Another Is Known
DPAA’s “Recently Accounted For” webpage and/or recent press releases indicate that the following formerly-missing US personnel have been accounted for.
From World War II
1st Lt Louis V. Girard, US Army, assigned to the 68th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 44th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 8th Air Force, US Army Air Forces, was lost IVO Ploesti, Romania, on 1 August 1943. His accounting was announced on 30 March 2022.
From Korea
None
From Southeast Asia
None
Welcome back, elder brother-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.
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Author’s Note: DPAA released several press releases this past week regarding the accounting of other formerly-missing US personnel. However, these other personnel have all been previously announced as accounted for on DPAA’s “Recently Accounted For” weppage and have already been recognized in prior articles here at TAH.
Category: No Longer Missing
Rest In Peace. Salute. Never Forget.
Never Forget.
Rest In Peace Always.
20 years young.
Salute To All.
Never Forget.
nice additions Ninja
Thanks Hondo, and now for the rest of the story.
1st Lt Louis V. Girard:
Lt, Girard was born in 1923 in West, Texas located in McLennan County.
He was a co-pilot with the 44th Bomber Group, Heavy, 68th Bomber Squadron
(known as the ‘Flying Eight-Balls’) and each B-24 Liberator it flew was decorated with a winged bomb cartoon of an 8-Ball (pool ball) over which were superimposed eyes and the nose of a bomb in the squadron color.
The B-24 Liberator earned its nickname by its crews as the “Flying Coffin.”
On Aug. 1, 1943, the B-24 Liberator aircraft on which Girard was serving as a co-pilot crashed as a result of enemy anti-aircraft fire during Operation TIDAL WAVE, the largest bombing mission against the oil fields and refineries at Ploiesti, north of Bucharest, Romania.
Lt. Girard and all eight of the crew members perished in the crash.
Awards
1st Lt. Louis V. Girard
B-24 Liberator
Flying Eight Balls artwork.
Not sure if you can read this, but here is a copy of the casualty report for the B-24 that Lt. Girard served on.
Welcome home.
Welcome home.
Welcome Home, Sir.
Welcome home Brother. Rest in peace now.
Welcome Home Warrior. A Salute to your Service and Honors paid for your sacrifice.
Thanks, Hondo. And Thanks to ninja and Skyjumper for the additional info and pics of this Warrior, the crew, and aircraft.