Three More Return

| June 30, 2019

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

From World War II

Sgt. Howard F. Gotts, US Army, assigned to 66th Bombardment Squadron, 44th Bombardment Group (Heavy), US Army Air Forces, was lost in Romania on 1 August 1943. He was accounted for on 25 June 2019.

Tech 5 John E. Bainbridge, US Army, assigned to C Company, 128th Infantry Regiment, 32nd Infantry Division, was lost in Papua New Guinea on 2 December 1943. He was accounted for on 25 June 2019.

From Korea

SGT Vernon R. Judd, US Army, assigned to D Company, 89th Medium Tank Battalion, 25th Infantry Division, was lost in North Korea on 28 November 1950. He was accounted for on 26 June 2019.

From Southeast Asia

None

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

Rest easy. You’re home now.

. . .

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

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Ex-PH2

Rest in Peace to all. May the road rise to meet them and the wind be always at their backs.

The Bomber Squadron that flew into Romania came from a US base in Libyar at Benghazi, and flew into Romania to bomb the oil tank storage facilities.

Berliner

Welcome home all. We are honored by your service and sacrifice.

11 of the 37 B-24’s from the 44th involved in the raid on Ploesti, Romania, never returned.

In all the 44th flew 343 missions in 8,009 sorties and dropped 18,980 tones of bombs. The Group lost 153 aircraft MIA.

My father was with a sister B-24 group in Benghazi, the 376th Bombardment Group (Heavy).

5th/77th FA

Welcome home Warriors. We Salute your Service and pay Honors to your Sacrifice.

Wonder how many Libyans were chanting “Death to America” as we fought to liberate them from the Germans and Italians? Read an article a number of years back in Nat Geo that talked about Mohamar Quidaffi destroying a lot of the Roman Ruins/Cultural Historic Sites during his oppression of the Libyan people. Have seen other articles on the Mooslims siding with the Germans against the Allies.

5th/77th FA

Thanks Hondo!

26Limabeans

The Polesti Raid 1AUG43:

https://www.warhistoryonline.com/instant-articles/black-sunday-ploesti-raid.html

“Sgt. Howard F. Gotts”
Welcome home. You were not forgotten.
Your mission was a success.

Sparks

Welcome home brothers. Rest in peace in your home soil.

RGR 4-78

Welcome Home.

AW1Ed

Welcome home.