Another MIA Is Accounted For
DPAA has identified and accounted for the following formerly-missing US personnel.
From World War II
• Pvt Emil F. Ragucci, Company E, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, USMC, was lost on Tarawa Atoll on 20 November 1943. He was accounted for on 30 November 2017.
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 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
I look forward to this recurring post series on Sunday mornings.
Thanks for keeping us abreast of happenings in this regard.
Someone emailed us yesterday about Archie Newell, telling us how these weekend posts alerted someone in South Dakota to tell their local paper about Archie. The resulting article got the AP’s attention and made the wire services. So, yeah, we’re going to keep doing them until the last MIA comes home.
Welcome home, PVT Ragucci.
Are KIA/MIA promoted up in all wars or was that just a Vietnam thing? Por exemplo my friend was KIA as a PFC but promoted to CPL after the fact.
Is it still done today?
And welcome home PVT Ragucci. Had a childhood friend of that name. Called him “Rag”.
Welcome home Brother. Rest in peace in your home soil now.
Rest in Peace.
Welcome home, Marine. Rest in peace.
Welcome home, my elder brother in arms. We are grateful.