Three More Return

| March 31, 2019

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

From World War II

S2c Calvin H. Palmer, 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 21 March 2019.

S2c Wilferd D. Palmer, 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 21 March 2019.

From Korea

PFC Herschel M. Riggs, US Army, assigned to Headquarters Company, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, was lost in South Korea on 16 July 1950. He was accounted for on 25 March 2019.

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. 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 is found in one of the 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

12 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
AW1Ed

Welcome home.

5th/77th FA

Welcome Home Men….We Honor your Sacrifice….We Salute your Service.

AnotherPat

Hershel Mearl Riggs was an Army Brat. He was a teenager, 19 years young, when he was lost on 16 July 1950.

He was born at the Fort Ringgold Army Hospital in Ringgold (Starr County), Texas, on 21 September 1931 at 0330 hours. He was delivered by Major E. Winter, who was with the US Army Medical Corps.

Fort Ringgold, Texas was outside of Rio Grande City, Texas.

His Father was Hershel Mearl Riggs, born 1911, a Soldier from Kentucky who stationed at Fort Ringgold at the time of his son’s birth. He was 20 years old when Hershel was born.

His Mother was Lily Rameriz Lund Riggs, a Housewife from Rio Grande, Texas, born 1914.She was 17 when her son was born.

His Sister, Norma Mae Riggs, was born in 1933 in Rio Grande and passed away in 1998. She had several children who may be living.

Hershel enlisted in the US Army in 1948 and was a member of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. His Army Serial Number was RA18225574, which means he volunteered to join the Army. He was listed as Missing in Action while fighting the enemy in South Korea on July 16, 1950. He was presumed dead on December 31, 1953.

Hershel’s awards include the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Korean War Service Medal.

Rest In Peace, Soldier. You were never forgotten.

Bring Them All Home.

Ex-PH2

Fair winds and following seas to them, one and all.

AnotherPat

S2c Calvin Harry/Henry Palmer and S2c Wilferd Dewey Palmer were Brothers who joined the US Navy in North Dakota.

Calvin was born in Andes, Richland County, Montana on 5 December 1918. His brother, Wilferd, was born a year later, 29 December 1919, in Montana.

Their Parents were Henry “Harry” Calvin Palmer, born around 1892 in North Dakota and Rosie E. Stredwick Palmer, born in February 1895 in North Dakota. Their Siblings were Joyce, born 1923, Florence born 1921 and Doris, born 1924.

Rosie was a Gold Star Mom and passed away in 1984 at the young age of 89 in Kitsap County, Washington.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/186610078/rosie-e-palmer

Here is a nice picture of Wilferd in his uniform:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/80541171

Here is a nice picture of Calvin in his uniform:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/79949774/calvin-h-palmer

Rest In Peace, Brothers. You were never forgotten. Salute.

Bring Them All Home.

AW1Ed

Thanks for the background, AP. Much appreciated.

5th/77th FA

AnotherPat, I join with my Naval Aviation (A Branch of the Flying Floating Artillery) Brother AW1Ed in giving Thanks and Appreciation for the added background on these returned home Warriors. And, as always, much Thanks to Hondo for bringing these stories to us. This Thread of TAH is my most favorite, POSers are a dime a dozen these days and as much as like throwing rocks at those pieces of crap, I hope that I live long enough to see all of our unaccounted for…accounted for and brought home.

The Brothers on the Oklahoma, we wonder if they had time to be together as the dive/torpedo bombers came in and fight back. IIRC BB – 37 didn’t last too long in the fight before she capsized. We can only imagine the grief of their parents when word came in that both of their sons were lost on that terrible day. For those of us who believe in a higher reward, imagine the reunion they had “on the other side.”

That 15/16 July ’50 date keeps recurring in the More Returned stories. Here they were, just 20 some odd days into the fight, against overwhelming odds, trying to hold the line with short equipment supplies, mostly raw, un battle tested troops, knowing it was going to be a fight to the death. Headquarters Company Troops paid the price along with the Line Companies. Cooks, clerks, mechanics, supply and everyone else brought every weapon to bear. Makes one wonder, too, how many of these remains from that time frame were actually known to the Reds. Seems a little odd that we are seeing so many now that the adults are in charge.

AnotherPat

Thank You, 5th & Ed…and to Hondo for posting these updates every Sunday.

Was sad when I discovered the Palmers were Brothers…I can’t imagine the heartbreak their parents and sisters went thru when they received the news about Calvin and Wilferd.

For PFC Riggs, I do hope his extended family got the news that he has been identified and accounted for.

May both Families find peace and comfort.

Sparks

Welcome home Brothers. Rest in peace in your home soil now.

RGR 4-78

Welcome Home.

UpNorth

Welcome home, brothers. Salute.

HMC Ret

Welcome Home, Warriors. I am humbled by your sacrifice.