Funeral Announcement For Marine Killed During World War II (Charpilloz, L.)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, recently accounted-for from World War II, are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Marine Corps Pfc. Lyle E. Charpilloz, 17, of Silverton, Oregon, accounted for on Sept. 27, 2017, will be buried April 7, in Salem, Oregon. In November 1943, Charpilloz was assigned to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, which landed against stiff Japanese resistance on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll of the Gilbert Islands, in an attempt to secure the island. Over several days of intense fighting at Tarawa, approximately 1,000 Marines and Sailors were killed and more than 2,000 were wounded, but the Japanese were virtually annihilated. Charpilloz died on the first day of the battle, Nov. 20, 1943.
The battle of Tarawa was a huge victory for the U.S. military because the Gilbert Islands provided the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet a platform from which to launch assaults on the Marshall and Caroline Islands to advance their Central Pacific Campaign against Japan.
In the immediate aftermath of the fighting on Tarawa, U.S. service members who died in the battle were buried in a number of battlefield cemeteries on the island. In 1946 and 1947, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio Island, but Charpilloz’ remains were not recovered. On Feb. 10, 1949, a military review board declared Charpilloz’ remains non-recoverable.
In May 2014, through a partnership with History Flight, Inc., DPAA received remains from a site where Charpilloz was believed to have been buried. The recovered remains were sent to the laboratory for analysis.
On Oct. 17, 2016, DPAA disinterred Tarawa Unknown X-5 from the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu, and submitted the remains for analysis. Based on consistent recovery context and shared DNA, the remains were consolidated with those accessioned in 2014.
To identify Charpilloz’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA), which matched his family, dental and anthropological analysis, which matched his records, as well as circumstantial evidence.
DPAA is grateful to History Flight, Inc., and the Department of Veterans Affairs 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 72,948 service members (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Charpilloz’ name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at the NCMP, an American Battle Monuments Commission cemetery, along with the others killed or lost in WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
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.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-02 01:07:362025-04-02 01:07:37Pfc. Lyle E. Charpilloz
Funeral Announcement For Marine Killed During World War II (Tillman, J.)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, recently accounted-for from World War II, are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Marine Corps Pvt. John M. Tillman, 21, of Reno, Nevada, accounted for on Sept. 5, 2017, will be buried April 6, in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu. In November 1943, Tillman was assigned to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, which landed against stiff Japanese resistance on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll of the Gilbert Islands, in an attempt to secure the island. Over several days of intense fighting at Tarawa, approximately 1,000 Marines and Sailors were killed and more than 2,000 were wounded, but the Japanese were virtually annihilated. Tillman died on the first day of the battle, Nov. 20, 1943.
Despite the heavy casualties suffered by U.S. forces, military success in the battle of Tarawa was a huge victory for the U.S. military because the Gilbert Islands provided the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet a platform from which to launch assaults on the Marshall and Caroline Islands to advance their Central Pacific Campaign against Japan.
In the immediate aftermath of the fighting on Tarawa, U.S. service members who died in the battle were buried in a number of battlefield cemeteries on the island. The 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio between 1946 and 1947, but Tillman’s remains were not identified. All of the remains found on Tarawa were sent to the Schofield Barracks Central Identification Laboratory for identification in 1947. By 1949, the remains that had not been identified were interred in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP) in Honolulu.
On March 13, 2017, DPAA disinterred Tarawa Unknown X-35 from the NMCP and sent the remains to DPAA for analysis.
To identify Tillman’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental, anthropological and chest radiograph comparison analysis, which matched his records, as well as circumstantial evidence.
DPAA is appreciative 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 72,948 service members (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Tillman’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the NCMP, along with the others killed or lost in WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
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.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-02 01:06:152025-04-02 01:57:35Pvt. John M. Tillman
Funeral Announcement For Airman Killed During World War II (Harth, W.)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, recently accounted-for from World War II, are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. William H. Harth, Jr., 22, of Columbia, South Carolina, accounted for on Nov. 3, 2017, will be buried April 6 in his hometown. In the summer of 1943, Harth was a bombardier assigned to the 329th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy), which was known as “The Traveling Circus.” On Aug. 1, 1943, he served on a B-24D aircraft, nicknamed “Hell’s Angels,” when he was participating in a historic mission, code-named Operation TIDAL WAVE, which was the first large-scale, low-altitude attack by U.S. heavy bomber aircraft on Ploesti, Romania. As Harth’s aircraft approached Ploesti, it was hit by German anti-aircraft fire. He was declared missing in action when his aircraft failed to return following the mission.
In the days following the bombing raid, Romanian officials and civilians recovered and interred the remains of the deceased American Airmen in the Hero Section of the Bolovan Cemetery.
In 1946 and 1947, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC) teams disinterred the remains of Americans killed in the raid, and reinterred them in the American Military Cemetery at Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium (now known as Ardennes American Cemetery). The AGRC was able to identify 145 Airmen killed during Operation TIDAL WAVE, including three of Harth’s crewmates, however he was listed as non-recoverable. One set of unidentified remains was listed as Unknown X-5192 Neuville.
After a thorough historical and scientific analysis, it was determined that X-5192 could likely be identified. After receiving approval, on April 11, 2017, Unknown X-5192 was disinterred from Neuville and sent to DPAA for analysis.
To identify Harth’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA) and DNA analysis, which matched his family, as well as dental comparisons and anthropological analysis, which matched his records, and circumstantial evidence.
DPAA is appreciative to the American Battle Monuments Commission 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 72,948 service members (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Harth’s name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at the Florence American Cemetery in Italy, an American Battle Monuments Commission site, along with the others who are missing from the World War II. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
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.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-02 01:05:092025-04-02 01:05:112nd Lt. William H. Harth, Jr.
Funeral Announcement For Airman Killed During Vietnam War (Davis, E.)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, recently accounted for from the Vietnam War, are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Air Force Col. Edgar F. Davis, 32, of Goldsboro, North Carolina, accounted for on Dec. 19, 2017, will be buried April 6 in his hometown. On Sept. 17, 1968, Davis was a navigator aboard a RF-4C Phantom fighter-bomber aircraft, assigned to the 11th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. Davis and his pilot were on a night photo-reconnaissance mission over the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (L.P.D.R.) when they were shot down by anti-aircraft artillery fire. The pilot ejected out of the aircraft and was rescued, however no contact could be established with Davis. Because of this, he was declared missing in action. Search and rescue efforts were suspended after failing to locate Davis or the aircraft wreckage. Davis was later declared deceased.
Between August 2001 and February 2015, joint U.S./L.P.D.R. teams investigated a crash site six times that correlated with Davis’ loss. Excavations recovered personal effects, but analysis could not confirm whether Davis was in the aircraft at the time of the crash. A subsequent team excavated an ejection seat location associated with the crash.
In 2015, a Stony Beach debriefer in Bangkok, Thailand obtained information from a villager concerning the burial location of a U.S. service member in Boulapha District, Khammouan Province, L.P.D.R. The villager claimed that in 1968, his father came across the remains of a U.S. pilot and buried them near his house. The villager turned over bone fragments, which were sent to DPAA for analysis.
To identify Davis’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA) DNA and autosomal (auSTR) DNA analysis, which matched his family, as well as material and circumstantial evidence.
DPAA is grateful to Stony Beach and the government of Laos for their partnerships in this recovery.
Today there are 1,600 American servicemen and civilians still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War. Davis’ name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with others unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
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.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-02 01:03:592025-04-02 01:57:48Col. Edgar F. Davis
Funeral Announcement For Soldier Killed During The Korean War (Hopper, R.)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, recently-accounted for from the Korean War, are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. Roy J. Hopper, 21, of Miami, accounted for on June 23, 2017, will be buried April 6 in Dayton, Ohio. In July 1950, Hopper was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion 19th Infantry Regiment. He was reportedly killed in action on July 31, 1950, when his battalion, along with another battalion, was engaged in a fighting withdrawal against North Korean forces in Chinju, South Korea. The enemy had control of the area following the battle, preventing a search for his remains. After the battle Hopper’s remains were not identified.
In early 1951, the graves at Masan cemetery were exhumed and the unknowns were transferred to the U.S. Army’s Central Identification unit in Kokura, Japan. Remains that could not be identified were transferred to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, including “Unknown X-119.”
After thorough historical and scientific analysis, it was determined that X-119 could likely be identified. After receiving approval, X-119 was disinterred on Jan. 9, 2017 and sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.
To identify Hopper’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA) DNA analysis, which matched his brother and sister, as well as dental and anthropological analysis, which matched his records, and circumstantial evidence.
DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.
Today, 7,709 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. Hopper’s 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 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.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-02 01:02:462025-04-02 01:02:47Cpl. Roy J. Hopper
Funeral Announcement For Soldier Missing From The Korean War (McDowell, W.)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, recently accounted for from the Korean War, are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. William C. McDowell, 20, of Stuttgart, Arkansas, accounted for on January 10, will be buried April 4 in Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington, D.C. In late November, 1950, McDowell was a member of Company D, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Approximately 2,500 U.S. and 700 South Korean soldiers assembled into the 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT), which was deployed east of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, when it was attacked by overwhelming numbers of Chinese forces. As the Chinese attacks continued, American forces withdrew south. By December 6, the U.S. Army evacuated approximately 1,500 service members; the remaining soldiers had been either captured, killed or missing in enemy territory. Because McDowell could not be accounted for by his unit at the end of the battle, he was reported missing in action as of Dec. 2, 1950.
McDowell’s name did not appear on any prisoner of war lists and no returning Americans reported McDowell as a prisoner of war. Due to the prolonged lack of evidence, the U.S. Army declared him deceased as of March 15, 1954.
On Dec. 1, 1994, North Korea unilaterally turned over 33 boxes of remains, which were purportedly recovered from Hwangcho-ri, Changjin County, South Hamgyong Province, North Korea. The remains were accessioned to the Central Identification Laboratory, a predecessor to DPAA, in Hawaii.
To identify McDowell’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA) DNA and autosomal (auSTR) DNA analysis, which matched his family, anthropological analysis, which matched his records, and material evidence.
Today, 7,709 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. McDowell’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing 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 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.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-02 00:58:482025-04-02 00:58:50Cpl. William C. McDowell
Funeral Announcement For USS Oklahoma Sailor Killed During World War II (Rich, P.)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, recently accounted-for from World War II, are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Navy Water Tender 2nd Class Porter L. Rich, 27, of Lake Preston, South Dakota, accounted for on Aug. 28, 2017, will be buried March 31 in his hometown. On Dec. 7, 1941, Rich 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 Rich.
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 Rich.
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 NMCP for analysis.
To identify Rich’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA) analysis, which matched his family, as well as circumstantial evidence and laboratory analysis, to include dental comparisons and anthropological analysis, which matched his records.
DPAA is appreciative to the Department of Veteran’s 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 72,948 service members (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Rich’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the NMCP, along with the other MIAs from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
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.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-02 00:58:112025-04-02 00:58:13Water Tender 2nd Class Porter L. Rich
Funeral Announcement For Soldier Killed During The Korean War (Simon, P.)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, recently accounted-for from the Korean War, are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Pete W. Simon, 34, of Grindstone, Pennsylvania, accounted for on Jan. 11, 2018, will be buried March 31 in Northfield, Ohio. In September 1950, Simon was a member of Company G, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, participating in a defense of the Pusan Perimeter, a large defensive line west and north of Pusan, South Korea. Simon was reported to have been killed in action Sept. 5, 1950, but his remains were not located following the battle.
In May 1951, American Graves Registration Service personnel recovered three sets of remains after a villager notified them of remains near his village on Hill 762. The remains were sent to the Tanggok United Nations Military Cemetery. One set of remains, identified as Unknown X-1085 Tanggok, were later transferred to the Central Identification Unit-Kokura for possible identification. However, an identification could not be established and the remains were declared unidentifiable and interred at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu.
In October 2017, based on research and analysis, DPAA disinterred Unknown X-1085 from the Punchbowl and accessioned the remains to the laboratory for identification.
To identify Simon’s remains, scientists from DPAA used laboratory analysis, including anthropological and chest radiograph comparison analysis, which matched his records, and material evidence.
DPAA is grateful to the South Korean government and the Department of Veterans Affairs for their assistance in this recovery.
Today, 7,709 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Simon’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Courts of the Missing at the NMCP, 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 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.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-02 00:57:492025-04-02 01:01:16Sgt. 1st Class Pete W. Simon
Funeral Announcement For Soldier Captured During The Korean War (Mullins, T.)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, recently accounted-for from the Korean War, are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. Thomas H. Mullins, 18, of Harriman, Tennessee, accounted for on June 8, 2017, will be buried March 29 in St. Petersburg, Florida. On Nov. 2, 1950, Mullins was a member of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. He was reported missing in action on Nov. 2, 1950, following combat between the Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces (CPVF) and his regiment, in the vicinity of Unsan, North Korea. Approximately 600 men were killed, captured or missing from his battalion. Mullins was subsequently declared missing in action.
At the end of the war, during “Operation Big Switch,” where all remaining prisoners of war were returned, former prisoners were interviewed. One reported that Mullins died while being held in POW Camp 5, Pyokdong, North Korea.
On Dec. 14, 1993, North Korea unilaterally turned over 33 boxes containing remains believed to be unaccounted for Americans from the Korean War. The remains were reportedly recovered from Tongju-ri, Pyokdong County, North Pyongan Province, North Korea, which was the known location of POW Camp 5.
To identify Mullins’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA) and Y-chromosome (Y-STR) DNA analysis, which matched two cousins, as well as anthropological analysis, which matched his records, and circumstantial evidence.
Today, 7,709 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. Mullins’ name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, 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 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.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-02 00:57:252025-04-02 00:57:27Cpl. Thomas H. Mullins
Funeral Announcement For Airman Killed During World War II (Fazekas, F.)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, recently accounted-for from World War II, are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Frank A. Fazekas, 22, of Trenton, New Jersey, accounted for on Aug. 7, 2017, will be buried March 28 in Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington, D.C. On May 27, 1944, Fazekas was a member of the 22nd Fighter Squadron, 36th Fighter Group, when he was returning from a mission over northern France and his P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft came under enemy fire. His aircraft crashed in a field north of the French village of Buysscheure. His remains were not recovered and the U.S. Army reported him deceased on May 27, 1944.
In July 1946, a British recovery team investigated a crash site associated with Fazekas’ loss. The team recovered aircraft parts and personal effects, but his remains were not recovered. Based on this information, a Board of Officers of the American Graves Registration Command declared his remains unrecoverable.
On July 16, 2012, a team of historians and an anthropologist from the Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office and Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (both predecessors to DPAA) visited the crash site. The team received assistance from local residents and officials, as well as research from Mr. Joss Leclercq, a French historian. In August 2016, a team from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, augmented by DPAA, excavated the crash site, recovering possible remains. The remains were sent to DPAA on August 31, 2016.
To identify Fazekas’ remains, DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA), which matched his family, as well as anthropological analysis, which matched his records, and circumstantial evidence.
DPAA is grateful to Mr. Leclercq, the French government and the University of Wisconsin-Madison for their assistance 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 72,048 service members (approximately 26,000 assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Fazekas’ name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at Ardennes American cemetery in Neupré, Belgium, an American Battle Monuments Commission site, along with the other MIAs from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
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.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-02 00:56:562025-04-02 00:56:571st Lt. Frank A. Fazekas
Pfc. Lyle E. Charpilloz
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | March 27, 2018
Funeral Announcement For Marine Killed During World War II (Charpilloz, L.)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, recently accounted-for from World War II, are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Marine Corps Pfc. Lyle E. Charpilloz, 17, of Silverton, Oregon, accounted for on Sept. 27, 2017, will be buried April 7, in Salem, Oregon. In November 1943, Charpilloz was assigned to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, which landed against stiff Japanese resistance on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll of the Gilbert Islands, in an attempt to secure the island. Over several days of intense fighting at Tarawa, approximately 1,000 Marines and Sailors were killed and more than 2,000 were wounded, but the Japanese were virtually annihilated. Charpilloz died on the first day of the battle, Nov. 20, 1943.
The battle of Tarawa was a huge victory for the U.S. military because the Gilbert Islands provided the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet a platform from which to launch assaults on the Marshall and Caroline Islands to advance their Central Pacific Campaign against Japan.
In the immediate aftermath of the fighting on Tarawa, U.S. service members who died in the battle were buried in a number of battlefield cemeteries on the island. In 1946 and 1947, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio Island, but Charpilloz’ remains were not recovered. On Feb. 10, 1949, a military review board declared Charpilloz’ remains non-recoverable.
In May 2014, through a partnership with History Flight, Inc., DPAA received remains from a site where Charpilloz was believed to have been buried. The recovered remains were sent to the laboratory for analysis.
On Oct. 17, 2016, DPAA disinterred Tarawa Unknown X-5 from the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu, and submitted the remains for analysis. Based on consistent recovery context and shared DNA, the remains were consolidated with those accessioned in 2014.
To identify Charpilloz’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA), which matched his family, dental and anthropological analysis, which matched his records, as well as circumstantial evidence.
DPAA is grateful to History Flight, Inc., and the Department of Veterans Affairs 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 72,948 service members (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Charpilloz’ name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at the NCMP, an American Battle Monuments Commission cemetery, along with the others killed or lost in WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
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.
Pvt. John M. Tillman
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | March 27, 2018
Funeral Announcement For Marine Killed During World War II (Tillman, J.)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, recently accounted-for from World War II, are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Marine Corps Pvt. John M. Tillman, 21, of Reno, Nevada, accounted for on Sept. 5, 2017, will be buried April 6, in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu. In November 1943, Tillman was assigned to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, which landed against stiff Japanese resistance on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll of the Gilbert Islands, in an attempt to secure the island. Over several days of intense fighting at Tarawa, approximately 1,000 Marines and Sailors were killed and more than 2,000 were wounded, but the Japanese were virtually annihilated. Tillman died on the first day of the battle, Nov. 20, 1943.
Despite the heavy casualties suffered by U.S. forces, military success in the battle of Tarawa was a huge victory for the U.S. military because the Gilbert Islands provided the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet a platform from which to launch assaults on the Marshall and Caroline Islands to advance their Central Pacific Campaign against Japan.
In the immediate aftermath of the fighting on Tarawa, U.S. service members who died in the battle were buried in a number of battlefield cemeteries on the island. The 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio between 1946 and 1947, but Tillman’s remains were not identified. All of the remains found on Tarawa were sent to the Schofield Barracks Central Identification Laboratory for identification in 1947. By 1949, the remains that had not been identified were interred in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP) in Honolulu.
On March 13, 2017, DPAA disinterred Tarawa Unknown X-35 from the NMCP and sent the remains to DPAA for analysis.
To identify Tillman’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental, anthropological and chest radiograph comparison analysis, which matched his records, as well as circumstantial evidence.
DPAA is appreciative 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 72,948 service members (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Tillman’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the NCMP, along with the others killed or lost in WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
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.
2nd Lt. William H. Harth, Jr.
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | March 27, 2018
Funeral Announcement For Airman Killed During World War II (Harth, W.)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, recently accounted-for from World War II, are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. William H. Harth, Jr., 22, of Columbia, South Carolina, accounted for on Nov. 3, 2017, will be buried April 6 in his hometown. In the summer of 1943, Harth was a bombardier assigned to the 329th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy), which was known as “The Traveling Circus.” On Aug. 1, 1943, he served on a B-24D aircraft, nicknamed “Hell’s Angels,” when he was participating in a historic mission, code-named Operation TIDAL WAVE, which was the first large-scale, low-altitude attack by U.S. heavy bomber aircraft on Ploesti, Romania. As Harth’s aircraft approached Ploesti, it was hit by German anti-aircraft fire. He was declared missing in action when his aircraft failed to return following the mission.
In the days following the bombing raid, Romanian officials and civilians recovered and interred the remains of the deceased American Airmen in the Hero Section of the Bolovan Cemetery.
In 1946 and 1947, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC) teams disinterred the remains of Americans killed in the raid, and reinterred them in the American Military Cemetery at Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium (now known as Ardennes American Cemetery). The AGRC was able to identify 145 Airmen killed during Operation TIDAL WAVE, including three of Harth’s crewmates, however he was listed as non-recoverable. One set of unidentified remains was listed as Unknown X-5192 Neuville.
After a thorough historical and scientific analysis, it was determined that X-5192 could likely be identified. After receiving approval, on April 11, 2017, Unknown X-5192 was disinterred from Neuville and sent to DPAA for analysis.
To identify Harth’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA) and DNA analysis, which matched his family, as well as dental comparisons and anthropological analysis, which matched his records, and circumstantial evidence.
DPAA is appreciative to the American Battle Monuments Commission 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 72,948 service members (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Harth’s name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at the Florence American Cemetery in Italy, an American Battle Monuments Commission site, along with the others who are missing from the World War II. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
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.
Col. Edgar F. Davis
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | March 27, 2018
Funeral Announcement For Airman Killed During Vietnam War (Davis, E.)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, recently accounted for from the Vietnam War, are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Air Force Col. Edgar F. Davis, 32, of Goldsboro, North Carolina, accounted for on Dec. 19, 2017, will be buried April 6 in his hometown. On Sept. 17, 1968, Davis was a navigator aboard a RF-4C Phantom fighter-bomber aircraft, assigned to the 11th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. Davis and his pilot were on a night photo-reconnaissance mission over the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (L.P.D.R.) when they were shot down by anti-aircraft artillery fire. The pilot ejected out of the aircraft and was rescued, however no contact could be established with Davis. Because of this, he was declared missing in action. Search and rescue efforts were suspended after failing to locate Davis or the aircraft wreckage. Davis was later declared deceased.
Between August 2001 and February 2015, joint U.S./L.P.D.R. teams investigated a crash site six times that correlated with Davis’ loss. Excavations recovered personal effects, but analysis could not confirm whether Davis was in the aircraft at the time of the crash. A subsequent team excavated an ejection seat location associated with the crash.
In 2015, a Stony Beach debriefer in Bangkok, Thailand obtained information from a villager concerning the burial location of a U.S. service member in Boulapha District, Khammouan Province, L.P.D.R. The villager claimed that in 1968, his father came across the remains of a U.S. pilot and buried them near his house. The villager turned over bone fragments, which were sent to DPAA for analysis.
To identify Davis’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA) DNA and autosomal (auSTR) DNA analysis, which matched his family, as well as material and circumstantial evidence.
DPAA is grateful to Stony Beach and the government of Laos for their partnerships in this recovery.
Today there are 1,600 American servicemen and civilians still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War. Davis’ name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with others unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
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.
Cpl. Roy J. Hopper
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | March 27, 2018
Funeral Announcement For Soldier Killed During The Korean War (Hopper, R.)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, recently-accounted for from the Korean War, are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. Roy J. Hopper, 21, of Miami, accounted for on June 23, 2017, will be buried April 6 in Dayton, Ohio. In July 1950, Hopper was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion 19th Infantry Regiment. He was reportedly killed in action on July 31, 1950, when his battalion, along with another battalion, was engaged in a fighting withdrawal against North Korean forces in Chinju, South Korea. The enemy had control of the area following the battle, preventing a search for his remains. After the battle Hopper’s remains were not identified.
In early 1951, the graves at Masan cemetery were exhumed and the unknowns were transferred to the U.S. Army’s Central Identification unit in Kokura, Japan. Remains that could not be identified were transferred to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, including “Unknown X-119.”
After thorough historical and scientific analysis, it was determined that X-119 could likely be identified. After receiving approval, X-119 was disinterred on Jan. 9, 2017 and sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.
To identify Hopper’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA) DNA analysis, which matched his brother and sister, as well as dental and anthropological analysis, which matched his records, and circumstantial evidence.
DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.
Today, 7,709 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. Hopper’s 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 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.
Cpl. William C. McDowell
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | March 26, 2018
Funeral Announcement For Soldier Missing From The Korean War (McDowell, W.)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, recently accounted for from the Korean War, are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. William C. McDowell, 20, of Stuttgart, Arkansas, accounted for on January 10, will be buried April 4 in Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington, D.C. In late November, 1950, McDowell was a member of Company D, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Approximately 2,500 U.S. and 700 South Korean soldiers assembled into the 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT), which was deployed east of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, when it was attacked by overwhelming numbers of Chinese forces. As the Chinese attacks continued, American forces withdrew south. By December 6, the U.S. Army evacuated approximately 1,500 service members; the remaining soldiers had been either captured, killed or missing in enemy territory. Because McDowell could not be accounted for by his unit at the end of the battle, he was reported missing in action as of Dec. 2, 1950.
McDowell’s name did not appear on any prisoner of war lists and no returning Americans reported McDowell as a prisoner of war. Due to the prolonged lack of evidence, the U.S. Army declared him deceased as of March 15, 1954.
On Dec. 1, 1994, North Korea unilaterally turned over 33 boxes of remains, which were purportedly recovered from Hwangcho-ri, Changjin County, South Hamgyong Province, North Korea. The remains were accessioned to the Central Identification Laboratory, a predecessor to DPAA, in Hawaii.
To identify McDowell’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA) DNA and autosomal (auSTR) DNA analysis, which matched his family, anthropological analysis, which matched his records, and material evidence.
Today, 7,709 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. McDowell’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing 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 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.
Water Tender 2nd Class Porter L. Rich
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | March 23, 2018
Funeral Announcement For USS Oklahoma Sailor Killed During World War II (Rich, P.)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, recently accounted-for from World War II, are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Navy Water Tender 2nd Class Porter L. Rich, 27, of Lake Preston, South Dakota, accounted for on Aug. 28, 2017, will be buried March 31 in his hometown. On Dec. 7, 1941, Rich 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 Rich.
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 Rich.
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 NMCP for analysis.
To identify Rich’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA) analysis, which matched his family, as well as circumstantial evidence and laboratory analysis, to include dental comparisons and anthropological analysis, which matched his records.
DPAA is appreciative to the Department of Veteran’s 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 72,948 service members (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Rich’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the NMCP, along with the other MIAs from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
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.
Sgt. 1st Class Pete W. Simon
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | March 23, 2018
Funeral Announcement For Soldier Killed During The Korean War (Simon, P.)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, recently accounted-for from the Korean War, are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Pete W. Simon, 34, of Grindstone, Pennsylvania, accounted for on Jan. 11, 2018, will be buried March 31 in Northfield, Ohio. In September 1950, Simon was a member of Company G, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, participating in a defense of the Pusan Perimeter, a large defensive line west and north of Pusan, South Korea. Simon was reported to have been killed in action Sept. 5, 1950, but his remains were not located following the battle.
In May 1951, American Graves Registration Service personnel recovered three sets of remains after a villager notified them of remains near his village on Hill 762. The remains were sent to the Tanggok United Nations Military Cemetery. One set of remains, identified as Unknown X-1085 Tanggok, were later transferred to the Central Identification Unit-Kokura for possible identification. However, an identification could not be established and the remains were declared unidentifiable and interred at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu.
In October 2017, based on research and analysis, DPAA disinterred Unknown X-1085 from the Punchbowl and accessioned the remains to the laboratory for identification.
To identify Simon’s remains, scientists from DPAA used laboratory analysis, including anthropological and chest radiograph comparison analysis, which matched his records, and material evidence.
DPAA is grateful to the South Korean government and the Department of Veterans Affairs for their assistance in this recovery.
Today, 7,709 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Simon’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Courts of the Missing at the NMCP, 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 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.
Cpl. Thomas H. Mullins
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | March 22, 2018
Funeral Announcement For Soldier Captured During The Korean War (Mullins, T.)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, recently accounted-for from the Korean War, are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. Thomas H. Mullins, 18, of Harriman, Tennessee, accounted for on June 8, 2017, will be buried March 29 in St. Petersburg, Florida. On Nov. 2, 1950, Mullins was a member of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. He was reported missing in action on Nov. 2, 1950, following combat between the Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces (CPVF) and his regiment, in the vicinity of Unsan, North Korea. Approximately 600 men were killed, captured or missing from his battalion. Mullins was subsequently declared missing in action.
At the end of the war, during “Operation Big Switch,” where all remaining prisoners of war were returned, former prisoners were interviewed. One reported that Mullins died while being held in POW Camp 5, Pyokdong, North Korea.
On Dec. 14, 1993, North Korea unilaterally turned over 33 boxes containing remains believed to be unaccounted for Americans from the Korean War. The remains were reportedly recovered from Tongju-ri, Pyokdong County, North Pyongan Province, North Korea, which was the known location of POW Camp 5.
To identify Mullins’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA) and Y-chromosome (Y-STR) DNA analysis, which matched two cousins, as well as anthropological analysis, which matched his records, and circumstantial evidence.
Today, 7,709 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. Mullins’ name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, 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 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.
1st Lt. Frank A. Fazekas
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | March 22, 2018
Funeral Announcement For Airman Killed During World War II (Fazekas, F.)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, recently accounted-for from World War II, are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Frank A. Fazekas, 22, of Trenton, New Jersey, accounted for on Aug. 7, 2017, will be buried March 28 in Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington, D.C. On May 27, 1944, Fazekas was a member of the 22nd Fighter Squadron, 36th Fighter Group, when he was returning from a mission over northern France and his P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft came under enemy fire. His aircraft crashed in a field north of the French village of Buysscheure. His remains were not recovered and the U.S. Army reported him deceased on May 27, 1944.
In July 1946, a British recovery team investigated a crash site associated with Fazekas’ loss. The team recovered aircraft parts and personal effects, but his remains were not recovered. Based on this information, a Board of Officers of the American Graves Registration Command declared his remains unrecoverable.
On July 16, 2012, a team of historians and an anthropologist from the Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office and Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (both predecessors to DPAA) visited the crash site. The team received assistance from local residents and officials, as well as research from Mr. Joss Leclercq, a French historian. In August 2016, a team from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, augmented by DPAA, excavated the crash site, recovering possible remains. The remains were sent to DPAA on August 31, 2016.
To identify Fazekas’ remains, DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA), which matched his family, as well as anthropological analysis, which matched his records, and circumstantial evidence.
DPAA is grateful to Mr. Leclercq, the French government and the University of Wisconsin-Madison for their assistance 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 72,048 service members (approximately 26,000 assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Fazekas’ name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at Ardennes American cemetery in Neupré, Belgium, an American Battle Monuments Commission site, along with the other MIAs from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
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.