Eleven More Are Home

| September 15, 2019

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

From World War II

CWT Francis D. Day, 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 10 September 2019.

BM1c Arnold M. Nielsen, 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 10 September 2019.

QM2c Daryle E. Artley, 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 10 September 2019.

FM1c James C. Webb, 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 10 September 2019.

FM1c Lawrence E. Woods, 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 10 September 2019.

Sgt. R. L. Tyler, US Army, assigned to Headquarters Squadron, 19th Bombardment Group, US Army Air Forces, was lost in the Philippines on 19 July 1942. He was accounted for on 11 September 2019.

Pfc. Michael Kocopy, USMC Reserve, assigned to Company E, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, was lost on Tarawa on 20 November 1943. He was accounted for on 27 August 2019. (see note)

1st Lt. Steve Nagy, US Army, assigned to 407th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy,) 92nd Bombardment Group (Heavy,) 40th Combat Bombardment Wing, 1st Air Division, 8th Air Force, US Army Air Forces, was lost in Germany on 24 August 1944. He was accounted for on 6 September 2019.

From Korea

CPL Joe T. Avant, US Army, assigned to Heavy Mortar Company, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, 31st Regimental Combat Team, was lost in North Korea on 30 November 1950. He was accounted for on 11 September 2019.

CPL Autrey J. Betar, US Army, assigned to A Company, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, 31st Regimental Combat Team, was lost in North Korea on 2 December 1950. He was accounted for on 11 September 2019.

1LT George S. Crisp, US Army, assigned to L Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Regimental Combat Team, 7th Infantry Division, was lost in North Korea on 12 December 1950. He was accounted for on 6 September 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.

—–

Author’s Note: Both the date of loss and date accounted for listed on DPAA’s newly accounted for page for Pfc. Kocopy appear to be incorrect. Per this DPAA press release, the actual date of Pfc. Kocopy’s death was 20 November 1943; the actual date of his accounting was 27 August 2019.

Category: No Longer Missing

15 Comments
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26Limabeans

I wonder if the Elko Awarness Association is
aware of this information and keeps their
donors updated.

The Oklahoma is always here. So many lives lost.
Hope I live to see the last one found.

5th/77th FA

Very good point on EAA ‘beans. I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that the answer is …NO! The work that DPAA does is amazing. Finding enough DNA in remains that are 75+ yo, that have been subject to a war, the elements, buried, re-buried and then matching them to a relative? Just wow!

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

Thanks Hondo.

marinedad61

Exactly. Bingo.
Les Brown and the Elko POW*MIA Awareness Association
do LESS for their members and fans on MIA news and issues…
… than the veterans on this website
that OUTED Les Brown for being a longtime PHONY.

Checking the AIM*WOP Faque Booque page again… Nada.

https://www.facebook.com/Elko-POWMIA-Awareness-Association-106848159338009/

AW1Ed

Welcome home.

SgtBob

National news networks should make this part of a weekly segment.

Sparks

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

Retired Grunt

Welcome home….
In honor of the greatest generation I’m developing a new sign off tag… wanted some feedback from my fellow brothers and sisters.

“I saved a life, you saved the world”

Retired Grunt

Comment re-posted to “Pete Buttigieg Chides Gun Owners Who Have ‘Sense of Manhood’ Wrapped Up in Guns.”
AW1Ed

Retired Grunt

To all of my brothers and sisters: I just drink too much sometimes. May God bless and keep each and every one of you. I don’t want to be like that special medal guy…. EVER…. I’m writing this from My Rack. Not Iraq…. lol.

“I saved a life, you saved the world.”

AW1Ed

No harm no foul, RG, and thanks for the blessing. Something we all could use a bit more of.
*grin*

Retired Grunt

I’m not that computer literate I don’t know how to delete or re enter anything. I just absolutely meant no offense.

Retired Grunt

Thank you admins…. again, my apologies.

Retired Grunt

https://youtu.be/rhBwHiLcTG8

If the link works out correctly this is a really good place.

marinedad61

Someone grabbed my comment above!

Zing.
(on Les Brown and the Elko POW*MIA, at NL POW*MIA national)

https://www.facebook.com/powmiafamilies/posts/10158334709199587

CCO

Thanks DPAA for all your hard work.