Another Two Return

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

From World War II

Matt2c Jesus F. Garcia, US Navy, assigned to the crew of the USS Oklahoma, was lost at Pearl Harbor, HI, on 7 December 1941. His accounting was announced by DPAA on 19 February 2020. (See Note.)

1st Lt. Ernest L. Roth, US Army, assigned to 359th Bombardment Squadron, 303rd Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force, US Army Air Forces, was lost IVO Berlin, Germany, on 19 May 1944. His accounting was announced by DPAA on 19 February 2020.

From Korea

None

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.

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Author’s Note: DPAA has listed an incorrect rate for Matt2c Garcia on its “Recently Accounted For” page. Per this source, the rate of “Steward’s Mate” did not exist until Feb or Mar 1943 – roughly 14 months after Pearl Harbor. At the time of Pearl Harbor, the rate title was “Mess Attendant”. I have used the abbreviation for the correct rate title above.

Category: No Longer Missing