Another Three Return
DPAA has identified and accounted for the following formerly-missing US military personnel.
From World War II
• 1st Lt Robert E. Moessner, , 373rd Bomb Squadron, 308th Bomb Group, US Army Air Forces, US Army, was lost on 18 April 1944 in China. He was accounted for on 17 November 2016.
From Korea
• MSG Joseph Durakovich, Company G, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, US Army, was lost on 28 November 1950 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 22 November 2016.
• CPL Lewis A. Damewood, Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 13 February 1951 in South Korea. He was accounted for on 22 November 2016.
Welcome back, elder brother-in-arms. Our apologies that your return took so long.
Rest in peace. You’re home now.
. . .
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.
Category: No Longer Missing
A few accounted for, so many not returned. Sad.
Welcome home, brothers.
Interesting story behind the mission in which the aircraft Sweepy Time Gal in which 1LT Moessner was lost: http://web.archive.org/web/20130910055411/http://www.airforcemag.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/1995/June%201995/0695valor.aspx “One of the most unusual coastal searches was flown by Lt. Glenn McConnell, who arrived in China in the fall of 1943. Assigned to the 308th Group, he flew 23 Hump missions. He liked the excitement and challenge of those flights. By March 1944, he had logged 250 combat hours. Now an experienced and highly competent pilot, he was given command of a B-24 named Sweepy Time Gal, locally modified for low-altitude attacks on shipping. The bomber’s lower turret had been removed. Two fixed .50-caliber nose guns were added, fired by a trigger on the control column. A new position for a radar operator was installed on the flight deck. For surprise and bombing accuracy, sea sweeps typically were flown at 200 feet. On a March 19 sweep, the crew of this modified B-24 sighted a four-engine “Mavis” flying boat. McConnell turned in to the Mavis and opened up with all his forward-firing guns. The enemy pilot, no doubt shaken by this display of awesome and accurate fire, ducked into an overcast trailing smoke and may or may not have made it home. An hour later, a second Mavis appeared, headed directly for Sweepy Time Gal. The enemy plane went into a violent turn. McConnell followed under its left wing. All guns that could bear on the Mavis fired, scoring many hits at close range. The enemy gunners, firing back, wounded McConnell–who would have been killed had he not been leaning forward for a better view of the action–and two other crew members before the flying boat caught fire and plunged into the sea. Thus ended the only known dogfight between four-engine aircraft. With no hydraulic pressure for gear or brakes, the wounded McConnell landed his B-24 safely at Kweilin with photographs of the downed Mavis. A month later, McConnell’s B-24 was critically damaged by three “Oscars” while 100 feet above the water. The B-24, its two right engines on fire with both props refusing to feather, went in, cartwheeled, and… Read more »
Robert E. Moessner was from Scranton, PA, although he is incorrectly listed in at least one source as from Buffalo, NY. As of the 1940 census, Robert was 20 and worked at a bakery. He had one sibling, Warren, and they lived with their parents on Prospect Avenue. Robert joined the Army Air Corps and served as a bombardier aboard a B-24 Liberator “Sweepy Time Gal,” a heavy bomber. On 18 April 1944, “Sweepy Time Gal” was on a mission off Hong Kong when it was intercepted by the Japanese and hit. Aflame, the aircraft was ditched in the Pearl River and eight of its 12 crewman were killed, including Bombardier Moessner. Some who survived the crash were strafed by a Zero and were killed while swimming to shore. Robert’s remains were ultimately recovered but unidentified, until last month. He had a name, a family, a life cut far too short in service to out country. Welcome home, Robert.
Here is the report from Phoenix on another Korean War Casualty returned for burial. Friday December 2, 2016.
http://www.12news.com/news/local/valley/korean-war-soldiers-remains-returned-to-family-in-phoenix/359889388
I wrote about his identification and accounting for by DPAA 3 weeks ago:
http://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=68908
Good to see that he was laid to rest properly and reasonably promptly after he was accounted for.
Rest well, elder brother-in-arms. You earned that.
When one sees how the family reacts and the closure it gives one can see just how important it is to bring them home. After 65 years his family came from across the USA to pay respects. Its who we are as a Nation how we respect those who have given the ultimate sacrifice.
“He was just 18 years old when he went into the military so he didn’t get too much of a chance to have a life.”
That’s true. It’s true of all of our Fallen. What they gave, however, is more than any of the rest of us have. And we do not forget them for that.
Welcome Home Warriors, Rest In Peace. You’ve earned your place in History and Valhalla.
Welcome home Brothers.
Welcome home, men.
Rest well.
Joseph Durakovich was a first-generation born American. His parents came here from Serbia and settled in Lake, Indiana. Joseph was listed as being age nine in the 1930 census, the youngest of seven children born to Sophia and Nikolai (sp. uncertain), a steelworker. The family made their home on Washington Street. Welcome home, Joe.
In the government archives of Korean War casualties, there is listed a Louis Ashby Damewood, born in 1929, whose “Incident or Death Date” is listed as 13 February 1951. (Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) Files, part of Record Group 330: Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense.) The last name, middle initial, and incident date match that given by DPAA for “Lewis” A. Damewood. It looks like they are one and the same soldier but I cannot obtain confirmation of this, and neither the 1930 nor 1940 census is of help. I am sorry for that. Welcome home, soldier.
Rest easy. You deserve it.
Welcome home, Brothers. Now, rest in peace.
MIAS to date:
WW II 73,116
Korea 7,785-7,778
Vietnam; 1,618
Cold War: 126
Gulf War: 2
Note on korea war Mias an estimated 65% are still lost in North Korea 3,260-4116
What can be done for our missing sons in NK?
If you are a relative check the Korean war casualty database for casualty status.
Go to physician/health care provider for DNA Sample
Send sample per dpaa.mil instructions
Contact your Congressman in order to restore talking relations between US and NK–the VFW and Congressman Charles Rangel have called on the US to restore relations in regard to or missing sons https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missing_in_action
On bended knee, tearing from mine eyes, I THANK YOU three and all your brothers and sisters still unaccounted for in the wish that all shall be free of tyranny. REST IN PEACE and WELCOME HOME.