USS Oklahoma Sailor Accounted For From World War II (Edmonston, D.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today Navy Seaman 2nd Class David B. Edmonston, 22, Portland, Oregon, killed during World War II, was accounted for on July 3, 2018.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Edmonston was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Edmonston.
From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.
In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Edmonston.
In April 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a policy memorandum directing the disinterment of unknowns associated with the USS Oklahoma. On June 15, 2015, DPAA personnel began exhuming the remains from the Punchbowl for analysis.
To identify Edmonston’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,742 (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Edmonston’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Navy Service Casualty office at (800) 443-9298.
Edmonston will be buried July 27, 2019, in his hometown.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-03 00:36:412025-04-03 00:36:42Seaman 2nd Class David B. Edmonston
USS Oklahoma Sailor Accounted For From World War II (Miles, A.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Navy Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Archie T. Miles, 22, of Elmwood, Illinois, killed during World War II, was accounted for on July 26, 2018.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Miles was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Miles.
From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.
In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Miles.
In April 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a policy memorandum directing the disinterment of unknowns associated with the USS Oklahoma. On June 15, 2015, DPAA personnel began exhuming the remains from the Punchbowl for analysis.
To identify Miles’ remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,742 (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Miles’ name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Navy Service Casualty office at (800) 443-9298.
Miles will be buried May 27, 2019, in his hometown.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-03 00:36:092025-04-03 00:36:10Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Archie T. Miles
Soldier Accounted For From World War II (Mills, C.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Pfc. Clifford M. Mills, 29, of Troy, Indiana, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Jan. 29, 2019.
In September 1944, Mills was a member of the 319th Glider Field Artillery Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, which participated in Operation Market Garden, the invasion of the German-occupied Netherlands. On Sept. 18, 1944, Mills was reported missing in action in the vicinity of Wyler and Zyfflich, Germany.
Because of enemy control of the area, an immediate search for Mills was not possible. After the war, the Army found no evidence that Mills had survived the landing or been captured.
Following the end of hostilities, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC), U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps, was tasked with investigating and recovering deceased and missing American personnel in the European Theater. During the course of these operations, units recovered thousands of unknown sets of remains. One set, designated Unknown X-2566 Neuville, was recovered from an isolated grave near a downed glider. The remains could not be identified and were subsequently buried as an Unknown at the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and Memorial in Hombourg, Belgium.
Following thorough analysis of military records and AGRC documentation by DPAA historians and scientists, which suggested a strong association between X-2566 Neuville and Mills, the remains were disinterred in June 2017 and sent to DPAA for analysis.
To identify Mills’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis, dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
DPAA is grateful to the American Battle Monuments Commission for their partnership in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,742 service members (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Mills’ name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, Netherlands, an American Battle Monuments Commission site, along with others who are missing from WWII. Although interred as an “unknown” his grave was meticulously cared for over the past 70 years by the American Battle Monuments Commission. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family contact information, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
Mills will be buried March 30, 2019, in Troy, Indiana.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-03 00:35:392025-04-03 00:35:40Pfc. Clifford M. Mills
Sailor Accounted For From World War II (Slaton, I.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today Navy Reserve Seaman 2nd Class Ira N. Slaton, 22, of Albertville, Alabama, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Sept. 24, 2018.
On July 24, 1944, Slaton was aboard the battleship USS Colorado, which was moored approximately 3,200 yards from the shore of Tinian Island, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Early in the morning, the USS Colorado, along with the light cruiser Cleveland and destroyers Remey and Norman Scott, commenced firing toward the island. Within two hours, a concealed Japanese shore battery opened fire on the USS Colorado and the USS Norman Scott. The first hit on the USS Colorado resulted in a heavy explosion, and the ship sustained extensive fragmentation damage. From the attack, four crewmen were declared missing in action, and 39 personnel were killed, including Slaton. Slaton and the other casualties were subsequently interred in the 4th Marine Division Cemetery on Saipan.
In February 1948, under the direction of the American Graves Registration Service’s 9105th Technical Service Unit, three battlefield cemeteries, including the 4th Marine Division Cemetery, were disinterred. While the majority of identifications that had been tentatively made following the attack were upheld, nine sets were reclassified as “unknown.” Of those, five were eventually identified and four were declared as unknown and were interred at the Manila American Memorial and Cemetery in the Philippines.
On Oct. 18, 2017, personnel from DPAA, in partnership with the American Battle Monuments Commission, exhumed Unknown X-76 from the Manila American Memorial and Cemetery and accessioned the remains to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.
To identify Slaton’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
DPAA is grateful to the American Battle Monuments Commission for their partnership in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,742 service members (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Slaton’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, in Honolulu, along with the others missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Navy Service Casualty office at (800) 443-9298.
Slaton will be buried April 6, 2019, in Horton, Alabama.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-03 00:34:442025-04-03 00:34:46Seaman 2nd Class Ira N. Slaton
Airman Accounted-For From World War II (Curtis, B.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Burleigh E. Curtis, 22, of Holliston, Massachusetts, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Dec. 13, 2018.
On June 13, 1944, Curtis was a member of the 377th Fighter Squadron, 362nd Fighter Group, piloting a P-47D aircraft on a dive-bomb attack near Briouze, France, when his plane crashed. Witnesses reported that he was not seen bailing out of the aircraft prior to the crash.
The following day, a French cabinet maker, Raphael Merriele, who witnessed the crash, located the crash site and reportedly buried what remains he could recover.
In 1947, an American Graves Registration Command (AGRC) team traveled to Briouze to retrieve Curtis’ remains, however no remains were found. The AGRC investigator concluded that Curtis’ remains had been removed by a prior AGRC team and was likely identified.
By 1950, receiving no update on the remains or an identification, an AGRC team declared Curtis non-recoverable.
Between 2011 and 2012, the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office, DPMO (a predecessor to DPAA), contacted the mayor of St-Andre-de-Briouze and the Briouze chapter of the Association Normande de Souvenir Aerien, a major aircraft souvenir group, and conducted a number of investigations in the area where Curtis was believed to have been buried.
In August and September 2017, under a partnership, History Flight, Inc., a nongovernmental organization, excavated the crash site, recovering Curtis’ identification tags, aircraft material, life support equipment, personal effects and possible osseous material.
To identify Curtis’ remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as historical and material evidence.
DPAA is grateful to Mr. Raphael Merriele, Mr. Paul Hardy, Mr. Engelbert Serpin, Mr. Jacques Paris, Mr. Jean Claude Clouet, Mr. Raymond Prod’homme, the French government and History Flight, Inc., for their partnerships in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,742 service members (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Curtis’ name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at the Brittany American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Montjoie Saint Martin, France, along with the others missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family contact information, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
Curtis will be buried June 25, 2019, in Windham Center, Maine.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-03 00:34:112025-04-03 00:34:131st Lt. Burleigh E. Curtis
Soldier Accounted For From Korean War (Williams, J.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Pfc. James C. Williams, 19, of Alton, Illinois, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for on Dec. 20, 2018.
On July 20, 1950, Williams was a member of Medical Company, 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, when he was killed in action near Taejon, South Korea. Multiple eye witnesses stated that Williams was killed while trying to transport patients from the Taejon Air Strip. Fellow Soldiers returned Williams’ remains to the collection point, however the 34th Infantry Regiment’s Medical Company was ordered to withdraw, and during the hasty withdrawal, his remains and those of numerous service members were left behind. Despite multiple attempts to recover Williams’ remains, he was declared non-recoverable on Jan. 16, 1956.
A set of remains, designated Unknown X-218 Taejon, was recovered from the vicinity of Taejon, along with the remains of three other individuals who were later identified as members of either the 34th Infantry Regiment or 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. Unknown X-218 Taejon could not be identified and was interred at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu.
On March 12, 2018, Unknown X-218 Taejon was disinterred from the Punchbowl and sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.
To identify Williams’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis, dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
DPAA is grateful to Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.
Today, 7,666 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously returned by North Korean officials or recovered from North Korea by American recovery teams. Williams’ name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with the others who are missing from the Korean War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family contact information, contact the Army Service Casualty office at (800) 892-2490.
Williams will be buried July 19, 2019, in West Hopkinsville, Kentucky.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-03 00:33:382025-04-03 00:33:39Pfc. James C. Williams
USS Oklahoma Sailor Accounted For From World War II (Sampson, K.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Navy Seaman 1st Class Kenneth H. Sampson, 20, of Kansas City, Missouri, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Oct. 16, 2018.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Sampson was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Sampson.
From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.
In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Sampson.
In April 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a policy memorandum directing the disinterment of unknowns associated with the USS Oklahoma. On June 15, 2015, DPAA personnel began exhuming the remains from the Punchbowl for analysis.
To identify Sampson’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA) and autosomal (auSTR) DNA analysis, dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this recovery.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,744 (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Sampson’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Navy Service Casualty office at (800) 443-9298.
Sampson will be buried June 18, 2019, in the Punchbowl.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-03 00:33:012025-04-03 00:33:02Seaman 1st Class Kenneth H. Sampson
USS Oklahoma Sailor Accounted For From World War II (Karli, J.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Seaman 1st Class John A. Karli, 19, of San Marino, California, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Sept. 10, 2018.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Karli was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Karli.
From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.
In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Karli.
In April 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a policy memorandum directing the disinterment of unknowns associated with the USS Oklahoma. On June 15, 2015, DPAA personnel began exhuming the remains from the Punchbowl for analysis.
To identify Karli’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis, dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence.
DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,744 (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Karli’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Navy Service Casualty office at (800) 443-9298.
Karli will be buried May 1, 2019, in Altadena, California.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-03 00:32:282025-04-03 00:32:30Seaman 1st Class John A. Karli
USS Oklahoma Sailor Accounted For From World War II (Stapleton, K.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Navy Seaman 1st Class Kirby R. Stapleton, 24, of Chillicothe, Missouri, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Aug. 27, 2018.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Stapleton was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Stapleton.
From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.
In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Stapleton.
In April 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a policy memorandum directing the disinterment of unknowns associated with the USS Oklahoma. On June 15, 2015, DPAA personnel began exhuming the remains from the Punchbowl for analysis.
To identify Stapleton’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA) DNA analysis, dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence.
DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,744 (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Stapleton’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Navy Service Casualty office at (800) 443-9298.
Stapleton will be buried Oct. 15, 2019, in Riverside, California.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-03 00:31:592025-04-03 00:32:00Seaman 1st Class Kirby R. Stapleton
USS Oklahoma Sailor Accounted For From World War II (Shelden, E.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Navy Fire Controlman 1st Class Edward J. Shelden, 29, of Indianapolis, killed during World War II, was accounted for on July 26, 2018.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Shelden was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Shelden.
From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.
In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Shelden.
In April 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a policy memorandum directing the disinterment of unknowns associated with the USS Oklahoma. On June 15, 2015, DPAA personnel began exhuming the remains from the Punchbowl for analysis.
To identify Shelden’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis, dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence.
DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,744 (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Shelden’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for. For family information, contact the Navy Service Casualty office at (800) 443-9298.
Shelden will be buried June 21, 2019, in Fort Snelling, Minnesota.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-03 00:31:282025-04-03 00:31:29Fire Controlman 1st Class Edward J. Shelden
Seaman 2nd Class David B. Edmonston
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Feb. 28, 2019
USS Oklahoma Sailor Accounted For From World War II (Edmonston, D.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today Navy Seaman 2nd Class David B. Edmonston, 22, Portland, Oregon, killed during World War II, was accounted for on July 3, 2018.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Edmonston was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Edmonston.
From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.
In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Edmonston.
In April 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a policy memorandum directing the disinterment of unknowns associated with the USS Oklahoma. On June 15, 2015, DPAA personnel began exhuming the remains from the Punchbowl for analysis.
To identify Edmonston’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,742 (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Edmonston’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Navy Service Casualty office at (800) 443-9298.
Edmonston will be buried July 27, 2019, in his hometown.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Archie T. Miles
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Feb. 26, 2019
USS Oklahoma Sailor Accounted For From World War II (Miles, A.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Navy Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Archie T. Miles, 22, of Elmwood, Illinois, killed during World War II, was accounted for on July 26, 2018.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Miles was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Miles.
From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.
In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Miles.
In April 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a policy memorandum directing the disinterment of unknowns associated with the USS Oklahoma. On June 15, 2015, DPAA personnel began exhuming the remains from the Punchbowl for analysis.
To identify Miles’ remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,742 (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Miles’ name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Navy Service Casualty office at (800) 443-9298.
Miles will be buried May 27, 2019, in his hometown.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
Pfc. Clifford M. Mills
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Feb. 22, 2019
Soldier Accounted For From World War II (Mills, C.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Pfc. Clifford M. Mills, 29, of Troy, Indiana, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Jan. 29, 2019.
In September 1944, Mills was a member of the 319th Glider Field Artillery Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, which participated in Operation Market Garden, the invasion of the German-occupied Netherlands. On Sept. 18, 1944, Mills was reported missing in action in the vicinity of Wyler and Zyfflich, Germany.
Because of enemy control of the area, an immediate search for Mills was not possible. After the war, the Army found no evidence that Mills had survived the landing or been captured.
Following the end of hostilities, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC), U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps, was tasked with investigating and recovering deceased and missing American personnel in the European Theater. During the course of these operations, units recovered thousands of unknown sets of remains. One set, designated Unknown X-2566 Neuville, was recovered from an isolated grave near a downed glider. The remains could not be identified and were subsequently buried as an Unknown at the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and Memorial in Hombourg, Belgium.
Following thorough analysis of military records and AGRC documentation by DPAA historians and scientists, which suggested a strong association between X-2566 Neuville and Mills, the remains were disinterred in June 2017 and sent to DPAA for analysis.
To identify Mills’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis, dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
DPAA is grateful to the American Battle Monuments Commission for their partnership in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,742 service members (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Mills’ name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, Netherlands, an American Battle Monuments Commission site, along with others who are missing from WWII. Although interred as an “unknown” his grave was meticulously cared for over the past 70 years by the American Battle Monuments Commission. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family contact information, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
Mills will be buried March 30, 2019, in Troy, Indiana.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
Seaman 2nd Class Ira N. Slaton
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Feb. 22, 2019
Sailor Accounted For From World War II (Slaton, I.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today Navy Reserve Seaman 2nd Class Ira N. Slaton, 22, of Albertville, Alabama, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Sept. 24, 2018.
On July 24, 1944, Slaton was aboard the battleship USS Colorado, which was moored approximately 3,200 yards from the shore of Tinian Island, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Early in the morning, the USS Colorado, along with the light cruiser Cleveland and destroyers Remey and Norman Scott, commenced firing toward the island. Within two hours, a concealed Japanese shore battery opened fire on the USS Colorado and the USS Norman Scott. The first hit on the USS Colorado resulted in a heavy explosion, and the ship sustained extensive fragmentation damage. From the attack, four crewmen were declared missing in action, and 39 personnel were killed, including Slaton. Slaton and the other casualties were subsequently interred in the 4th Marine Division Cemetery on Saipan.
In February 1948, under the direction of the American Graves Registration Service’s 9105th Technical Service Unit, three battlefield cemeteries, including the 4th Marine Division Cemetery, were disinterred. While the majority of identifications that had been tentatively made following the attack were upheld, nine sets were reclassified as “unknown.” Of those, five were eventually identified and four were declared as unknown and were interred at the Manila American Memorial and Cemetery in the Philippines.
On Oct. 18, 2017, personnel from DPAA, in partnership with the American Battle Monuments Commission, exhumed Unknown X-76 from the Manila American Memorial and Cemetery and accessioned the remains to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.
To identify Slaton’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
DPAA is grateful to the American Battle Monuments Commission for their partnership in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,742 service members (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Slaton’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, in Honolulu, along with the others missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Navy Service Casualty office at (800) 443-9298.
Slaton will be buried April 6, 2019, in Horton, Alabama.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
1st Lt. Burleigh E. Curtis
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Feb. 22, 2019
Airman Accounted-For From World War II (Curtis, B.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Burleigh E. Curtis, 22, of Holliston, Massachusetts, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Dec. 13, 2018.
On June 13, 1944, Curtis was a member of the 377th Fighter Squadron, 362nd Fighter Group, piloting a P-47D aircraft on a dive-bomb attack near Briouze, France, when his plane crashed. Witnesses reported that he was not seen bailing out of the aircraft prior to the crash.
The following day, a French cabinet maker, Raphael Merriele, who witnessed the crash, located the crash site and reportedly buried what remains he could recover.
In 1947, an American Graves Registration Command (AGRC) team traveled to Briouze to retrieve Curtis’ remains, however no remains were found. The AGRC investigator concluded that Curtis’ remains had been removed by a prior AGRC team and was likely identified.
By 1950, receiving no update on the remains or an identification, an AGRC team declared Curtis non-recoverable.
Between 2011 and 2012, the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office, DPMO (a predecessor to DPAA), contacted the mayor of St-Andre-de-Briouze and the Briouze chapter of the Association Normande de Souvenir Aerien, a major aircraft souvenir group, and conducted a number of investigations in the area where Curtis was believed to have been buried.
In August and September 2017, under a partnership, History Flight, Inc., a nongovernmental organization, excavated the crash site, recovering Curtis’ identification tags, aircraft material, life support equipment, personal effects and possible osseous material.
To identify Curtis’ remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as historical and material evidence.
DPAA is grateful to Mr. Raphael Merriele, Mr. Paul Hardy, Mr. Engelbert Serpin, Mr. Jacques Paris, Mr. Jean Claude Clouet, Mr. Raymond Prod’homme, the French government and History Flight, Inc., for their partnerships in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,742 service members (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Curtis’ name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at the Brittany American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Montjoie Saint Martin, France, along with the others missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family contact information, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
Curtis will be buried June 25, 2019, in Windham Center, Maine.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
Pfc. James C. Williams
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Feb. 22, 2019
Soldier Accounted For From Korean War (Williams, J.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Pfc. James C. Williams, 19, of Alton, Illinois, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for on Dec. 20, 2018.
On July 20, 1950, Williams was a member of Medical Company, 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, when he was killed in action near Taejon, South Korea. Multiple eye witnesses stated that Williams was killed while trying to transport patients from the Taejon Air Strip. Fellow Soldiers returned Williams’ remains to the collection point, however the 34th Infantry Regiment’s Medical Company was ordered to withdraw, and during the hasty withdrawal, his remains and those of numerous service members were left behind. Despite multiple attempts to recover Williams’ remains, he was declared non-recoverable on Jan. 16, 1956.
A set of remains, designated Unknown X-218 Taejon, was recovered from the vicinity of Taejon, along with the remains of three other individuals who were later identified as members of either the 34th Infantry Regiment or 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. Unknown X-218 Taejon could not be identified and was interred at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu.
On March 12, 2018, Unknown X-218 Taejon was disinterred from the Punchbowl and sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.
To identify Williams’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis, dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
DPAA is grateful to Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.
Today, 7,666 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously returned by North Korean officials or recovered from North Korea by American recovery teams. Williams’ name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with the others who are missing from the Korean War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family contact information, contact the Army Service Casualty office at (800) 892-2490.
Williams will be buried July 19, 2019, in West Hopkinsville, Kentucky.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
Seaman 1st Class Kenneth H. Sampson
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Feb. 12, 2019
USS Oklahoma Sailor Accounted For From World War II (Sampson, K.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Navy Seaman 1st Class Kenneth H. Sampson, 20, of Kansas City, Missouri, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Oct. 16, 2018.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Sampson was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Sampson.
From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.
In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Sampson.
In April 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a policy memorandum directing the disinterment of unknowns associated with the USS Oklahoma. On June 15, 2015, DPAA personnel began exhuming the remains from the Punchbowl for analysis.
To identify Sampson’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA) and autosomal (auSTR) DNA analysis, dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this recovery.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,744 (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Sampson’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Navy Service Casualty office at (800) 443-9298.
Sampson will be buried June 18, 2019, in the Punchbowl.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
Seaman 1st Class John A. Karli
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Feb. 12, 2019
USS Oklahoma Sailor Accounted For From World War II (Karli, J.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Seaman 1st Class John A. Karli, 19, of San Marino, California, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Sept. 10, 2018.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Karli was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Karli.
From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.
In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Karli.
In April 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a policy memorandum directing the disinterment of unknowns associated with the USS Oklahoma. On June 15, 2015, DPAA personnel began exhuming the remains from the Punchbowl for analysis.
To identify Karli’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis, dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence.
DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,744 (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Karli’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Navy Service Casualty office at (800) 443-9298.
Karli will be buried May 1, 2019, in Altadena, California.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
Seaman 1st Class Kirby R. Stapleton
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Feb. 12, 2019
USS Oklahoma Sailor Accounted For From World War II (Stapleton, K.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Navy Seaman 1st Class Kirby R. Stapleton, 24, of Chillicothe, Missouri, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Aug. 27, 2018.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Stapleton was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Stapleton.
From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.
In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Stapleton.
In April 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a policy memorandum directing the disinterment of unknowns associated with the USS Oklahoma. On June 15, 2015, DPAA personnel began exhuming the remains from the Punchbowl for analysis.
To identify Stapleton’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA) DNA analysis, dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence.
DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,744 (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Stapleton’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Navy Service Casualty office at (800) 443-9298.
Stapleton will be buried Oct. 15, 2019, in Riverside, California.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
Fire Controlman 1st Class Edward J. Shelden
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Feb. 11, 2019
USS Oklahoma Sailor Accounted For From World War II (Shelden, E.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Navy Fire Controlman 1st Class Edward J. Shelden, 29, of Indianapolis, killed during World War II, was accounted for on July 26, 2018.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Shelden was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Shelden.
From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.
In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Shelden.
In April 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a policy memorandum directing the disinterment of unknowns associated with the USS Oklahoma. On June 15, 2015, DPAA personnel began exhuming the remains from the Punchbowl for analysis.
To identify Shelden’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis, dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence.
DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,744 (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Shelden’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Navy Service Casualty office at (800) 443-9298.
Shelden will be buried June 21, 2019, in Fort Snelling, Minnesota.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.