had been lost…and in less than a month, the refineries were back to full production.
Five men were awarded the Medal for their actions that day. Fifty-six more were awarded DSCs.
Yes, he was.
https://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=36867
Welcome home.
Catch the tailwind, Tsgt Turgeon.
Welcome Home TSgt Alfred F. Turgen. We Salute your Service and Pay Honors to your Sacrifice.
Thanks Hondo.
TSgt Alfred F. Turgeon. Mea culpa.
A nice write up about the mission and crew of “The Vulgar Virgin,” the B-24D aircraft for which T/Sgt Turgeon was radio operator/left waist gunner on August 1, 1943.
“41-24198 ‘The Vulgar Virgin’ was a B-24D Liberator bomber, flown by Capt. Wallace C. Taylor, attached to the 9th Air force, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 344th Bombing Squadron based at the Lete Air Base at Benghazi, Libya. Wallace and ‘The Vulgar Virgin’ flew on Operation Tidal Wave, the large mission to destroy the German oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania on August 1, 1943. Their target was code named, “White IV”, the Astra Romano refinery. As the two groups, the 98th and the 44th Bomb Groups, being led by Col. John R. Kane, approached their targets, the entire area was already on fire and compromised by the flames, smoke and exploding delayed action bombs previously dropped by the 93rd Bomb Group ahead of the attack plan. When the 98th bomb Group, led by Col. John R. “Killer” Kane, entered a wall of smoke and flames over the Astra Romano refinery complex, 41-24198 ‘The Vulgar Virgin’ did not reappear coming out of the smoke, shot down and lost over their target. The only survivor from the “The Vulgar Virgin” was the pilot, Capt. Wallace C. Taylor, who bailed out and was captured, and became a POW.”
http://www.americanairmuseum.com/aircraft/19089
This was a low level mission. Several of the crew members did bail out but only the pilot survived.
T/Sgt Alfred Freddy Turgeon Jr was from Worcester Co Mass, born September 15, 1924. A nice photo of him is at this link: https://www.honorstates.org/index.php?id=11493#:~:text=Alfred%20Freddy%20Turgeon%20Jr%20He%20was%20a%20World,responsible%20global%20citizens.%20We%20can%20do%20great%20things.
Welcome home Sir. Rest in peace in your home soil.
Welcome home, TSgt. Turgeon.
Rest well.
Rest in Peace, TSgt.
Welcome home, Sergeant!
And Hondo, whoever you might be, thanks for carrying the torch.
De nada, amigo. No thanks necessary.
Everyone deserves a proper burial. That’s especially true for those who gave their all while serving this nation.
Thanks, Hondo.
Welcome home, Sir. May the Deity shine light upon your soul.