Eight Return Home
DPAA has identified and accounted for the following eight formerly-missing US military personnel.
From Korea
• Sgt John McLaughlin, D Company, 32nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, USMC, was lost on 2 December 1950 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 8 April 2015.
• CPL Elmer P. Richard, D Battery, 15th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion, 31st Regimental Combat Team, US Army, was lost on 2 December 1950 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 11 April 2015.
• PFC Kenneth P. Darden, A Battery, 15th Field Artillery, 2nd Infantry Division , US Army, was lost on 13 February 1951 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 23 March 2015.
• CPL Ben L. Brown , I Company, 3rd Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 21 February 1951 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 10 April 2015.
• PFC Eugene L. Erickson, B Company, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 18 May 1951 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 13 April 2015.
From Southeast Asia
• LTJG Neil B. Taylor, Attack Squadron 192, US Navy, was lost on 14 September 1965 in Vietnam. He was accounted for on 4 February 2015.
• LT Richard C. Clark, Fighter Squadron 151, US Navy, was lost on 24 October 1967 in Vietnam. He was accounted for on 2 February 2015.
• MAJ Dale W. Richardson, 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 2 May 1970 in Vietnam. He was accounted for on 2 April 2015.
You’re no longer missing, my elder brothers-in-arms. Our apologies that it took so long.
You’re home now; rest in peace.
. . .
Over 73,000 US personnel remain unaccounted for from World War II; over 7,800 US personnel remain unaccounted for from the Korean War; and over 1,600 remain unaccounted for in Southeast Asia (SEA). Comparison of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from recovered remains against mtDNA from a matrilineal descendant can assist in making a positive ID for unidentified remains that have already been recovered, or which may be recovered in the future.
Regrettably, I’ve not yet found current POC information or instructions for submitting a mtDNA sample on DPAA’s web site (what I’ve found there seems to be outdated). When I do find the current instructions, I’ll post a link to that information. (See Author’s Note below, added 12 May 2015.)
In the interim: if you have a missing relative from World War II, Korea, or SEA, please consider contacting DPAA and see if you qualify to submit a mtDNA sample. If you qualify, please consider submitting such a sample. By doing so you just might help identify the remains of a US service member who’s been repatriated but not yet been identified. 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: TAH reader HMCS(FMF) noted in comments to another article that DPAA’s web site now has what appears to be a decent “Contact Us” page. The page doesn’t have instructions concerning who can submit a mtDNA sample or how to submit one, but the POCs listed there may be able to point you in the correct direction if you’re interested.)
Category: Politics
Welcome home brothers from a grateful nation that never forgets.
Welcome Home brothers rest well.. See you on the other side…
One of the Officers from my office was on the Team that recovered the remains of those from South East Asia. He just returned and was talking about the logistcal requirements to send these teams out to search in countries like Vietnam, Laos and the restrictions placed on the Teams by the Host nation like No flying before 0600 or after 1600, have to have a political attache officer on site when Team is present and searching. Just some ludicris shit from power hungry napleons.
You think if the Russians or Iranians sent a team here they would be allowed to travel and explore indiscriminately?
Maybe not indiscriminately. I was merely trying to convey that the mission is not as easy as “Go here and dig”. Not that anyone here was implying that, I was just trying to present an idea of how the complexity of such an operation and some of the host nation restrictions th add to prolonging the recovery of Fallen Warriors remains. Have at it.
The flight restrictions are in place because the incoming and outgoing detachment commanders and 7 other U.S. Service members where killed in a helicopter crash in 2001.
It’s just prudent risk management.
As for host nation on site? What he said.
Review historical documents.
Interview surviving unit members.
Collect information.
Analize intelligence.
Conduct research.
Develop plan.
Negociate visit to host country.
Go in country.
Start process all over in country and hopefully make a recovery.
No such thing as go there and dig.
These recovery ops are expansive political, scientific, logistical and archeological ventures.
Welcome home gentlemen. I hope that what we have become is deserving of your sacrifices.
Thank you for your sacrifice, gentlemen; rest in peace.
Is it just my perception, or are more sets of remains being identified this year since the changes were made at JTF-FA?
Welcome home.
Welcome home. And thank you.
While visiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial last week in DC, the question came up: When do they add these names to the memorial? Or are they already there?
On a related note, if anyone needs a name rubbing from the Wall, shoot me an email and I’ll see what I can do for you
Stacy0311: most if not all should already be there. If I recall correctly, there is a legal presumption of death after 7 years in MIA status. The last entries were from the Mayaguez Rescue (18, all KIA or KIA/BNR). I’m pretty sure the 4 lost from the USMC and USN during Operation Frequent Wind were also included on the original listing also. Everyone else MIA in SWA had been missing long enough to have been declared legally dead prior to groundbreaking for the memorial in Mar 1982.
HONDO…Is my POW Ssgt James M Ray from R.I. on the wall? I’ve worn his bracelet (remade 11 times, now wear one made in white gold)since 1968 at age 13. I’m now 62 LOL and my 11 year old granddaughter has worn her dog tag made with parachute cord since 5 and will carry on my cause until Jimmy comes home.
As stupid as it sounds my WILL has a clause “At the time that Army Ssgt James M Ray is identified and prepared to be buried in American soil, my beneficiaries are to travel to Arlington and get permission from the siblings’ Charles and Maureen to put my files and all bracelets on his casket and buried with him via the funds set aside for this purpose. Until that time those funds remain in a annuity” Please let me know. I know he does have a marker via Poser John Woodward, Hemphill, TX pictures from the trip to Arlington I paid $15,000 for the non veteran MC Band of Brothers. If he’s on the wall Stacy0311 a name rubbing WE BE DEEPLY APPRECIATED. Ladies and gentlemen thank you for your service and support. Rebel
He appears to be listed on Panel 45E, Line 28.
http://thewall-usa.com/info.asp?recid=42520
All of the Aknowledged MIAs are on the wall. When you visit the wall there is a spacer between each name. Generally that spacer is diamond shaped for an MIA it is a cross. When an MIA is later identified the Park Service changes the cross to a diamond.
There are new names added every few years to the memorial, currently there is a movement in Congress to add the names of around 50 sailors who were killed in an accident. Their ship had left the gun line for a short maneuver exercise in the bay of Thailand and was scheduled to return at the conclusion.
If I rember correctly, there was an individual who died a few years ago who was added to the wall. He had been grevouosly wounded and in nursing care since evacuation from VN.
Tour is done brothers. Sleep peacefully now. We will carry on.
Welcome home, brothers. Rest in peace.
Hondo,
A million thanks for your report on our brothers that never made it back. Being a Korean Veteran I know what it means to the family members to know that their love-ones are at home. Again Hondo, many thanks, and may our brothers now, Rest In Peace.
Sam Naomi
My pleasure, Sam.
Everyone deserves a proper burial.