Another Five Return
DPAA has identified and accounted for the following formerly-missing US military personnel.
From World War II
• 1st Lt Ben B. Barnes, 361st Fighter Squadron, 356th Fighter Group, US Army Air Forces, US Army, was lost on 5 December 1944 in Germany. He was accounted for on 17 September 2016.
From Korea
• PFC Everett E. Johnson, F Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, US Army, was lost on 3 September 1950 in South Korea. He was accounted for on 19 September 2016.
• CPL William H. Smith, E Company, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 28 November 1950 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 12 September 2016.
• CPL Roy C. Fink, B Company, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 2 December 1950 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 23 September 2016.
• PFC William V. Giovanniello, Company F, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 25 April 1951 in South Korea. He was accounted for on 19 September 2016.
Welcome back, elder brothers-in-arms. Our apologies that your return 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 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. 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 can be viewed in DPAA’s 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.
Author’s Notes:
1. On their “Recently Accounted For” page, DPAA does not give a date of loss for CPL William H. Smith, US Army. However, the press release associated with his accounting – which may be read here – indicates he was reported as MIA on 28 November 1950.
2. As of 23 September 2016, DPAA had announced that CPL Fink had been accounted for. However, as of that date his name had yet to appear on their “Recently Accounted For” page.
Category: No Longer Missing
Welcome home men
Rest well
Salute
Miller City is a small place in Hand, South Dakota. It is today and it was in 1940 when a census taker recorded that Herman and Grace Barnes were residing there, along with their 19-year old so, Ben. He was their only son. It strongly appears he was West Point and was diverted to air training at Douglas, Georgia, where a private company contracted to train military pilots in the fundamentals of flying. According to the WW II Flight Training Museum there, Barnes was “[o]n a mission on Dec. 5, 1944 to the Berlin, Germany area, [and] he was flying a P-51 D15 NA (S/N: 44-15169) to accompany a bombing run. As the bombers came off the target 40 plus enemy aircraft were seen. Combat took place between 1105 and 1120 hours northeast of Berlin, Eberswalde area. His wingman, John C. Lindsay, reported the following [see Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) #10810]:”
“On the operational mission of 5 December 1944, I was flying Red #4 on Lt. Barnes’ wing. At approximately 1100 hours, we sighted a gaggle of 60 plus FW 190s flying a northwesterly direction. As we turned toward them, they swung to the right and started in a southeasterly course. At 1105, we attacked. My flight broke into elements; Lt. Barnes leading the second element and we started into a steep turn to the left at about 28,000 feet. Lt. Barnes then rolled into a right turn as though to go into an attack. At this time, I sighted five FW 190’s attacking from 5 o’clock and called Lt. Barnes to break and he also called me to break. I broke to the right and down and three FW 190’s followed me. Lt. Barnes and I became separated at this time. I continued my battle with the three FW 190’s for about five (5) minutes and when I had shaken the last one, the battle was about over and my plane was suffering from battle damage so I set course for home.”
LT Barnes’ course is now set for home, too.
Welcome home brothers. Rest in peace in your home soil. God be with your families now.
Welcome home, men.
Rest well.
I have always made time to read everything available associated with war casualties. I truly believe it is my obligation as a citizen of the United States to do this, as these men and women have sacrificed for all we hold dear.
The path of my life did not take me to the military. Coming from a family with modest means, it was near the top of my list for moving forward with life. I was blessed with opportunities that allowed me to complete a college education – opportunities available in a country protected by those in our military past, present, and future. Currently, our older son serves on a fast-attack submarine in the Pacific. We couldn’t be more proud.
Reflecting on all of this, I was curious as to the extent of formal education on the topic of war casualties including MIAs and recovery. After some cursory searches for such topics in education, I find, unfortunately, only what I expected – the current social sciences view in higher education on the topic of wars and impacts on society and economics. I believe that there may be an opportunity here to advance this topic in higher education – at least in those institutions not plagued by the PC bug. Is anyone aware of any institutions covering this topic?