Three More Are Home
DPAA has identified and accounted for the following formerly-missing US personnel.
From World War II
• F1c Charles R. Casto, US Navy, assigned to the crew of the USS Oklahoma, was lost at Pearl Harbor, HI, on 7 December 1941. He was accounted for on 15 March 2017.
• Pvt. Donald S. Spayd, USMC Reserve, assigned to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines, USMC, was lost on Tarawa on 20 November 1943. He was accounted for on 16 March 2017.
From Korea
• PFC Robert E. Mitchell, Company F, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, US Army, was lost in South Korea on 6 September 1950. He was accounted for on 13 March 2017.
Welcome back, elder brothers-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
Welcome home, men.
Rest well.
Welcome home, Brothers.
Usually, when I am able pinpoint families of the Fallen in census records, I find that the serviceman had siblings. In the matter of Donald S. Spayd, this is not true. Moreover, at the 1940 census, there was no Dad in the home but 16-year old Donald’s mother, Bertha, was listed as married in the census. Mom and son resided in Los Angeles at 1043 West 65th Place, a small house, built in 1922, and one which still stands. According to the census information, Donald was a high school sophomore in 1940. A couple of years later, Donald, a private with Co F, 2nd Bn, 8th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, would Fall on the first day of the Marine’s assault in the Gilbert islands. He and his sacrifice are not forgotten.
Rest In Peace Fallen Warriors, you’ve earned your place in History and Valhalla.
Rest in Peace, brothers.