Soldier Killed In Korean War Accounted For (Giovanniello)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, killed during the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Pfc. William V. Giovanniello, 22, of Brooklyn, New York, will be buried Nov. 10 in Port Jervis, New York. On April 25, 1951, Giovanniello was a member of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, when his unit was situated along a defensive line west of Chorw’on, South Korea, and was attacked by the Chinese People’s Volunteer Force (CPVF) and Korea People’s Army (KPA). The unit was forced to move south of the Yongpyong River and assemble near the town of Changgo-ri. Giovanniello’s battalion established a roadblock to cover the movement and it was during this time it was found that Giovanniello was not with his unit and was reported missing in action.
Giovanniello’s name did not appear on any prisoner of war lists provided by the CPVF or KPA, and no repatriated American prisoners of war had information regarding Giovanniello as a prisoner of war.
Although the U.S. Army Graves Registration Service hoped to recover American remains that remained north of the Korean Demilitarized Zone after the war, administrative details between the United Nations Command and North Korea complicated recovery efforts. An agreement was made and in September and October 1954, in what was known as Operation Glory, remains were returned. However, Giovanniello’s remains were not included and he was declared non-recoverable.
In June 1951, an unidentified set of remains, previously recovered from Yang Mun-Ni, were buried in the Tanggok United Nations Military Cemetery and labeled “Unknown X-1219.”
In Dec. 2014, the Department of Defense approved the disinterment of “Unknown X-1219.” The remains were disinterred May 16, 2016 and were sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.
To identify Giovanniello’s remains, scientists from DPAA used circumstantial and anthropological evidence, as well as dental and chest radiograph comparison analysis, which matched his records.
Today, 7,784 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using advances in technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously turned over by North Korean officials or recovered by American teams.
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.jpgadmin2025-04-01 18:04:172025-04-01 18:04:19Pfc. William V. Giovanniello
Marine Missing From World War II Accounted For (Cancilla)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, unaccounted for since World War II, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Marine Pfc. Nicholas J. Cancilla, 18, of Altoona, Pennsylvania, will be buried Nov. 7, in his hometown. In November 1943, Cancilla was assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines, 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. Cancilla died sometime during 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. In 1946 and 1947, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio, but Cancilla’s remains were not recovered.
In June 2011, a nongovernmental organization, History Flight, Inc., notified DPAA that they discovered a burial site on Betio Island. In 2012, a Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (now DPAA) team excavated the site and recovered three individual sets of remains.
To identify Cancilla’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched a brother, as well as circumstantial evidence and laboratory analysis, to include dental comparisons and anthropological analysis, which matched Cancilla’s records.
DPAA is appreciative to History Flight, Inc. and their partnership for this recovery mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war.
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.jpgadmin2025-04-01 18:02:522025-04-01 18:02:54Pfc. Nicholas J. Cancilla
The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, killed during the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. Roy C. Fink, 20, of Buffalo, New York, will be buried Nov. 4 in his hometown. In late November, 1950, Fink was a member of Company B, 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 engaged by overwhelming numbers of Chinese forces. By early December, the U.S. Army evacuated approximately 1,500 wounded service members; the remaining soldiers had been either captured or killed in enemy territory. Because Fink 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.
Fink’s name did not appear on any prisoner of war lists and no repatriated Americans were able to provide any information concerning Fink as a prisoner of war. Due to the prolonged lack of evidence, the U.S. Army declared him deceased as of Dec. 31, 1953.
Although the U.S. Army Graves Registration Service hoped to recover American remains that remained north of the Korean Demilitarized Zone after the war, administrative details between the United Nations Command and North Korea complicated recovery efforts. An agreement was made and in September and October 1954, in what was known as Operation Glory, remains were returned. However, Fink’s remains were not included and he was declared non-recoverable.
During the 25th Joint Recovery Operation in 2001, recovery teams conducted operations on the eastern bank of the Chosin Reservoir, Changjin County, North Korea, based on information provided by two Korean witnesses. The site was approximately one kilometer from the 31st RCT’s defensive perimeter. During the excavation, the recovery team recovered possible human remains of at least seven individuals.
To identify Fink’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial and anthropological evidence, as well as DNA analysis, including mitochondrial DNA, which matched a nephew.
Today, 7,884 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using advances in technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously turned over by North Korean officials or recovered by American teams.
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.jpgadmin2025-04-01 18:01:242025-04-01 18:01:26Cpl. Roy C. Fink
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Trepasso)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. Joseph Trepasso, 20, of Fulton, New York, will be buried Nov. 5 in his hometown. In late November 1950, Trepasso was a member of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division on the east side of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, when Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces (CPVF) attacked the regiment and forced the unit to withdraw south to the Pungnyuri Inlet. Many soldiers became surrounded and attempted to escape and evade the enemy, but were captured and marched to POW camps. Trepasso was subsequently declared missing in action as a result of the battle that occurred Dec. 12, 1950.
Trepasso’s name did not appear on any POW list provided by the CPVF or the Korean People’s Army. In 1951, the Army received information that Trepasso was killed in action Dec. 1, 1950. Based on this information, a military review board amended his status to deceased Dec. 1, 1950.
In September 2001, a U.S. and Korean People’s Army recovery team conducted a Joint Recovery Operation in the vicinity of the Chosin Reservoir, Changjin County, Changjin District, South Hamgyong Province, North Korea, based on information provided by two Korean witnesses. During the excavation, the team recovered material evidence and possible human remains for at least seven individuals.
To identify Trepasso’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched a brother and nephew, as well as anthropological analysis and circumstantial evidence.
Today, 7,786 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.
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.jpgadmin2025-04-01 18:00:572025-04-01 18:00:58Cpl. Joseph Trepasso
USS Oklahoma Sailor From World War II Accounted For (Welch)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman from World War II have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Navy Seaman 1st Class William E. Welch, 18, of Springfield, Ohio, will be buried Oct. 29 in his hometown. On Dec. 7, 1941, Welch was assigned to the 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 Welch. No single vessel at Pearl Harbor, with the exception of the USS Arizona, suffered as many fatalities.
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 Welch.
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 Welch’s remains, scientists from DPAA used circumstantial evidence and laboratory analysis, to include dental comparisons, which matched Welch’s records.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently, there are 73,118 service members still unaccounted for from World War II.
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.jpgadmin2025-04-01 17:59:302025-04-01 17:59:31Seaman 1st Class William E. Welch
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Smith, Lawrence)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Lawrence J. Smith, 25, of Crowley, Louisiana, will be buried Oct. 28 in his hometown. On February 11, 1951, Smith was a member of Company A, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, supporting South Korea’s Army attacks against the Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces (CPVF) in an area known as the central corridor. The CPVF launched a massive counterattack, forcing the Americans to fight at Changbong-ni. Smith was reported missing near the village of Saemal, South Korea, on Feb. 12, 1951.
In August 1953, a repatriated American soldier stated that Smith had been captured. Smith was likely taken to the Suan Prisoner of War camp complex near the village of Namjong-gu in the North Hwanghae Province, North Korea, where he was reported to have died.
Although the American Graves Registration Service hoped to recover the remains of United Nations Command (UNC) and American soldiers who remained north of the DMZ after the war, conflict between the UNC and North Korea complicated efforts.
Between 1990 and 1994, North Korea returned to the United States 208 boxes of commingled human remains, which when combined with remains recovered during joint recovery operations in North Korea between 1996 and 2005, included the remains of at least 600 U.S. servicemen who fought during the war. North Korean documents included in the repatriation indicated that some of the remains were recovered from the vicinity where Smith was believed to have died.
To identify Smith’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial and autosomal DNA analysis, which matched a niece and daughter, as well as dental, chest radiograph comparison and anthropological analyses, and circumstantial evidence.
Today, 7,788 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.
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.jpgadmin2025-04-01 17:59:002025-04-01 17:59:01Sgt. 1st Class Lawrence J. Smith
USS Oklahoma Sailor From World War II Accounted For (Lindsley)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman from World War II have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Navy Fireman 3rd Class John H. Lindsley, 22, born in the Philippines and raised in Waukegan, Illinois, will be buried Oct. 25, in Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington, D.C. On Dec. 7, 1941, Lindsley was assigned to the 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 429 casualties, including Lindsley.
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 Lindsley.
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 Lindsley’s remains, scientists from DPAA used circumstantial evidence and laboratory analysis, to include dental comparisons, which matched Lindsley’s records.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently, there are 73,119 service members still unaccounted for from World War II.
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.jpgadmin2025-04-01 17:57:412025-04-01 17:57:42Fireman 3rd Class John H. Lindsley
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Bullis)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. Milton T. Bullis, 19, of Detroit, will be buried October 21 in Holly, Michigan. In late November 1950, Bullis was a member of Medical Company, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, fighting units of the Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces (CPVF) in North Korea, in a delaying action south from the Ch’ongch’on River to Kunu-ri. Within days, more than half of the regiment was lost due to attacks from the CPVF. The unit was ordered to withdraw, and when Bullis could not be accounted for, he was declared missing in action on Dec. 1, 1950.
Bullis’ name did not appear on any POW list provided by the CPVF or the North Korean People’s Army, however four repatriated American prisoners of war reported that Bullis died at Pukchin-Tarigol Camp Cluster in early 1951. Based on this information, a military review board amended Bullis’ status to deceased in 1951.
In April and May of 2005, a Joint Recovery Team conducted the 37th Joint Field Activity in Unsan County, South Pyongan Province, North Korea. On April 19, the team visited a site reported by a local witness to contain American remains.
To identify Bullis’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched a brother and nephew, as well as anthropological analysis, which matched his records and circumstantial evidence.
Today, 7,789 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.
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.jpgadmin2025-04-01 17:56:582025-04-01 17:57:00Cpl. Milton T. Bullis
Marine Missing From World War II Accounted For (Smith, James)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, unaccounted for since World War II, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Marine Pfc. James S. Smith, 19, of Liberty, Mississippi, will be buried Oct. 17 in Liberty, Mississippi. In November 1943, Smith was assigned to Company C, 2nd Amphibious Tractor Battalion, 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. Smith died sometime during 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.
Smith’s company incurred 20 casualties over the course of the battle with 18 of them occurring on the first day. His casualty card initially listed him as missing in action and did not list burial information. Based on the prolonged lack of information regarding his whereabouts, the Navy made a presumptive finding of death as of Nov. 21, 1944.
In June 2011, a nongovernmental organization, History Flight, Inc., notified DPAA that they discovered a burial site on Betio Island. In 2012, a Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (now DPAA) team excavated the site and recovered three individual sets of remains.
To identify Smith’s remains, scientists from DPAA used circumstantial evidence and laboratory analysis, to include dental comparisons, and anthropological and chest radiograph comparison analysis, which matched Smith’s records.
DPAA is appreciative to History Flight, Inc. and their partnership for this recovery mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war.
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.jpgadmin2025-04-01 17:55:392025-04-01 17:55:40Pfc. James S. Smith
USS Oklahoma Sailor From World War II Accounted For (Phipps)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman from World War II have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Navy Seaman 2nd Class James N. Phipps, 24, of Rainier, Oregon, will be buried Oct. 17 in Portland, Oregon. On Dec. 7, 1941, Phipps was assigned to the 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 Phipps. No single vessel at Pearl Harbor, with the exception of the USS Arizona, suffered as many fatalities.
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 Phipps.
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 Phipps’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched a nephew, a niece and a grand-nephew; as well as circumstantial evidence and laboratory analysis, to include dental comparisons, which matched Phipps’ records.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war.
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.jpgadmin2025-04-01 17:54:582025-04-01 17:54:59Seaman 2nd Class James N. Phipps
Pfc. William V. Giovanniello
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Nov. 3, 2016
Soldier Killed In Korean War Accounted For (Giovanniello)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, killed during the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Pfc. William V. Giovanniello, 22, of Brooklyn, New York, will be buried Nov. 10 in Port Jervis, New York. On April 25, 1951, Giovanniello was a member of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, when his unit was situated along a defensive line west of Chorw’on, South Korea, and was attacked by the Chinese People’s Volunteer Force (CPVF) and Korea People’s Army (KPA). The unit was forced to move south of the Yongpyong River and assemble near the town of Changgo-ri. Giovanniello’s battalion established a roadblock to cover the movement and it was during this time it was found that Giovanniello was not with his unit and was reported missing in action.
Giovanniello’s name did not appear on any prisoner of war lists provided by the CPVF or KPA, and no repatriated American prisoners of war had information regarding Giovanniello as a prisoner of war.
Although the U.S. Army Graves Registration Service hoped to recover American remains that remained north of the Korean Demilitarized Zone after the war, administrative details between the United Nations Command and North Korea complicated recovery efforts. An agreement was made and in September and October 1954, in what was known as Operation Glory, remains were returned. However, Giovanniello’s remains were not included and he was declared non-recoverable.
In June 1951, an unidentified set of remains, previously recovered from Yang Mun-Ni, were buried in the Tanggok United Nations Military Cemetery and labeled “Unknown X-1219.”
In Dec. 2014, the Department of Defense approved the disinterment of “Unknown X-1219.” The remains were disinterred May 16, 2016 and were sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.
To identify Giovanniello’s remains, scientists from DPAA used circumstantial and anthropological evidence, as well as dental and chest radiograph comparison analysis, which matched his records.
Today, 7,784 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using advances in technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously turned over by North Korean officials or recovered by American teams.
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.
Pfc. Nicholas J. Cancilla
Recently Identifiedress Release | Oct. 31, 2016
Marine Missing From World War II Accounted For (Cancilla)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, unaccounted for since World War II, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Marine Pfc. Nicholas J. Cancilla, 18, of Altoona, Pennsylvania, will be buried Nov. 7, in his hometown. In November 1943, Cancilla was assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines, 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. Cancilla died sometime during 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. In 1946 and 1947, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio, but Cancilla’s remains were not recovered.
In June 2011, a nongovernmental organization, History Flight, Inc., notified DPAA that they discovered a burial site on Betio Island. In 2012, a Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (now DPAA) team excavated the site and recovered three individual sets of remains.
To identify Cancilla’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched a brother, as well as circumstantial evidence and laboratory analysis, to include dental comparisons and anthropological analysis, which matched Cancilla’s records.
DPAA is appreciative to History Flight, Inc. and their partnership for this recovery mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war.
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 C. Fink
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Oct. 31, 2016
Soldier Killed In Korean War Accounted For (Fink)
The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, killed during the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. Roy C. Fink, 20, of Buffalo, New York, will be buried Nov. 4 in his hometown. In late November, 1950, Fink was a member of Company B, 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 engaged by overwhelming numbers of Chinese forces. By early December, the U.S. Army evacuated approximately 1,500 wounded service members; the remaining soldiers had been either captured or killed in enemy territory. Because Fink 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.
Fink’s name did not appear on any prisoner of war lists and no repatriated Americans were able to provide any information concerning Fink as a prisoner of war. Due to the prolonged lack of evidence, the U.S. Army declared him deceased as of Dec. 31, 1953.
Although the U.S. Army Graves Registration Service hoped to recover American remains that remained north of the Korean Demilitarized Zone after the war, administrative details between the United Nations Command and North Korea complicated recovery efforts. An agreement was made and in September and October 1954, in what was known as Operation Glory, remains were returned. However, Fink’s remains were not included and he was declared non-recoverable.
During the 25th Joint Recovery Operation in 2001, recovery teams conducted operations on the eastern bank of the Chosin Reservoir, Changjin County, North Korea, based on information provided by two Korean witnesses. The site was approximately one kilometer from the 31st RCT’s defensive perimeter. During the excavation, the recovery team recovered possible human remains of at least seven individuals.
To identify Fink’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial and anthropological evidence, as well as DNA analysis, including mitochondrial DNA, which matched a nephew.
Today, 7,884 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using advances in technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously turned over by North Korean officials or recovered by American teams.
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. Joseph Trepasso
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Oct. 28, 2016
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Trepasso)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. Joseph Trepasso, 20, of Fulton, New York, will be buried Nov. 5 in his hometown. In late November 1950, Trepasso was a member of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division on the east side of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, when Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces (CPVF) attacked the regiment and forced the unit to withdraw south to the Pungnyuri Inlet. Many soldiers became surrounded and attempted to escape and evade the enemy, but were captured and marched to POW camps. Trepasso was subsequently declared missing in action as a result of the battle that occurred Dec. 12, 1950.
Trepasso’s name did not appear on any POW list provided by the CPVF or the Korean People’s Army. In 1951, the Army received information that Trepasso was killed in action Dec. 1, 1950. Based on this information, a military review board amended his status to deceased Dec. 1, 1950.
In September 2001, a U.S. and Korean People’s Army recovery team conducted a Joint Recovery Operation in the vicinity of the Chosin Reservoir, Changjin County, Changjin District, South Hamgyong Province, North Korea, based on information provided by two Korean witnesses. During the excavation, the team recovered material evidence and possible human remains for at least seven individuals.
To identify Trepasso’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched a brother and nephew, as well as anthropological analysis and circumstantial evidence.
Today, 7,786 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.
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.
Seaman 1st Class William E. Welch
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Oct. 21, 2016
USS Oklahoma Sailor From World War II Accounted For (Welch)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman from World War II have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Navy Seaman 1st Class William E. Welch, 18, of Springfield, Ohio, will be buried Oct. 29 in his hometown. On Dec. 7, 1941, Welch was assigned to the 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 Welch. No single vessel at Pearl Harbor, with the exception of the USS Arizona, suffered as many fatalities.
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 Welch.
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 Welch’s remains, scientists from DPAA used circumstantial evidence and laboratory analysis, to include dental comparisons, which matched Welch’s records.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently, there are 73,118 service members still unaccounted for from World War II.
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 Lawrence J. Smith
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Oct. 21, 2016
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Smith, Lawrence)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Lawrence J. Smith, 25, of Crowley, Louisiana, will be buried Oct. 28 in his hometown. On February 11, 1951, Smith was a member of Company A, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, supporting South Korea’s Army attacks against the Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces (CPVF) in an area known as the central corridor. The CPVF launched a massive counterattack, forcing the Americans to fight at Changbong-ni. Smith was reported missing near the village of Saemal, South Korea, on Feb. 12, 1951.
In August 1953, a repatriated American soldier stated that Smith had been captured. Smith was likely taken to the Suan Prisoner of War camp complex near the village of Namjong-gu in the North Hwanghae Province, North Korea, where he was reported to have died.
Although the American Graves Registration Service hoped to recover the remains of United Nations Command (UNC) and American soldiers who remained north of the DMZ after the war, conflict between the UNC and North Korea complicated efforts.
Between 1990 and 1994, North Korea returned to the United States 208 boxes of commingled human remains, which when combined with remains recovered during joint recovery operations in North Korea between 1996 and 2005, included the remains of at least 600 U.S. servicemen who fought during the war. North Korean documents included in the repatriation indicated that some of the remains were recovered from the vicinity where Smith was believed to have died.
To identify Smith’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial and autosomal DNA analysis, which matched a niece and daughter, as well as dental, chest radiograph comparison and anthropological analyses, and circumstantial evidence.
Today, 7,788 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.
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.
Fireman 3rd Class John H. Lindsley
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Oct. 18, 2016
USS Oklahoma Sailor From World War II Accounted For (Lindsley)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman from World War II have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Navy Fireman 3rd Class John H. Lindsley, 22, born in the Philippines and raised in Waukegan, Illinois, will be buried Oct. 25, in Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington, D.C. On Dec. 7, 1941, Lindsley was assigned to the 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 429 casualties, including Lindsley.
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 Lindsley.
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 Lindsley’s remains, scientists from DPAA used circumstantial evidence and laboratory analysis, to include dental comparisons, which matched Lindsley’s records.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently, there are 73,119 service members still unaccounted for from World War II.
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. Milton T. Bullis
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Oct. 14, 2016
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Bullis)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. Milton T. Bullis, 19, of Detroit, will be buried October 21 in Holly, Michigan. In late November 1950, Bullis was a member of Medical Company, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, fighting units of the Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces (CPVF) in North Korea, in a delaying action south from the Ch’ongch’on River to Kunu-ri. Within days, more than half of the regiment was lost due to attacks from the CPVF. The unit was ordered to withdraw, and when Bullis could not be accounted for, he was declared missing in action on Dec. 1, 1950.
Bullis’ name did not appear on any POW list provided by the CPVF or the North Korean People’s Army, however four repatriated American prisoners of war reported that Bullis died at Pukchin-Tarigol Camp Cluster in early 1951. Based on this information, a military review board amended Bullis’ status to deceased in 1951.
In April and May of 2005, a Joint Recovery Team conducted the 37th Joint Field Activity in Unsan County, South Pyongan Province, North Korea. On April 19, the team visited a site reported by a local witness to contain American remains.
To identify Bullis’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched a brother and nephew, as well as anthropological analysis, which matched his records and circumstantial evidence.
Today, 7,789 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.
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.
Pfc. James S. Smith
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Oct. 11, 2016
Marine Missing From World War II Accounted For (Smith, James)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, unaccounted for since World War II, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Marine Pfc. James S. Smith, 19, of Liberty, Mississippi, will be buried Oct. 17 in Liberty, Mississippi. In November 1943, Smith was assigned to Company C, 2nd Amphibious Tractor Battalion, 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. Smith died sometime during 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.
Smith’s company incurred 20 casualties over the course of the battle with 18 of them occurring on the first day. His casualty card initially listed him as missing in action and did not list burial information. Based on the prolonged lack of information regarding his whereabouts, the Navy made a presumptive finding of death as of Nov. 21, 1944.
In June 2011, a nongovernmental organization, History Flight, Inc., notified DPAA that they discovered a burial site on Betio Island. In 2012, a Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (now DPAA) team excavated the site and recovered three individual sets of remains.
To identify Smith’s remains, scientists from DPAA used circumstantial evidence and laboratory analysis, to include dental comparisons, and anthropological and chest radiograph comparison analysis, which matched Smith’s records.
DPAA is appreciative to History Flight, Inc. and their partnership for this recovery mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war.
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.
Seaman 2nd Class James N. Phipps
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Oct. 11, 2016
USS Oklahoma Sailor From World War II Accounted For (Phipps)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman from World War II have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Navy Seaman 2nd Class James N. Phipps, 24, of Rainier, Oregon, will be buried Oct. 17 in Portland, Oregon. On Dec. 7, 1941, Phipps was assigned to the 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 Phipps. No single vessel at Pearl Harbor, with the exception of the USS Arizona, suffered as many fatalities.
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 Phipps.
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 Phipps’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched a nephew, a niece and a grand-nephew; as well as circumstantial evidence and laboratory analysis, to include dental comparisons, which matched Phipps’ records.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war.
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.