Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Adkins)
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 Pvt. Virgil B. Adkins, 21, of Hinton, West Virginia, will be buried Sept. 3 in Hinton, West Virginia. On July 17, 1953, Adkins was a member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 65th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, on a combat patrol to reconnoiter enemy activity in an area north of the former Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), North Korea, when it came under attack, forcing a withdrawal back to friendly lines. As a result of the fighting, Adkins was reported missing in action.
Following Operation Big Switch, where American prisoners of war were returned, the Army Forces Far East reported evidence of the death of Adkins on July 17, 1953, although his remains were not returned during Operation Glory in 1954. Based on the lack of information regarding Adkins, the U.S. Army declared him deceased.
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 Adkins was believed to have died.
To identify Adkins’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial, Y-chromosome Short Tandem Repeat and autosomal DNA analysis, which matched his brother and sister, as well as anthropological analysis and circumstantial evidence.
Today, 7,802 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 17:26:262025-04-01 17:26:27Pvt. Virgil B. Adkins
Soldier Missing From World War II Accounted For (Euart)
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 Capt. Elwood J. Euart, 28, of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, will be buried August 31 in his hometown. On Oct. 26, 1942, Euart was assigned to Headquarters, 103rd Field Artillery Battalion, 43rd Infantry Division, aboard the U.S. Army Transport (USAT) President Coolidge, when it entered a minefield near Espiritu Santo Island, New Hebrides, in the Republic of Vanuatu. The ship struck two mines, and immediately began listing, then was subsequently beached by the captain on the nearby coral reef to aid in the ship’s evacuation. Euart, hearing that men were trapped inside, entered the sinking ship, and helped all of the trapped men escape. An hour after the first mine detonated, the ship rolled and slid off the reef, sinking. Euart was unable to extricate himself and went down with the ship. Euart was one of only two crewmen lost of the approximately 5,000 troops aboard the ship.
In August 1948, a search team from the U.S. Army’s 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company visited Espiritu Santo Island to investigate and recover personnel from underwater losses, including the USAT President Coolidge. However, due to depths involved, they were unable to investigate or recover any remains from that ship. Based on this information, on Sept. 23, 1948, the Army declared Euart’s remains non-recoverable.
In 1953, the sunken hulk of the USAT President Coolidge was sold for salvage, and the area became a world-class diving destination. In 2012, divers reported finding human remains inside the ship and hid them deep into the silt to keep them safe. In 2014, a JPAC underwater recovery leader accompanied a tour company diver, who pulled possible human remains out of the silt.
In March 2015, an underwater recovery team from DPAA recovered additional possible human remains and material evidence from inside the ship.
To identify Euart’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial and Y-Short Tandem Repeat DNA analysis, which matched three nephews; laboratory analysis, including dental and anthropological analysis, which matched Euart’s records; and circumstantial and material 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 17:24:342025-04-01 17:24:35Capt. Elwood J. Euart
Marine Missing From World War II Accounted For (Brozyna)
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. Anthony Brozyna, 22, of Hartford, Connecticut, will be buried August 31 at Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington, D.C. In November 1943, Brozyna was assigned to Company G, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, which landed against stiff Japanese resistance on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll of the Gilbert Islands, in an attempt to secure the island. Over several days of intense fighting at Tarawa, approximately 1,000 Marines and Sailors were killed and more than 2,000 were wounded, but the Japanese were virtually annihilated. Brozyna died on the first day of the battle, Nov. 20, 1943.
Despite the heavy casualties suffered by U.S. forces, military success in the battle of Tarawa was a huge victory for the U.S. military because the Gilbert Islands provided the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet a platform from which to launch assaults on the Marshall and Caroline Islands to advance their Central Pacific Campaign against Japan.
In the immediate aftermath of the fighting on Tarawa, U.S. service members who died in the battle were buried in a number of battlefield cemeteries on the island. In 1946 and 1947, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio Island, but Brozyna’s remains were not recovered. On Feb. 10, 1949, a military review board declared Brozyna’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 Brozyna’s remains, scientists from DPAA used laboratory analysis, including dental comparison, which matched Brozyna’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 17:23:202025-04-01 17:23:21Pfc. Anthony Brozyna
USS Oklahoma Sailor From World War II Accounted For (Jordan)
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 Lt. Julian B. Jordan, 37, of Dawson, Georgia, will be buried August 29 in Bremerton, Washington. On Dec. 7, 1941, Jordan 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 Jordan. 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 Jordan.
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 Jordan’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched three cousins, as well as circumstantial evidence and laboratory analysis, to include dental comparisons, which matched Jordan’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 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 17:19:102025-04-01 17:19:12Lt. Julian B. Jordan
Marine Missing From World War II Accounted For (Mansfield)
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 F. Mansfield, 19, of Plymouth, Massachusetts, will be buried August 27 in his hometown. In November 1943, Mansfield was assigned to Company K, 3rd 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. Mansfield 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 Mansfield’s remains were not recovered. On Feb. 28, 1949, a military review board declared Mansfield’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 Mansfield’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA and autosomal Short Tandem Repeat DNA analysis, which matched a sister; laboratory analysis, including dental analysis and anthropological comparison, which matched Mansfield’s records; as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
DPAA is grateful to History Flight, Inc. 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 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 17:18:372025-04-01 17:18:39Pfc. James F. Mansfield
Marine Missing From World War II Accounted For (Traver)
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. George H. Traver, 25, of Chatham, New York, will be buried August 28, in his hometown. In November 1943, Traver was assigned to Company K, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, which landed against stiff Japanese resistance on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll of the Gilbert Islands, in an attempt to secure the island. Over several days of intense fighting at Tarawa, approximately 1,000 Marines and Sailors were killed and more than 2,000 were wounded, but the Japanese were virtually annihilated. Traver died on the first day of 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 Traver’s remains were not recovered. On Feb. 28, 1949, a military review board declared Traver’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 Traver’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched a nephew; as well as circumstantial evidence and laboratory analysis, to include dental comparisons, which matched Traver’s records.
DPAA is grateful to History Flight, Inc. 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 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 17:17:272025-04-01 17:17:28Pfc. George H. Traver
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Campbell)
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. James L. Campbell, 18, of Waterford, Connecticut, will be buried August 26 in his hometown. In late November 1950, Campbell was one of 2,500 U.S. and 700 Republic of Korea soldiers assembled into the 31st Regimental Combat Team on the east side of the Chosin River. On the night of Nov. 27, the Chinese People’s Volunteer Force surrounded the 31st RCT and attacked. Continued attacks over subsequent days forced Americans to withdraw. By Dec. 6, 1950, approximately 1,500 wounded soldiers were evacuated, and the remaining had been either captured or killed. Campbell was reported missing in action as a result of the battles.
Campbell’s name did not appear on any list as a prisoner of war and no repatriated Americans could provide any information concerning Campbell. Based on this information, the U.S. Army declared Campbell deceased as of Dec. 31, 1953.
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, included the remains of approximately 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 area where Campbell was believed to have died.
To identify Campbell’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched a brother and a sister.
Today, 7,802 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 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 17:16:232025-04-01 17:16:25Sgt. James L. Campbell
Marine Missing From World War II Accounted For (Geddes)
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 Pvt. Dale R. Geddes, 21, of Grand Island, Nebraska, will be buried August 22 in his hometown. In November 1943, Geddes was assigned to Company H, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, which landed against stiff Japanese resistance on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll of the Gilbert Islands, in an attempt to secure the island. Over several days of intense fighting at Tarawa, approximately 1,000 Marines and Sailors were killed and more than 2,000 were wounded, but the Japanese were virtually annihilated. Geddes died on the first day of the battle, Nov. 20, 1943.
Despite the heavy casualties suffered by U.S. forces, military success in the battle of Tarawa was a huge victory for the U.S. military because the Gilbert Islands provided the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet a platform from which to launch assaults on the Marshall and Caroline Islands to advance their Central Pacific Campaign against Japan.
In the immediate aftermath of the fighting on Tarawa, U.S. service members who died in the battle were buried in a number of battlefield cemeteries on the island. In 1946 and 1947, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio Island, but Geddes’ remains were not recovered. On Feb. 28, 1949, a military review board declared Geddes’ 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 Geddes’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which traces the maternal line, and matched a niece; laboratory analysis, including anthropological analysis and dental and chest radiograph comparison analysis, which matched Geddes’ records; as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
DPAA is grateful to History Flight, Inc. 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 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 17:15:072025-04-01 17:15:08Pvt. Dale R. Geddes
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Sparks)
The Department of 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. Ronald M. Sparks, 19, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, will be buried August 19 in Everett, Massachusetts. On Feb. 12, 1951, Sparks was a member of Company D, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, when his unit was clearing a road block held by enemy forces in the vicinity of Hoengsong, South Korea. Sparks was reported missing in action during the mission.
A repatriated American POW reported that Sparks died while in captivity at POW Camp 1, Changsong, North Korea, on May 26, 1951. Based on this information, a military review board amended his status to deceased.
In 1954, United Nations and communist forces exchanged the remains of war dead in what came to be called “Operation Glory.” All remains recovered in Operation Glory were turned over to the Army’s Central Identification Unit for analysis. The remains they were unable to identify were interred as unknowns at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii, known as the “Punchbowl.”
In 1999, due to advances in technology, the Department of Defense began to re-examine records and concluded that the possibility for identification of some of these unknowns now existed. The remains designated X-14082 were exhumed on Dec. 7, 2015, so further analysis could be conducted.
In the identification of Sparks’ remains, scientists from DPAA used dental, anthropological and chest radiograph comparison analyses, which matched Sparks’ records, as well as circumstantial evidence.
Today, 7,802 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 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 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 17:13:312025-04-01 17:13:33Cpl. Ronald M. Sparks
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Butz)
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 Pfc. William R. Butz, 19, of Glendive, Montana, will be buried August 12 in Vancouver, Washington. On Dec. 12, 1950, Butz, a member of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, was declared missing in action after his unit was heavily attacked by enemy forces in an area known as the “inlet,” near the vicinity of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea. Due to a prolonged lack of information regarding his status, a military review board amended his status to deceased in 1953.
In 1954, United Nations and communist forces exchanged the remains of war dead in what came to be called “Operation Glory.” All remains recovered in Operation Glory were turned over to the Army’s Central Identification Unit for analysis. The remains they were unable to identify were interred as unknowns at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii, known as the “Punchbowl.”
In 1999, due to advances in technology, the Department of Defense began to re-examine records and concluded that the possibility for identification of some of these unknowns now existed. The remains designated X-15726 were exhumed on Dec. 7, 2015, so further analysis could be conducted.
In the identification of Butz’ remains, scientists from DPAA used dental, anthropological and chest radiograph comparison analysis, which matched his records, as well as circumstantial evidence.
Today, 7,802 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 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 15:41:012025-04-01 15:41:03Pfc. William R. Butz
Pvt. Virgil B. Adkins
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Aug. 26, 2016
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Adkins)
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 Pvt. Virgil B. Adkins, 21, of Hinton, West Virginia, will be buried Sept. 3 in Hinton, West Virginia. On July 17, 1953, Adkins was a member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 65th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, on a combat patrol to reconnoiter enemy activity in an area north of the former Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), North Korea, when it came under attack, forcing a withdrawal back to friendly lines. As a result of the fighting, Adkins was reported missing in action.
Following Operation Big Switch, where American prisoners of war were returned, the Army Forces Far East reported evidence of the death of Adkins on July 17, 1953, although his remains were not returned during Operation Glory in 1954. Based on the lack of information regarding Adkins, the U.S. Army declared him deceased.
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 Adkins was believed to have died.
To identify Adkins’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial, Y-chromosome Short Tandem Repeat and autosomal DNA analysis, which matched his brother and sister, as well as anthropological analysis and circumstantial evidence.
Today, 7,802 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.
Capt. Elwood J. Euart
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Aug. 24, 2016
Soldier Missing From World War II Accounted For (Euart)
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 Capt. Elwood J. Euart, 28, of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, will be buried August 31 in his hometown. On Oct. 26, 1942, Euart was assigned to Headquarters, 103rd Field Artillery Battalion, 43rd Infantry Division, aboard the U.S. Army Transport (USAT) President Coolidge, when it entered a minefield near Espiritu Santo Island, New Hebrides, in the Republic of Vanuatu. The ship struck two mines, and immediately began listing, then was subsequently beached by the captain on the nearby coral reef to aid in the ship’s evacuation. Euart, hearing that men were trapped inside, entered the sinking ship, and helped all of the trapped men escape. An hour after the first mine detonated, the ship rolled and slid off the reef, sinking. Euart was unable to extricate himself and went down with the ship. Euart was one of only two crewmen lost of the approximately 5,000 troops aboard the ship.
In August 1948, a search team from the U.S. Army’s 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company visited Espiritu Santo Island to investigate and recover personnel from underwater losses, including the USAT President Coolidge. However, due to depths involved, they were unable to investigate or recover any remains from that ship. Based on this information, on Sept. 23, 1948, the Army declared Euart’s remains non-recoverable.
In 1953, the sunken hulk of the USAT President Coolidge was sold for salvage, and the area became a world-class diving destination. In 2012, divers reported finding human remains inside the ship and hid them deep into the silt to keep them safe. In 2014, a JPAC underwater recovery leader accompanied a tour company diver, who pulled possible human remains out of the silt.
In March 2015, an underwater recovery team from DPAA recovered additional possible human remains and material evidence from inside the ship.
To identify Euart’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial and Y-Short Tandem Repeat DNA analysis, which matched three nephews; laboratory analysis, including dental and anthropological analysis, which matched Euart’s records; and circumstantial and material 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.
Pfc. Anthony Brozyna
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Aug. 24, 2016
Marine Missing From World War II Accounted For (Brozyna)
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. Anthony Brozyna, 22, of Hartford, Connecticut, will be buried August 31 at Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington, D.C. In November 1943, Brozyna was assigned to Company G, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, which landed against stiff Japanese resistance on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll of the Gilbert Islands, in an attempt to secure the island. Over several days of intense fighting at Tarawa, approximately 1,000 Marines and Sailors were killed and more than 2,000 were wounded, but the Japanese were virtually annihilated. Brozyna died on the first day of the battle, Nov. 20, 1943.
Despite the heavy casualties suffered by U.S. forces, military success in the battle of Tarawa was a huge victory for the U.S. military because the Gilbert Islands provided the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet a platform from which to launch assaults on the Marshall and Caroline Islands to advance their Central Pacific Campaign against Japan.
In the immediate aftermath of the fighting on Tarawa, U.S. service members who died in the battle were buried in a number of battlefield cemeteries on the island. In 1946 and 1947, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio Island, but Brozyna’s remains were not recovered. On Feb. 10, 1949, a military review board declared Brozyna’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 Brozyna’s remains, scientists from DPAA used laboratory analysis, including dental comparison, which matched Brozyna’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.
Lt. Julian B. Jordan
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Aug. 22, 2016
USS Oklahoma Sailor From World War II Accounted For (Jordan)
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 Lt. Julian B. Jordan, 37, of Dawson, Georgia, will be buried August 29 in Bremerton, Washington. On Dec. 7, 1941, Jordan 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 Jordan. 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 Jordan.
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 Jordan’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched three cousins, as well as circumstantial evidence and laboratory analysis, to include dental comparisons, which matched Jordan’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 or call (703) 699-1420.
Pfc. James F. Mansfield
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Aug. 19, 2016
Marine Missing From World War II Accounted For (Mansfield)
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 F. Mansfield, 19, of Plymouth, Massachusetts, will be buried August 27 in his hometown. In November 1943, Mansfield was assigned to Company K, 3rd 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. Mansfield 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 Mansfield’s remains were not recovered. On Feb. 28, 1949, a military review board declared Mansfield’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 Mansfield’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA and autosomal Short Tandem Repeat DNA analysis, which matched a sister; laboratory analysis, including dental analysis and anthropological comparison, which matched Mansfield’s records; as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
DPAA is grateful to History Flight, Inc. 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 or call (703) 699-1420.
Pfc. George H. Traver
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Aug. 19, 2016
Marine Missing From World War II Accounted For (Traver)
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. George H. Traver, 25, of Chatham, New York, will be buried August 28, in his hometown. In November 1943, Traver was assigned to Company K, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, which landed against stiff Japanese resistance on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll of the Gilbert Islands, in an attempt to secure the island. Over several days of intense fighting at Tarawa, approximately 1,000 Marines and Sailors were killed and more than 2,000 were wounded, but the Japanese were virtually annihilated. Traver died on the first day of 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 Traver’s remains were not recovered. On Feb. 28, 1949, a military review board declared Traver’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 Traver’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched a nephew; as well as circumstantial evidence and laboratory analysis, to include dental comparisons, which matched Traver’s records.
DPAA is grateful to History Flight, Inc. 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 or call (703) 699-1420.
Sgt. James L. Campbell
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Aug. 19, 2016
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Campbell)
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. James L. Campbell, 18, of Waterford, Connecticut, will be buried August 26 in his hometown. In late November 1950, Campbell was one of 2,500 U.S. and 700 Republic of Korea soldiers assembled into the 31st Regimental Combat Team on the east side of the Chosin River. On the night of Nov. 27, the Chinese People’s Volunteer Force surrounded the 31st RCT and attacked. Continued attacks over subsequent days forced Americans to withdraw. By Dec. 6, 1950, approximately 1,500 wounded soldiers were evacuated, and the remaining had been either captured or killed. Campbell was reported missing in action as a result of the battles.
Campbell’s name did not appear on any list as a prisoner of war and no repatriated Americans could provide any information concerning Campbell. Based on this information, the U.S. Army declared Campbell deceased as of Dec. 31, 1953.
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, included the remains of approximately 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 area where Campbell was believed to have died.
To identify Campbell’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched a brother and a sister.
Today, 7,802 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 or call (703) 699-1420.
Pvt. Dale R. Geddes
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Aug. 15, 2016
Marine Missing From World War II Accounted For (Geddes)
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 Pvt. Dale R. Geddes, 21, of Grand Island, Nebraska, will be buried August 22 in his hometown. In November 1943, Geddes was assigned to Company H, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, which landed against stiff Japanese resistance on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll of the Gilbert Islands, in an attempt to secure the island. Over several days of intense fighting at Tarawa, approximately 1,000 Marines and Sailors were killed and more than 2,000 were wounded, but the Japanese were virtually annihilated. Geddes died on the first day of the battle, Nov. 20, 1943.
Despite the heavy casualties suffered by U.S. forces, military success in the battle of Tarawa was a huge victory for the U.S. military because the Gilbert Islands provided the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet a platform from which to launch assaults on the Marshall and Caroline Islands to advance their Central Pacific Campaign against Japan.
In the immediate aftermath of the fighting on Tarawa, U.S. service members who died in the battle were buried in a number of battlefield cemeteries on the island. In 1946 and 1947, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio Island, but Geddes’ remains were not recovered. On Feb. 28, 1949, a military review board declared Geddes’ 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 Geddes’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA analysis, which traces the maternal line, and matched a niece; laboratory analysis, including anthropological analysis and dental and chest radiograph comparison analysis, which matched Geddes’ records; as well as circumstantial and material evidence.
DPAA is grateful to History Flight, Inc. 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 or call (703) 699-1420.
Cpl. Ronald M. Sparks
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Aug. 12, 2016
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Sparks)
The Department of 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. Ronald M. Sparks, 19, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, will be buried August 19 in Everett, Massachusetts. On Feb. 12, 1951, Sparks was a member of Company D, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, when his unit was clearing a road block held by enemy forces in the vicinity of Hoengsong, South Korea. Sparks was reported missing in action during the mission.
A repatriated American POW reported that Sparks died while in captivity at POW Camp 1, Changsong, North Korea, on May 26, 1951. Based on this information, a military review board amended his status to deceased.
In 1954, United Nations and communist forces exchanged the remains of war dead in what came to be called “Operation Glory.” All remains recovered in Operation Glory were turned over to the Army’s Central Identification Unit for analysis. The remains they were unable to identify were interred as unknowns at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii, known as the “Punchbowl.”
In 1999, due to advances in technology, the Department of Defense began to re-examine records and concluded that the possibility for identification of some of these unknowns now existed. The remains designated X-14082 were exhumed on Dec. 7, 2015, so further analysis could be conducted.
In the identification of Sparks’ remains, scientists from DPAA used dental, anthropological and chest radiograph comparison analyses, which matched Sparks’ records, as well as circumstantial evidence.
Today, 7,802 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 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 or call (703) 699-1420.
Pfc. William R. Butz
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Aug. 5, 2016
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Butz)
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 Pfc. William R. Butz, 19, of Glendive, Montana, will be buried August 12 in Vancouver, Washington. On Dec. 12, 1950, Butz, a member of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, was declared missing in action after his unit was heavily attacked by enemy forces in an area known as the “inlet,” near the vicinity of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea. Due to a prolonged lack of information regarding his status, a military review board amended his status to deceased in 1953.
In 1954, United Nations and communist forces exchanged the remains of war dead in what came to be called “Operation Glory.” All remains recovered in Operation Glory were turned over to the Army’s Central Identification Unit for analysis. The remains they were unable to identify were interred as unknowns at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii, known as the “Punchbowl.”
In 1999, due to advances in technology, the Department of Defense began to re-examine records and concluded that the possibility for identification of some of these unknowns now existed. The remains designated X-15726 were exhumed on Dec. 7, 2015, so further analysis could be conducted.
In the identification of Butz’ remains, scientists from DPAA used dental, anthropological and chest radiograph comparison analysis, which matched his records, as well as circumstantial evidence.
Today, 7,802 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 or call (703) 699-1420.