Airman Missing From World War II Accounted For (Beals)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from World War II, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Donald L. Beals, 22, of Brookings, South Dakota, will be buried Oct. 17 in Arlington National Cemetery. On April 17, 1945, Beals was assigned to the 494th Fighter Squadron, 48th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force, and was the pilot of a single-seat P-47D “Thunderbolt,” on an armed reconnaissance mission near Dresden, Germany. En route to the target area, Beals reported that he had spotted enemy aircraft on the ground near Lonnewitz, Germany, and was instructed to attack. As Beals and his squadron leader began to dive, he was struck by intense anti-aircraft fire. He was reported missing in action subsequent to this attack, and declared dead on April 18, 1946.
In July 1947, the American Graves Registration Command investigating Beals’ case was informed by witnesses that an American aircraft had crashed and exploded at a site where the investigator found aircraft wreckage and machine guns, whose serial numbers corresponded to the weapons in Beals’ aircraft. The investigator could not identify any human remains at the crash site and concluded Beals’ remains had disintegrated in the explosion, and were therefore non-recoverable.
In June 2004, a Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command investigation team in the area of Dresden was directed to a crash site by two German researchers who had located aircraft wreckage consistent with the missing aircraft.
Between April and August 2014, four recovery missions were conducted and fragments of osseous material, material evidence and personal equipment were recovered.
To identify Beals’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched a brother and a sister, as well as anthropological and circumstantial evidence.
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 17:53:502025-04-01 17:53:521st Lt. Donald L. Beals
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Shunney)
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 James P. Shunney, 19, of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, will be buried Oct. 14 in Blackstone, Massachusetts. In early November 1950, Shunney was a member of Company I, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, near Unsan, North Korea, when Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces (CPVF) attacked the regiment and forced the unit to withdraw. Many soldiers became surrounded and attempted to escape and evade the enemy, but were captured and marched to POW camps. Shunney was declared missing in action as a result of the battle that occurred Nov. 2, 1950.
In 1953, during the prisoner of war exchange historically known as “Operation Big Switch,” repatriated American soldiers had no information on Shunney’s fate. His name did not appear on any POW list provided by the CPVF or the Korean People’s Army. Based on this information, a military review board amended Shunney’s status to deceased in 1953.
Between September and October 2000, personnel from the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory-Hawaii and members of the KPA participated in a Joint Recovery Operation in Korea. The recovery element began excavation operations of an alleged mass grave south of an area known as “The Camel’s Head Bend,” which may have been associated with the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry’s battle. Human remains of at least five individuals were recovered, although it was later determined that the remains likely originated from an unknown location. The remains were accessioned into the laboratory, and analysis later identified four of the sets as service members from Shunney’s unit, or another unit that had been with them during the battle.
To identify Shunney’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used forensic and dental analysis, which matched Shunney’s records; as well as 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 17:53:202025-04-01 17:53:21Sgt. 1st Class James P. Shunney
Soldier Killed In Korean War Accounted For (Hendrickson)
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. Donald R. Hendrickson, 19, of Janesville, Wisconsin, will be buried Oct. 15 in Janesville, Wisconsin. In late November, 1950, Hendrickson was a member of Headquarters Battery, 57th Field Artillery Battalion, 31st Regimental Combat Team, 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 Hendrickson could not be accounted for by his unit at the end of the battle, he was reported missing in action as of Dec. 6, 1950.
Hendrickson’s name did not appear on any prisoner of war lists and no repatriated Americans were able to provide any information concerning Hendrickson 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, Hendrickson’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 Hendrickson’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial, anthropological evidence, including dental and chest radiograph comparison, as well as DNA analysis; including mitochondrial and autosomal DNA, which matched a sister and a niece.
Today, 7,789 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 17:52:532025-04-01 17:52:55Cpl. Donald R. Hendrickson
Airman Missing From World War II Accounted For (Barnes)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from World War II, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Ben B. Barnes, 23, of Miller, South Dakota, will be buried Oct. 15 in his hometown. On Dec. 5, 1944, Barnes was assigned to the 361st Fighter Squadron, 356th Fighter Group, as the pilot of a single seat P-51D aircraft on an escort mission to Berlin, Germany, when he encountered enemy aircraft during the return flight. His plane was last reported northeast of Berlin over Eberswalde, and a German military shoot-down report documented a P-51 near Carlshof. However, due to political restrictions in the Russian-occupied zone, American Graves Registration teams were unable to conduct further investigations. The War Department declared Barnes deceased as of Dec. 6, 1945.
In August 2010, a Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command investigation team conducted field research and interviewed an eyewitness who recalled being in the fields when the plane crashed. He led investigators to the location where he found wreckage, which was consistent with the site described by German investigators in 1953.
From July to September 2015, two DPAA recovery teams excavated the site and recovered two .50 caliber machine guns, which matched the serial numbers to Barnes’ aircraft, as well as possible human remains, personal equipment and material evidence.
To identify Barnes’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched a cousin, as well as dental and anthropological analysis, which matched his records, and circumstantial evidence.
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 17:52:242025-04-01 17:52:261st Lt. Ben B. Barnes
USS Oklahoma Sailor From World War II Accounted For (Hopkins)
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 Edwin C. Hopkins, 19, of Keene, New Hampshire, will be buried Oct. 15 in his hometown. On Dec. 7, 1941, Hopkins 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 Hopkins. 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 Hopkins.
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 Hopkins’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched his cousin, as well as circumstantial evidence and laboratory analysis, to include dental comparisons, which matched Hopkins’ 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 17:50:162025-04-01 17:50:17Fireman 3rd Class Edwin C. Hopkins
USS Oklahoma Sailor From World War II Accounted For (Piskuran)
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 Rudolph V. Piskuran, 19, of Elyria, Ohio, will be buried Oct. 14 in his hometown. On Dec. 7, 1941, Piskuran 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 Piskuran. 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 Piskuran.
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 Piskuran’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used Y-Short Tandem Release DNA analysis, which matched a brother and two nephews, as well as circumstantial evidence and laboratory analysis, to include dental comparisons, which matched Piskuran’s 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 17:49:462025-04-01 17:49:48Seaman 2nd Class Rudolph V. Piskuran
Soldier Killed In Korean War Accounted For (Smith, William)
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. William H. Smith, 18, of Hornell, New York, will be buried Oct. 10 in Elmira, New York. In late November 1950, Smith was a member of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, when his unit was part of a planned attack north of a larger United Nations Command offensive to end the Korean War. The Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces (CPVF) launched a counter attack on the units left and right of the regiment, but not the regiment itself, in hopes of drawing them into a trap. The regiment was ordered to withdraw, but Smith’s battalion was ordered to hold its position and coordinate a withdrawal as tactical conditions permitted. During the night of Nov. 27, the CPFV attacked the regiment 10 miles southwest of Unsan, South Korea, near an area known as “Turtle’s Head Bend.” When the unit regrouped after the battle, Smith was reported missing in action as of Nov. 28, 1950.
Smith’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 Smith 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, Smith’s remains were not included and he was declared non-recoverable.
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 had gone missing.
To identify Smith’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification laboratory used mitochondrial (mtDNA) and Y-chromosome short tandem repeat (Y-STR) DNA analysis, which matched a brother, as well as dental and anthropological analysis and circumstantial evidence, all which matched his records.
Today, 7,790 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 17:48:122025-04-01 17:48:14Cpl. William H. Smith
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 will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Marine Pfc. Ronald W. Vosmer, 22, of Denver, Colorado, will be buried Oct. 8 in his hometown. In November 1943, Vosmer was assigned to Company E, 2nd Battalion, 8th 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. Vosmer died sometime on the first day of 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 Vosmer’s remains were not recovered. On Feb. 28, 1949, a military review board declared Vosmer’s remains non-recoverable.
In June 2015, a nongovernmental organization, History Flight, Inc., notified DPAA that they discovered a burial site on Betio Island and recovered the remains of what they believed were 35 U.S. Marines who fought during the battle in November 1943. The remains were turned over to DPAA in July 2015.
To identify Vosmer’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched his niece; laboratory analysis, including dental analysis and anthropological comparison, which matched Vosmer’s records; as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
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 17:46:452025-04-01 17:46:47Pfc. Ronald W. Vosmer
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Baxter)
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 Louis M. Baxter, 22, of Massena, New York, will be buried Oct. 8 in his hometown. In late November 1950, Baxter was a member of Headquarters Battery, 57th Field Artillery Battalion, 31st Regimental Combat Team, 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. Baxter was subsequently declared missing in action as a result of the battle that occurred Dec. 6, 1950.
Baxter’s name did not appear on any POW list provided by the CPVF or the Korean People’s Army. Based on this information, a military review board amended Baxter’s status to deceased in 1953.
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 Baxter’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched a brother, sister, half-brother and nephew, as well as anthropological analysis and circumstantial evidence.
Today, 7,790 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 17:39:232025-04-01 17:39:25Sgt. 1st Class Louis M. Baxter
USS Oklahoma Sailor From World War II Accounted For (Wagoner)
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 Lewis L. Wagoner, 20, of Douglass County, Missouri, will be buried Oct. 8, in Whitewater, Kansas. On Dec. 7, 1941, Wagoner 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 Wagoner.
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 Wagoner.
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.
Bone samples were submitted for DNA testing to the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL), Armed Forces Medical Examiner System, Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. Tests included mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which traces the maternal line; Y chromosome DNA, which traces the paternal line; and autosomal DNA, which is individual specific.
To identify Wagoner’s remains, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used mtDNA, which matched two brothers; as well as circumstantial evidence and laboratory analysis, to include dental comparisons, which matched Wagoner’s 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 17:37:592025-04-01 17:38:01Seaman 2nd Class Lewis L. Wagoner
1st Lt. Donald L. Beals
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Oct. 11, 2016
Airman Missing From World War II Accounted For (Beals)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from World War II, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Donald L. Beals, 22, of Brookings, South Dakota, will be buried Oct. 17 in Arlington National Cemetery. On April 17, 1945, Beals was assigned to the 494th Fighter Squadron, 48th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force, and was the pilot of a single-seat P-47D “Thunderbolt,” on an armed reconnaissance mission near Dresden, Germany. En route to the target area, Beals reported that he had spotted enemy aircraft on the ground near Lonnewitz, Germany, and was instructed to attack. As Beals and his squadron leader began to dive, he was struck by intense anti-aircraft fire. He was reported missing in action subsequent to this attack, and declared dead on April 18, 1946.
In July 1947, the American Graves Registration Command investigating Beals’ case was informed by witnesses that an American aircraft had crashed and exploded at a site where the investigator found aircraft wreckage and machine guns, whose serial numbers corresponded to the weapons in Beals’ aircraft. The investigator could not identify any human remains at the crash site and concluded Beals’ remains had disintegrated in the explosion, and were therefore non-recoverable.
In June 2004, a Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command investigation team in the area of Dresden was directed to a crash site by two German researchers who had located aircraft wreckage consistent with the missing aircraft.
Between April and August 2014, four recovery missions were conducted and fragments of osseous material, material evidence and personal equipment were recovered.
To identify Beals’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched a brother and a sister, as well as anthropological and circumstantial evidence.
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.
Sgt. 1st Class James P. Shunney
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Oct. 7, 2016
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Shunney)
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 James P. Shunney, 19, of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, will be buried Oct. 14 in Blackstone, Massachusetts. In early November 1950, Shunney was a member of Company I, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, near Unsan, North Korea, when Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces (CPVF) attacked the regiment and forced the unit to withdraw. Many soldiers became surrounded and attempted to escape and evade the enemy, but were captured and marched to POW camps. Shunney was declared missing in action as a result of the battle that occurred Nov. 2, 1950.
In 1953, during the prisoner of war exchange historically known as “Operation Big Switch,” repatriated American soldiers had no information on Shunney’s fate. His name did not appear on any POW list provided by the CPVF or the Korean People’s Army. Based on this information, a military review board amended Shunney’s status to deceased in 1953.
Between September and October 2000, personnel from the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory-Hawaii and members of the KPA participated in a Joint Recovery Operation in Korea. The recovery element began excavation operations of an alleged mass grave south of an area known as “The Camel’s Head Bend,” which may have been associated with the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry’s battle. Human remains of at least five individuals were recovered, although it was later determined that the remains likely originated from an unknown location. The remains were accessioned into the laboratory, and analysis later identified four of the sets as service members from Shunney’s unit, or another unit that had been with them during the battle.
To identify Shunney’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used forensic and dental analysis, which matched Shunney’s records; as well as 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.
Cpl. Donald R. Hendrickson
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Oct. 7, 2016
Soldier Killed In Korean War Accounted For (Hendrickson)
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. Donald R. Hendrickson, 19, of Janesville, Wisconsin, will be buried Oct. 15 in Janesville, Wisconsin. In late November, 1950, Hendrickson was a member of Headquarters Battery, 57th Field Artillery Battalion, 31st Regimental Combat Team, 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 Hendrickson could not be accounted for by his unit at the end of the battle, he was reported missing in action as of Dec. 6, 1950.
Hendrickson’s name did not appear on any prisoner of war lists and no repatriated Americans were able to provide any information concerning Hendrickson 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, Hendrickson’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 Hendrickson’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial, anthropological evidence, including dental and chest radiograph comparison, as well as DNA analysis; including mitochondrial and autosomal DNA, which matched a sister and a niece.
Today, 7,789 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.
1st Lt. Ben B. Barnes
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Oct. 7, 2016
Airman Missing From World War II Accounted For (Barnes)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from World War II, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Ben B. Barnes, 23, of Miller, South Dakota, will be buried Oct. 15 in his hometown. On Dec. 5, 1944, Barnes was assigned to the 361st Fighter Squadron, 356th Fighter Group, as the pilot of a single seat P-51D aircraft on an escort mission to Berlin, Germany, when he encountered enemy aircraft during the return flight. His plane was last reported northeast of Berlin over Eberswalde, and a German military shoot-down report documented a P-51 near Carlshof. However, due to political restrictions in the Russian-occupied zone, American Graves Registration teams were unable to conduct further investigations. The War Department declared Barnes deceased as of Dec. 6, 1945.
In August 2010, a Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command investigation team conducted field research and interviewed an eyewitness who recalled being in the fields when the plane crashed. He led investigators to the location where he found wreckage, which was consistent with the site described by German investigators in 1953.
From July to September 2015, two DPAA recovery teams excavated the site and recovered two .50 caliber machine guns, which matched the serial numbers to Barnes’ aircraft, as well as possible human remains, personal equipment and material evidence.
To identify Barnes’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched a cousin, as well as dental and anthropological analysis, which matched his records, and circumstantial evidence.
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.
Fireman 3rd Class Edwin C. Hopkins
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Oct. 7, 2016
USS Oklahoma Sailor From World War II Accounted For (Hopkins)
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 Edwin C. Hopkins, 19, of Keene, New Hampshire, will be buried Oct. 15 in his hometown. On Dec. 7, 1941, Hopkins 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 Hopkins. 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 Hopkins.
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 Hopkins’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched his cousin, as well as circumstantial evidence and laboratory analysis, to include dental comparisons, which matched Hopkins’ 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.
Seaman 2nd Class Rudolph V. Piskuran
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Oct. 7, 2016
USS Oklahoma Sailor From World War II Accounted For (Piskuran)
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 Rudolph V. Piskuran, 19, of Elyria, Ohio, will be buried Oct. 14 in his hometown. On Dec. 7, 1941, Piskuran 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 Piskuran. 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 Piskuran.
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 Piskuran’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used Y-Short Tandem Release DNA analysis, which matched a brother and two nephews, as well as circumstantial evidence and laboratory analysis, to include dental comparisons, which matched Piskuran’s 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.
Cpl. William H. Smith
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Sept. 30, 2016
Soldier Killed In Korean War Accounted For (Smith, William)
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. William H. Smith, 18, of Hornell, New York, will be buried Oct. 10 in Elmira, New York. In late November 1950, Smith was a member of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, when his unit was part of a planned attack north of a larger United Nations Command offensive to end the Korean War. The Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces (CPVF) launched a counter attack on the units left and right of the regiment, but not the regiment itself, in hopes of drawing them into a trap. The regiment was ordered to withdraw, but Smith’s battalion was ordered to hold its position and coordinate a withdrawal as tactical conditions permitted. During the night of Nov. 27, the CPFV attacked the regiment 10 miles southwest of Unsan, South Korea, near an area known as “Turtle’s Head Bend.” When the unit regrouped after the battle, Smith was reported missing in action as of Nov. 28, 1950.
Smith’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 Smith 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, Smith’s remains were not included and he was declared non-recoverable.
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 had gone missing.
To identify Smith’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification laboratory used mitochondrial (mtDNA) and Y-chromosome short tandem repeat (Y-STR) DNA analysis, which matched a brother, as well as dental and anthropological analysis and circumstantial evidence, all which matched his records.
Today, 7,790 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. Ronald W. Vosmer
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Sept. 30, 2016
Marine From World War II Accounted For (Vosmer)
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 will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Marine Pfc. Ronald W. Vosmer, 22, of Denver, Colorado, will be buried Oct. 8 in his hometown. In November 1943, Vosmer was assigned to Company E, 2nd Battalion, 8th 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. Vosmer died sometime on the first day of 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 Vosmer’s remains were not recovered. On Feb. 28, 1949, a military review board declared Vosmer’s remains non-recoverable.
In June 2015, a nongovernmental organization, History Flight, Inc., notified DPAA that they discovered a burial site on Betio Island and recovered the remains of what they believed were 35 U.S. Marines who fought during the battle in November 1943. The remains were turned over to DPAA in July 2015.
To identify Vosmer’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched his niece; laboratory analysis, including dental analysis and anthropological comparison, which matched Vosmer’s records; as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
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.
Sgt. 1st Class Louis M. Baxter
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Sept. 30, 2016
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Baxter)
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 Louis M. Baxter, 22, of Massena, New York, will be buried Oct. 8 in his hometown. In late November 1950, Baxter was a member of Headquarters Battery, 57th Field Artillery Battalion, 31st Regimental Combat Team, 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. Baxter was subsequently declared missing in action as a result of the battle that occurred Dec. 6, 1950.
Baxter’s name did not appear on any POW list provided by the CPVF or the Korean People’s Army. Based on this information, a military review board amended Baxter’s status to deceased in 1953.
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 Baxter’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched a brother, sister, half-brother and nephew, as well as anthropological analysis and circumstantial evidence.
Today, 7,790 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 2nd Class Lewis L. Wagoner
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Sept. 30, 2016
USS Oklahoma Sailor From World War II Accounted For (Wagoner)
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 Lewis L. Wagoner, 20, of Douglass County, Missouri, will be buried Oct. 8, in Whitewater, Kansas. On Dec. 7, 1941, Wagoner 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 Wagoner.
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 Wagoner.
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.
Bone samples were submitted for DNA testing to the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL), Armed Forces Medical Examiner System, Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. Tests included mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which traces the maternal line; Y chromosome DNA, which traces the paternal line; and autosomal DNA, which is individual specific.
To identify Wagoner’s remains, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used mtDNA, which matched two brothers; as well as circumstantial evidence and laboratory analysis, to include dental comparisons, which matched Wagoner’s 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.