Another Ten Return

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

From World War II

Pfc Marley R. Arthurholtz, USMC, assigned to the crew of the USS Oklahoma, was lost at Pearl Harbor, HI, on 7 December 1941. His accounting was announced on 1 October 2019.

Pfc Norman A. Buan, USMC Reserve, assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, was lost on Tarawa on 20 November 1943. His accounting was announced on 3 October 2019.

Pfc Louis Wiesehan, Jr., USMC, assigned to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, was lost on Tarawa on 21 November 1943. His accounting was announced on 1 October 2019.

Pfc John R. Bayens, USMC Reserve, assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, was lost on Tarawa on 22 November 1943. His accounting was announced on 1 October 2019.

Pfc Robert J. Hatch, USMC Reserve, assigned to Company D, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, was lost on Tarawa on 22 November 1943. His accounting was announced on 1 October 2019.

Pfc Jack B. Van Zandt, USMC Reserve, assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, was lost on Tarawa on 22 November 1943. His accounting was announced on 3 October 2019.

1LT Seymour P. Drovis, US Army, assigned to A Company, 105th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division, was lost on Saipan on 7 July 1944. He was accounted for on 4 September 2018. (see note)

From Korea

PFC John A. Shelemba , US Army, assigned to L Company, 3rd Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, was lost in South Korea on 7 November 1950. His accounting was announced on 1 October 2019.

SFC Riley Burchfield, US Army, assigned to D Company, 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, was lost in North Korea on 26 November 1950. His accounting was announced on 1 October 2019.

Pfc Ray P. Fairchild, USMC, assigned to Company D, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, was lost in North Korea on 27 November 1950. His accounting was announced on 3 October 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.

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Author’s Note: While 1LT Drovis was accounted for in September 2018, his inclusion into DPAA’s “Recently Accounted For” listing apparently occurred at some undetermined later time – most likely during 2019. The announcement, apparenlty updated, indicating he will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery is dated 7 June 2019 and may be viewed here.

Category: No Longer Missing