Another Six Are Accounted For
DPAA’s “Recently Accounted For” webpage indicates that the following formerly-missing US personnel have been accounted for.
From World War II
SSgt. Adolph Olenik, US Army, assigned to 345th Bombardment Squadron, 98th Bombardment Group, US Army Air Forces, was lost IVO Ploetsi, Romania, on 1 August 1943. His family was notified of his accounting on 27 January 2022.
PFC William B. Coleman, US Army, assigned to F Company, 134th Infantry Regiment, 35th Infantry Division, was lost in France on 1 November 1944. His family was notified of his accounting on 27 January 2022.
PVT Walter G. Wildman, US Army, assigned to M Company, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, was lost in Germany on 13 November 1944. His family was notified of his accounting on 2 February 2022.
SSG Grady H. Canup, US Army, assigned to C Company, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, was lost in Germany on 14 November 1944. His family was notified of his accounting on 30 January 2022.
PFC Edward H. Benson, Jr., US Army, assigned to 1562nd Army Air Force Base Unit, US Army Air Forces, was lost in Indonesia on 22 March 1945. His family was notified of his accounting on 31 January 2022.
From Korea
PFC Kenneth Leroy Bridger, US Army, assigned to K Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, was lost in North Korea on 30 November 1950. His family was notified of his accounting on 27 January 2022.
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. The same is true for remains which may be recovered in the future.
On their web site’s Contact Us page DPAA now has FAQs. The answer to 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.
Category: No Longer Missing
Welcome Home Fallen Warriors, you’ve earned your places in History and Valhalla.
*Slow Salute*
Welcome home.
Is William Coleman’s date of loss a typo? It says 1950.
Yeah, that was a typo I didn’t catch; thanks for pointing it out. Article above has been corrected to reflect correct date of 1 November 1944.
Welcome Home.
Welcome home to all. As noted by Old Tanker, the curious date of 1950 is noted for PFC Coleman. Typo? Or is there an interesting back story?
Yeah, it was a typo. Corrected above now.
Thanks again, Hondo.
And now the rest of the story:
U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Adolph Olenik
Operation TIDAL WAVE. B-24D Liberators attack the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania.
The bombers flew low to avoid radar detection and dropped time delayed bombs.
Out of the 177 B-24s that took part in the raid 167 managed to attack their targets.
57 B-24s were lost in total; 54 over Ploesti and 3 in the sea.
The operation (TIDALWAVE) is costly, 54 planes and 532 airmen being lost.
Staff Sgt. Adolph Olenik, age 19 (from Lake County, IN), was serving on the B-24 Liberator
#42-40991 “Kate Smith” as a gunner.
The target was to destroy Rumanian oil refineries.
They took a direct hit on the cockpit while at the target area at an estimated 250 ft.
Their aircraft caught fire in the bomb bay and exploded in mid air.
Nine men of the crew of ten were killed.
Only four bodies were recovered.
Commendations:
★ Distinguished Flying Cross
★ Air Medal
★ Purple Heart
★ World War II Victory Medal
★ American Campaign Medal
★ Army Presidential Unit Citation
★ Army Good Conduct Medal
★ European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign
U.S. Army Pfc. William B. Coleman
In the latter half of 1944, Coleman (age 21 from Alabama) was assigned to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 134th Infantry Regiment, 35th Infantry Division.
In late September, Coleman’s unit had gained a foothold in the Forest of Grèmecey near Nancy, France.
On Nov. 1, a week before the 35th Infantry Division continued its advance towards Germany, Coleman was attempting to remove a booby-trap mine when it exploded, killing him and severely wounding two Soldiers who were with him.
His unit searched for his remains, but could not find him and believed his body had been completely destroyed in the blast.
The Army Quartermaster Corps also searched for him in June 1945, but found nothing.
Coleman was declared non-recoverable in July 1947.
Historical analysis by DPAA historians prompted the reexamination of a previously unidentified set of remains recovered from the vicinity of PFC Coleman’s loss.
U.S. Army PVT Walter G. Wildman
Pvt. Wildman (age 20- born in Bristol, Pennsylvania), was assigned to Company M, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division.
His unit was part of the Hürtgen Forest offensive when he was reported killed in action on Nov. 13. Because of the fighting, his body was unable to be recovered.
COMMENDATIONS
★ World War II Victory Medal
★ Bronze Star
★ Purple Heart
★ Combat Infantryman Badge
★ Marksmanship Badge
★ American Campaign Medal
★ Army Presidential Unit Citation
★ Army Good Conduct Medal
★ European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign
U.S. Army SSG Grady H. Canup
SSG Grady H. Canup (age 29 – born in Greenwood, SC), was assigned to Company C, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division.
His unit was part of the Hürtgen Forest offensive when he was reported killed in action on Nov. 14 when enemy artillery fire hit near his foxhole.
Because of the fighting, his body was unable to be recovered.
COMMENDATIONS
★ World War II Victory Medal
★ Bronze Star
★ Purple Heart
★ Combat Infantryman Badge
★ Marksmanship Badge
★ American Campaign Medal
★ Army Presidential Unit Citation
★ Army Good Conduct Medal
★ European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign
US Army Air Force PFC Edward H. Benson, Jr
Pfc. Edward H. Benson (age 22 – born in New Jersey) was assigned to the 1562nd Army Air Force Base Unit on Biak Island, part of the modern-day Republic of Indonesia.
He and 39 other service members were killed during a Japanese air raid Sorido Airstrip on March 22.
Of those 40, three, including Benson, could not be identified or accounted for after the attack.
COMMENDATIONS
★ World War II Victory Medal
★ Purple Heart
★ American Campaign Medal
★ Army Presidential Unit Citation
★ Army Good Conduct Medal
★ Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
U.S. Army PFC Kenneth Leroy Bridger
Private First Class Bridger (age 17 – born in Stevens County, Washington) served with Company K, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division.
On November 27, 1950, the 31st Infantry Regiment, was stationed on the east side of the Chosin Reservoir at the P’ungnyuri Inlet in North Korea.
That night, Chinese Communist Forces launched a large-scale attack against U.S. troops in the area of the Chosin Reservoir.
The 31st made a defensive perimeter south of the P’ungnyuri Inlet and held out until November 30th, 1950, when they were forced to begin a fighting withdrawal southward.
PFC Bridger was reported missing in action during the fighting on November 30.
He was not seen or heard from again, and he was not identified from among any remains that U.S. troops recovered.
Not one to pee & moan a lot, but this new format is a challenge in posting. There, now I feel better. 😉
A complaining grunt is a happy grunt!
Thank you, Skyjumper for taking the time and effort to post these additional stories. It means a lot to a bunch of us. I’ll make up a batch of cheese catheads to go along with this spaghetti as a reward for you.
Thank you too, again, Hondo for bringing us these names. Welcome Home Warriors. We Salute your Service and will Pay Honors to your Sacrifices.
KoB,
Are you trying to butter my biscuit? 😉
I agree with you gun bunny, Hondo does a fantastic job of bringing forward these men that gave their all in service to this great country.
They should never be forgotten.
Welcome home, Akicita’s
*Slow Salute*
Akicita is the Lakota word for Warrior.
Welcome home, men.
Rest well.
Thank you Hondo for your work. This past Thursday, recently recovered 2nd Lt. Anel Shay Jr., a Bombardier with the 345th Bombardment Squadron, 98th Bombardment Group, 9th Air Force out of Benghazi Libya was interred in Seattle. He and all but one of his crewmembers were lost when their B-24 was hit by flak after releasing their bombs over Ploesti. 51 bombers did not return from that raid. The surviving Radio Operator spent 14 months as a POW and passed away in 2011 at the age of 98.
Welcome home Brothers. Rest in peace now.
Welcome home, brothers. Salute.
Hurtgen Forest was a nightmare. Glad to see a couple more recovered. RIP.