Four More Return

DPAA has identified and accounted for the following formerly-missing US personnel.

From World War II

None

From Korea

CPL Francisco Ramos-Rivera, US Army, assigned to H Company, 2nd Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, was lost in South Korea on 20 July 1950. He was accounted for on 12 July 2018.

CPL Albert E. Mills, US Army, assigned to F 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, was lost in South Korea on 25 July 1950. He was accounted for on 17 July 2018.

PVT Delbert J. Holliday, US Army, assigned to C Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, was lost in North Korea on 30 November 1950. He was accounted for on 13 July 2018.

MSG Leonard K. Chinn, US Army, assigned to D Company, 2nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, was lost in North Korea on 30 April 1951. He was accounted for on 16 July 2018.

From Southeast Asia

None

Welcome back, elder brothers-in-arms. Our apologies that your return took so long.

You’re home now. Rest easy.

. . .

Over 72,000 US personnel remain unaccounted for from World War II; over 7,600 US personnel remain unaccounted for from the Korean War; over 1,500 remain unaccounted for in Southeast Asia (SEA); 126 remain unaccounted for from the Cold War; 5 remain unaccounted for from the Gulf Wars; and 1 individual remains unaccounted for from Operation Eldorado Canyon. 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