Another Nine Are Accounted For

| June 20, 2021

Per DPAA’s “Recently Accounted For” webpage, the following formerly-missing US personnel were recently publicly announced as having been accounted for.

From World War II

CWT Claude White, 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 June 2021.

F1c Leroy K. Barber, 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 16 June 2021.

F1c Malcolm J. Barber, 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 16 June 2021.

F1c Walter S. Belt, Jr., 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 18 June 2021.

F2c Randolph H. Barber, 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 16 June 2021.

S1c David F. Tidball, 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 18 June 2021.

1LT Jack K. Wood, US Army, assigned to 44th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force, US Army Air Forces, was lost at Ploetsi, Romania, on 1 August 1943. His accounting was announced on 18 June 2021.

TSgt Arthur W. Countryman, US Army, assigned to F Company, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, was lost IVO Hürtgen, Germany, on 20 November 1944. His accounting was announced on 17 June 2021.

From Korea

CPL Charles E. Lee, US Army, assigned to K Company, 3rd Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, was lost in South Korea on 20 July 1950. His accounting was announced on 18 June 2021.

From Southeast Asia

None

Welcome back, elder brothers-in-arms. Our apologies that your return took so long.

Rest easy. You’re home now.

. . .

Over 72,000 US personnel remain unaccounted for from World War II; over 7,500 US personnel remain unaccounted for from the Korean War; and over 1,500 remain unaccounted for in Southeast Asia (SEA). Additionally, 126 US personnel 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 who has not yet been accounted for 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.

—–

Author’s Note: DPAA’s current listing for TSgt Countryman contains an obvious typo concerning his date of loss – 20 November 2021 has not yet occurred. (smile) Their press release concerning his accounting contains the correct date of loss, 20 November 1944; that date is noted in the article above.

Category: No Longer Missing

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Sapper3307

Welcome home brothers.

Herbert J Messkit

Another recovered from the low level raid on polestar

26Limabeans

Ploetsi.
It has been a long time LT Wood.
We never forgot you. Welcome home.

Claw

Wondering if the three men named “Barber” on the Oklahoma were indeed blood brothers?

Welcome home to all.

ninja

Yes, they were Brothers.

A nice picture of them together in uniform can be found at this link:

“Military Identifies Remains Of New London Brothers Killed At Pearl Harbor”

https://www.wbay.com/2021/06/16/military-identifies-remains-new-london-brothers-killed-pearl-harbor/

Rest In Peace To All.

Salute.

Bring Them All Home.

KoB

Welcome Home Warriors. A Salute to your Service and Honors paid to your Sacrifice. Be their Witness…Say their names…Never Forget…There but for the Grace of God, go any of us.

Thanks Hondo!

Green Thumb

Welcome home, men.

Rest well.

Sparks

Welcome home Brothers. Rest in peace now.