Ten More Return
DPAA has identified and accounted for the following formerly-missing US personnel.
From World War II
CPL Walter J. Kellett, US Army, assigned to 17th Pursuit Squadron, 24th Pursuit Group, US Army Air Forces, was lost in the Philippines on 19 July 1942. He was accounted for on 30 July 2019.
PVT Charlie M. Waid, US Army, assigned to Medical Detachment, 31st Infantry Division, was lost in the Philippines on 19 November 1942. He was accounted for on 26 July 2019.
Pfc Joseph R. Livermore, USMC, assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, was lost on Tarawa on 22 November 1943. He was accounted for on 30 July 2019.
1st. Lt. Herschel H. Mattes, US Army, assigned to 525th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 86th Fighter Bomber Group, US Army Air Forces, was lost in Italy on 6 March 1944. He was accounted for on 30 July 2019.
PFC Eugene E. Lochowicz, US Army, assigned to A Company, 28th Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division, was lost in Germany on 23 February 1945. He was accounted for on 26 July 2019.
From Korea
CPL Harold Pearce, US Army, assigned to 1st Platoon, 24th Military Police Company, 24th Infantry Division, was lost in South Korea on 20 June 1950. He was accounted for on 30 July 2019.
CPL Daniel W. Gerrity, US Army, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, Division Artillery, 2nd Infantry Division, was lost in North Korea on 30 November 1950. He was accounted for on 30 July 2019. (see note)
MAJ Harvey H. Storms, US Army, assigned to Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, was lost in North Korea on 1 December 1950. He was accounted for on 30 July 2019.
PFC Herman R. Phy, US Army, assigned to A Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, was lost in North Korea on 6 July 1953. He was accounted for on 29 July 2019.
From Southeast Asia
Maj. Neal C. Ward, US Air Force, assigned to 602nd Special Operations Squadron, was lost in Laos on 13 June 1969. He was accounted for on 25 July 2019.
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.
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Author’s Note: The unit of assignment given in DPAA’s “Recently Accounted For” listing for CPL Daniel W. Gerrity appears to be incomplete. Other information online indicates CPL Gerrity was assigned to HHB, DIVARTY, 2nd Inf Div at the time he was lost. The more complete unit of assignment is reflected above.
Category: No Longer Missing
Welcome home Major. Many people have been waiting for you. You were not forgotten.
https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/54477/NEAL-C-WARD/
Welcome Home Warriors. We Salute your Service and pay Honors to your Sacrifice. Maybe some of our more computer literate Brothers or Sisters can find us some more of the “Rest of the Story.” AnotherPat, we miss you! Get well soon and hurry back. 2/17 Air Cav was always good about digging up more. Miss that one too.
Thanks again, Hondo. Are any of these from Korea part of the 25 recently identified from the 50 that Fatty KimCheese returned last year?
I would guess yes, 5/77. But I don’t know that to be a fact.
Welcome home.
Thanks, Hondo
Thanks, DPAA.
Welcome home.
Welcome home.
Maybe the road rise to meet them and the wind be always at their backs.
Welcome home Brothers. Rest in peace in your home soil.
Welcome Home.
Welcome home, men.
Rest well.
Welcome home brothers in arms.
Is there a typo for CPL Harold Pearce, 20 June 1950 was 5 days before the start of the Korean War.
“His Lord said to him, Well done, you good and faithful servant…” Matthew 25:21.
Private Charlie M. Waid, U.S. Army, 31st Infantry Regiment, Medical Detachment, was captured by the Japanese during the Battle of Bataan and imprisoned in the Cabanatuan Prisoner of War Camp in the Philippines where he died of illness on 19 November 1942. PVT Waid was buried in a common grave in the camp with 13 other American prisoners. After the war, four individuals were identified from the grave and ten “unknowns” were buried in the Manila American Cemetery. Chief Rick Stone was asked to investigate these cases as a member of the Department of Defense and prepared a series of Investigative Reports in March 2012 using the RISC System which listed PVT Waid as a possible match to two “Unknowns” recovered from Grave 717 at Cabanatuan. These unknowns had been interred at the Manila American Cemetery since 1946. In 2013, the family of another Cabanatuan “Unknown” identified by Chief Stone as being buried with PVT Waid filed a federal lawsuit seeking disinterment, which the now disbanded Joint POW/MIA Accounting Agency (JPAC) vigorously opposed. The family prevailed in the suit and all of the Grave 717 “Unknowns” recommended for disinterment by Chief Stone were exhumed in June 2014. PVT Waid was identified as one of the “Unknowns” previously listed by Chief Stone in 2012 by the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory on July 29, 2019.
Welcome home Private Waid! The Chief Rick Stone and Family Charitable Foundation shares the joy of your family in your return! God Bless you and thanks to ALL who never forgot you and your service to our country!