Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Chaney)
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 Sgt. 1st Class Dean D. Chaney, 21, of Bloomville, Ohio, will be buried Nov. 13 in his hometown. In late November, 1950, Chaney was assigned to Company K, 3rd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, which established defensive positions near Yongsan-dong, North Pyongan Province, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (D.P.R.K.), about ten miles north of the Ch’ongch’on River. About 100 soldiers from the Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces set up a roadblock behind the unit and cut off their withdrawal routes. These enemy forces quickly attacked the regiment. It was during this fight that Chaney went missing in action.
In 1953, during the prisoner of war exchanges historically known as “Operation Little Switch” and “Operation Big Switch,” repatriated U.S. soldiers who had been held as prisoners of war reported that Chaney had died from malnutrition at POW Camp 5 in April 1951. A military review board later amended Chaney’s status to deceased.
Between 1990 and 1994, North Korea returned to the United States 208 boxes of commingled human remains, which we now believe contain 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 area where Chaney was believed to have died.
To Identify Chaney’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including mitochondrial, autosomal chromosome, and Y-chromosome Short Tandem Repeat DNA analyses, which matched two of his brothers.
Today, more than 7,800 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 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.jpgadmin2025-03-31 20:59:582025-03-31 20:59:59Sgt. 1st Class Dean D. Chaney
The Department of 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. William O. Pile, 24, of Circleville, Ohio, will be buried Nov. 10 in Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington, D.C. On Dec. 23, 1944, Pile was assigned to the 559th Bombardment Squadron, 387th Bombardment Group, 9th Air Force, and was deployed to Germany. Pile was the pilot of a B-26C Marauder, with eight other crewmen onboard, which crashed after being struck by enemy fire while on a bombing mission against enemy forces near Philippsweiler, Germany. Pile and his co-pilot, 2nd Lt. Robert Ward, were reported killed in action. The other seven crewmen survived the crash by parachuting to safety; however, one crewman was captured by enemy forces and was reported to have died in captivity. His remains were later returned to U.S. custody. Pile and Ward were not recovered during the war.
In April 2009, a Department of Defense (DoD) team traveled to Philippsweiler to interview several German locals who recalled an American war-time crash. The team surveyed the possible crash site.
Between June 2010 and July 2011, two DoD recovery teams excavated the suspected crash site, recovering human remains and aircraft wreckage.
To identify Pile’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial evidence and exclusion by mitochondrial DNA testing on a second set of remains associated with Ward.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died. Today, more than 73,000 are unaccounted for from the conflict.
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.jpgadmin2025-03-31 20:58:242025-03-31 20:58:261st Lt. William O. Pile
Marine Missing From World War II Accounted For (Reilly)
The Department of 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 P. Reilly, 20, of New York, will be buried Nov. 9 in Bushnell, Fla. In November 1943, Reilly was assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, which landed against stiff Japanese resistance on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll, in an attempt to secure the island. Over several days of intense fighting, approximately 1,000 Marines were killed and more than 2,000 were wounded. Reilly was reported killed on the first day of the battle, Nov. 20, 1943.
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 Reilly’s remains were not recovered. On Feb. 10, 1949, a military review board declared Reilly 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 36 U.S. Marines who fought during the battle in November 1943. The remains were turned over to DPAA in July 2015.
To identify Reilly’s remains, scientists from DPAA used laboratory analysis, to include dental comparisons, which matched Reilly’s records, as well as circumstantial and material evidence, and personal effects recovered during the recovery operations that correlated to Reilly.
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.jpgadmin2025-03-31 20:57:512025-03-31 20:57:53Pfc. James P. Reilly
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (King)
The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today the remains of a U.S. serviceman, unaccounted for from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. Martin A. King, 18, of Harrisburg, Pa., will be buried Nov. 9 in Annville, Pa. In early November 1950, King was assigned to Company E, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, when his unit was attacked by Chinese forces while occupying a position along the Nammyon River, near Unsan, North Korea. King was reported missing in action on Nov. 2, 1950, while his unit was conducting a fighting withdrawal to a more defensible position.
In 1953, during the prisoner of war exchanges historically known as “Operation Little Switch” and “Operation Big Switch,” American soldiers who were returned told debriefers that King had been captured during the battle and died from malnutrition at Pyoktong POW Camp. His remains were not among those returned by communist forces in 1954.
Between 1990 and 1994, North Korea returned to the United States 208 boxes of commingled human remains, which we now believe contain 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 area where King was believed to have died.
To identify King’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including mitochondrial and Y-chromosome short tandem repeat DNA analyses, which matched his brother.
Today, more than 7,800 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern 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.jpgadmin2025-03-31 20:57:212025-03-31 20:57:22Cpl. Martin A. King
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Worley)
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 Pfc. Frank Worley, 21, of Wilmington, N.C., will be buried Nov. 6 in Salisbury, N.C. On Feb. 11, 1951, Worley and elements of Battery A, 503rd Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division (ID), were occupying a position in the vicinity of Hoengsong, South Korea, when their unit was overwhelmed by Chinese forces. This attack caused the 2nd ID to withdraw south to a more defensible position. Worley was reported missing after the attack.
In 1953, during the prisoner of war exchanges historically known as “Operation Little Switch” and “Operation Big Switch,” returning American soldiers did not have any information concerning Worley. A military review board amended his status to deceased in March 1954. Worley’s remains were also not among those returned by communist forces during “Operation Glory” in 1954.
Between 1990 and 1994, North Korea returned to the United States 208 boxes of commingled human remains, which we now believe contain 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 men captured from Worley’s unit were believed to have died.
In the identification of Worley’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial evidence, dental comparison, and forensic identification tools, including mitochondrial DNA analysis and Y-chromosome short tandem repeat DNA analysis, which matched his brothers.
Today, more than 7,800 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern 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.jpgadmin2025-03-31 20:56:412025-03-31 20:56:42Pfc. Frank Worley
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Witt)
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. Robert V. Witt, 20, of Bellflower, Calif., will be buried Oct. 30 in Whittier, Calif. In late November 1950, Witt was assigned to 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT), 7th Infantry Division, historically known as Task Force Faith. The 31st RCT was deployed east of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, when it was attacked by overwhelming numbers of Chinese forces. On Dec. 1, 1950, remnants of the 31st RCT began a fighting withdrawal to more defensible positions near Hagaru-ri, south of the reservoir. On Dec. 2, 1950, Witt was reported as missing in action.
In 1953, during the prisoner of war exchanges historically known as “Operation Little Switch” and “Operation Big Switch,” repatriated U.S. soldiers told debriefers that Witt had been captured during the battle and died from malnutrition. His remains were not among those returned by Communist forces in 1954, however.
Between 1990 and 1994, North Korea returned to the United States 208 boxes of commingled human remains, which we now believe contain 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 area where Witt was believed to have died.
Additionally, in July 2000, a joint U.S./Democratic People’s Republic of Korea team excavated a burial site near Hwaong-Ri Village, North Korea, and recovered human remains.
To identify Witt’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including mitochondrial, Y-chromosome short tandem repeat, and autosomal chromosome DNA analyses, which matched his brother.
Today, more than 7,800 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern 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.jpgadmin2025-03-31 20:55:482025-03-31 20:55:50Cpl. Robert V. Witt
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Mason)
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. George H. Mason, 19, of Byhalia, Miss., will be buried Oct. 20, in his hometown. In early February 1951, Mason was assigned to 2nd Reconnaissance Company, 2nd Infantry Division, and was deployed near Chuam-ni, South Korea, when their defensive line was attacked by Chinese forces. This attack forced the unit to withdraw south to a more defensible position. Mason was reported as missing in action Feb. 14, 1951.
On June 22, 1951, the People’s Republic of China announced in a radio broadcast that Mason had been captured by enemy forces.
In 1953, during the prisoner of war exchanges historically known as “Operation Little Switch” and “Operation Big Switch,” returning U.S. soldiers who had been held as prisoners of war did not have any information concerning Mason. When no further evidence supporting his capture was available, a military review board amended his status to presumed dead.
Between 1990 and 1994, North Korea returned 208 boxes of commingled human remains to the United States, which we now believe contain the remains of at least 600 U.S. servicemen who fought during the war. North Korean documents included in the repatriation indicate that some of the remains were recovered from the area where men captured from Mason’s unit were believed to have died.
Between 1990 and 1994, North Korea returned 208 boxes of commingled human remains to the United States, which we now believe contain the remains of at least 600 U.S. servicemen who fought during the war. North Korean documents included in the repatriation indicate that some of the remains were recovered from the area where men captured from Mason’s unit were believed to have died.
Today, more than 7,800 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern 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.jpgadmin2025-03-31 20:54:122025-03-31 20:54:13Cpl. George H. Mason
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Meyers)
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.
U.S. Army Cpl. Robert E. Meyers, 21, of Greencastle, Pa., will be buried Oct. 26, in Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington D.C. Meyersa assigned to Company A, 2nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, was declared missing in action, Dec. 1, 1950, after his unit was involved in combat operations in the vicinity of Sonchu, North Korea. The U.S. Army declared Meyers deceased March 2, 1954.
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 2012, due to advances in technology, the Department of Defense began to re-examine records and concluded that the possibility of identification for some of these unknowns now existed.
To identify Meyers’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial evidence, dental analysis, and chest radiographs, which matched Meyers’ records.
Today, more than 7,800 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using advances in technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously returned 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.jpgadmin2025-03-31 20:52:482025-03-31 21:06:44Cpl. Robert E. Meyers
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Ewing)
The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. soldier, missing from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. Grant H. Ewing, 28, of Fort Lupton, Colo., will be buried Oct. 19, in his hometown. In late November 1950, Ewing was assigned to Battery C, 38th Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division (ID), which was deployed north and east of the town of Kunu-ri, North Korea. On Nov. 25, 1950, 2nd ID was attacked by Chinese forces, which forced the unit to withdraw south to a more defensible position. Before they could disengage, the 2nd ID was forced to fight through a series of Chinese roadblocks, commonly known as “the Gauntlet”. Ewing was reported missing in action during this battle.
In 1953, as part of a prisoner of war exchange known as Operation Big Switch, returning American soldiers who had been held as prisoners of war reported that Ewing was among the many men captured by Chinese forces and died in February 1951, in prisoner of war Camp 5, in Pyoktong, North Korea. His remains were not among those returned by communist forces during Operation Glory in 1954.
Between 1990 and 1994, North Korea turned over to the U.S. 208 boxes of human remains now believed to contain more than 600 U.S. servicemen who fought during the war. North Korean documents turned over with some of the boxes indicated that some of the remains were recovered from the vicinity where Ewing was believed to have died.
To identify Ewing’s remains, scientists from the DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence, dental comparison, and two forms of DNA analysis including; mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosome Short Tandem Repeat DNA (Y-STR) analysis, which matched his brother.
Today, more than 7,800 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern 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.jpgadmin2025-03-31 20:51:262025-03-31 20:51:27Cpl. Grant H. Ewing
Soldiers Missing From Vietnam War Accounted For (Price, Griffin, Richardson)
The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of three U.S. servicemen, missing from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be buried with full military honors.
Army Maj. Dale W. Richardson, 28, of Mount Sterling, Ill.; Staff Sgt. Bunyan D. Price Jr., 20, of Monroe, N.C.; and Sgt. Rodney L. Griffin, 21, of Mexico, Mo, have been accounted for. Price was buried Apr. 11 in Belmont, N.C.; Griffin was buried Apr. 25 in his hometown; Richardson was buried Aug. 29 in Mountain View, Ark.; and the group remains representing the crew will be buried Oct. 20 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington D.C.
Richardson, Price, and Griffin, all assigned to 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, were passengers aboard an UH-1H Iroquois (Huey) helicopter that was en route to Fire Support Base Katum, South Vietnam, when it was diverted due to bad weather. After flying into Cambodian airspace, the aircraft came under heavy enemy ground fire, causing the pilot to make an emergency landing in Kampong Cham Province, Cambodia. The Huey’s four crewmen and its four passengers survived the landing. One crewman was able to evade being captured by enemy forces and later returned to friendly lines. The other three crewmen and one passenger were captured. Two of the captured crewmen were released by the Vietnamese in 1973, and the remains of the other two captured men were returned to U.S. control in the 1980s and identified. Richardson, Price, and Griffin died at the site of the crash during a fire fight with enemy forces. Their remains were not recovered after the fire fight.
From 1992 through 2008, joint U.S./Kingdom of Cambodia (K.O.C.) teams investigated the site without success. On Feb. 18, 2009, a joint team interviewed witnesses in the Memot District of Cambodia who claimed to have information on the loss. The witnesses identified a possible burial site for the unaccounted for servicemen. The team excavated the burial site but was unsuccessful locating the remains.
From Jan. 16, 2010 to March 11, 2011, joint U.S./K.O.C. teams excavated the area, but were unsuccessful recovering the crewman’s remains.
In February 2012, another joint U.S./K.O.C. team re-interviewed two of the witnesses. The witnesses identified a secondary burial site near the previously excavated site. The team excavated the secondary burial site and recovered human remains and military gear from a single grave.
In the identification of Richardson, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) analyzed circumstantial evidence and used forensic identification tools, to include mitochondrial DNA, which matched his sister.
In the identification of Price, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL analyzed circumstantial evidence and used forensic identification tools, to include mitochondrial DNA, which matched his brothers and sisters.
In the identification of Griffin, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL analyzed circumstantial evidence and used forensic identification tools, to include mitochondrial DNA, which matched his brothers.
Today there are 1,626 American service members that are still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil or call (703) 699-1420.
Sgt. 1st Class Dean D. Chaney
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Nov. 6, 2015
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Chaney)
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 Sgt. 1st Class Dean D. Chaney, 21, of Bloomville, Ohio, will be buried Nov. 13 in his hometown. In late November, 1950, Chaney was assigned to Company K, 3rd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, which established defensive positions near Yongsan-dong, North Pyongan Province, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (D.P.R.K.), about ten miles north of the Ch’ongch’on River. About 100 soldiers from the Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces set up a roadblock behind the unit and cut off their withdrawal routes. These enemy forces quickly attacked the regiment. It was during this fight that Chaney went missing in action.
In 1953, during the prisoner of war exchanges historically known as “Operation Little Switch” and “Operation Big Switch,” repatriated U.S. soldiers who had been held as prisoners of war reported that Chaney had died from malnutrition at POW Camp 5 in April 1951. A military review board later amended Chaney’s status to deceased.
Between 1990 and 1994, North Korea returned to the United States 208 boxes of commingled human remains, which we now believe contain 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 area where Chaney was believed to have died.
To Identify Chaney’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including mitochondrial, autosomal chromosome, and Y-chromosome Short Tandem Repeat DNA analyses, which matched two of his brothers.
Today, more than 7,800 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 or call (703) 699-1420.
1st Lt. William O. Pile
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Nov. 3, 2015
Airman Missing From WWII Accounted For (Pile)
The Department of 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. William O. Pile, 24, of Circleville, Ohio, will be buried Nov. 10 in Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington, D.C. On Dec. 23, 1944, Pile was assigned to the 559th Bombardment Squadron, 387th Bombardment Group, 9th Air Force, and was deployed to Germany. Pile was the pilot of a B-26C Marauder, with eight other crewmen onboard, which crashed after being struck by enemy fire while on a bombing mission against enemy forces near Philippsweiler, Germany. Pile and his co-pilot, 2nd Lt. Robert Ward, were reported killed in action. The other seven crewmen survived the crash by parachuting to safety; however, one crewman was captured by enemy forces and was reported to have died in captivity. His remains were later returned to U.S. custody. Pile and Ward were not recovered during the war.
In April 2009, a Department of Defense (DoD) team traveled to Philippsweiler to interview several German locals who recalled an American war-time crash. The team surveyed the possible crash site.
Between June 2010 and July 2011, two DoD recovery teams excavated the suspected crash site, recovering human remains and aircraft wreckage.
To identify Pile’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial evidence and exclusion by mitochondrial DNA testing on a second set of remains associated with Ward.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died. Today, more than 73,000 are unaccounted for from the conflict.
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 P. Reilly
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Nov. 2, 2015
Marine Missing From World War II Accounted For (Reilly)
The Department of 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 P. Reilly, 20, of New York, will be buried Nov. 9 in Bushnell, Fla. In November 1943, Reilly was assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, which landed against stiff Japanese resistance on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll, in an attempt to secure the island. Over several days of intense fighting, approximately 1,000 Marines were killed and more than 2,000 were wounded. Reilly was reported killed on the first day of the battle, Nov. 20, 1943.
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 Reilly’s remains were not recovered. On Feb. 10, 1949, a military review board declared Reilly 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 36 U.S. Marines who fought during the battle in November 1943. The remains were turned over to DPAA in July 2015.
To identify Reilly’s remains, scientists from DPAA used laboratory analysis, to include dental comparisons, which matched Reilly’s records, as well as circumstantial and material evidence, and personal effects recovered during the recovery operations that correlated to Reilly.
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. Martin A. King
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Nov. 2, 2015
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (King)
The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today the remains of a U.S. serviceman, unaccounted for from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. Martin A. King, 18, of Harrisburg, Pa., will be buried Nov. 9 in Annville, Pa. In early November 1950, King was assigned to Company E, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, when his unit was attacked by Chinese forces while occupying a position along the Nammyon River, near Unsan, North Korea. King was reported missing in action on Nov. 2, 1950, while his unit was conducting a fighting withdrawal to a more defensible position.
In 1953, during the prisoner of war exchanges historically known as “Operation Little Switch” and “Operation Big Switch,” American soldiers who were returned told debriefers that King had been captured during the battle and died from malnutrition at Pyoktong POW Camp. His remains were not among those returned by communist forces in 1954.
Between 1990 and 1994, North Korea returned to the United States 208 boxes of commingled human remains, which we now believe contain 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 area where King was believed to have died.
To identify King’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including mitochondrial and Y-chromosome short tandem repeat DNA analyses, which matched his brother.
Today, more than 7,800 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern 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.
Pfc. Frank Worley
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Oct. 30, 2015
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Worley)
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 Pfc. Frank Worley, 21, of Wilmington, N.C., will be buried Nov. 6 in Salisbury, N.C. On Feb. 11, 1951, Worley and elements of Battery A, 503rd Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division (ID), were occupying a position in the vicinity of Hoengsong, South Korea, when their unit was overwhelmed by Chinese forces. This attack caused the 2nd ID to withdraw south to a more defensible position. Worley was reported missing after the attack.
In 1953, during the prisoner of war exchanges historically known as “Operation Little Switch” and “Operation Big Switch,” returning American soldiers did not have any information concerning Worley. A military review board amended his status to deceased in March 1954. Worley’s remains were also not among those returned by communist forces during “Operation Glory” in 1954.
Between 1990 and 1994, North Korea returned to the United States 208 boxes of commingled human remains, which we now believe contain 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 men captured from Worley’s unit were believed to have died.
In the identification of Worley’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial evidence, dental comparison, and forensic identification tools, including mitochondrial DNA analysis and Y-chromosome short tandem repeat DNA analysis, which matched his brothers.
Today, more than 7,800 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern 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.
Cpl. Robert V. Witt
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Oct. 15, 2015
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Witt)
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. Robert V. Witt, 20, of Bellflower, Calif., will be buried Oct. 30 in Whittier, Calif. In late November 1950, Witt was assigned to 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT), 7th Infantry Division, historically known as Task Force Faith. The 31st RCT was deployed east of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, when it was attacked by overwhelming numbers of Chinese forces. On Dec. 1, 1950, remnants of the 31st RCT began a fighting withdrawal to more defensible positions near Hagaru-ri, south of the reservoir. On Dec. 2, 1950, Witt was reported as missing in action.
In 1953, during the prisoner of war exchanges historically known as “Operation Little Switch” and “Operation Big Switch,” repatriated U.S. soldiers told debriefers that Witt had been captured during the battle and died from malnutrition. His remains were not among those returned by Communist forces in 1954, however.
Between 1990 and 1994, North Korea returned to the United States 208 boxes of commingled human remains, which we now believe contain 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 area where Witt was believed to have died.
Additionally, in July 2000, a joint U.S./Democratic People’s Republic of Korea team excavated a burial site near Hwaong-Ri Village, North Korea, and recovered human remains.
To identify Witt’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including mitochondrial, Y-chromosome short tandem repeat, and autosomal chromosome DNA analyses, which matched his brother.
Today, more than 7,800 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern 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.
Cpl. George H. Mason
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Oct. 13, 2015
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Mason)
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. George H. Mason, 19, of Byhalia, Miss., will be buried Oct. 20, in his hometown. In early February 1951, Mason was assigned to 2nd Reconnaissance Company, 2nd Infantry Division, and was deployed near Chuam-ni, South Korea, when their defensive line was attacked by Chinese forces. This attack forced the unit to withdraw south to a more defensible position. Mason was reported as missing in action Feb. 14, 1951.
On June 22, 1951, the People’s Republic of China announced in a radio broadcast that Mason had been captured by enemy forces.
In 1953, during the prisoner of war exchanges historically known as “Operation Little Switch” and “Operation Big Switch,” returning U.S. soldiers who had been held as prisoners of war did not have any information concerning Mason. When no further evidence supporting his capture was available, a military review board amended his status to presumed dead.
Between 1990 and 1994, North Korea returned 208 boxes of commingled human remains to the United States, which we now believe contain the remains of at least 600 U.S. servicemen who fought during the war. North Korean documents included in the repatriation indicate that some of the remains were recovered from the area where men captured from Mason’s unit were believed to have died.
Between 1990 and 1994, North Korea returned 208 boxes of commingled human remains to the United States, which we now believe contain the remains of at least 600 U.S. servicemen who fought during the war. North Korean documents included in the repatriation indicate that some of the remains were recovered from the area where men captured from Mason’s unit were believed to have died.
Today, more than 7,800 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern 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.
Cpl. Robert E. Meyers
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Oct. 9, 2015
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Meyers)
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.
U.S. Army Cpl. Robert E. Meyers, 21, of Greencastle, Pa., will be buried Oct. 26, in Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington D.C. Meyersa assigned to Company A, 2nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, was declared missing in action, Dec. 1, 1950, after his unit was involved in combat operations in the vicinity of Sonchu, North Korea. The U.S. Army declared Meyers deceased March 2, 1954.
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 2012, due to advances in technology, the Department of Defense began to re-examine records and concluded that the possibility of identification for some of these unknowns now existed.
To identify Meyers’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial evidence, dental analysis, and chest radiographs, which matched Meyers’ records.
Today, more than 7,800 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using advances in technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously returned 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.
Cpl. Grant H. Ewing
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Oct. 9, 2015
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Ewing)
The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. soldier, missing from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. Grant H. Ewing, 28, of Fort Lupton, Colo., will be buried Oct. 19, in his hometown. In late November 1950, Ewing was assigned to Battery C, 38th Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division (ID), which was deployed north and east of the town of Kunu-ri, North Korea. On Nov. 25, 1950, 2nd ID was attacked by Chinese forces, which forced the unit to withdraw south to a more defensible position. Before they could disengage, the 2nd ID was forced to fight through a series of Chinese roadblocks, commonly known as “the Gauntlet”. Ewing was reported missing in action during this battle.
In 1953, as part of a prisoner of war exchange known as Operation Big Switch, returning American soldiers who had been held as prisoners of war reported that Ewing was among the many men captured by Chinese forces and died in February 1951, in prisoner of war Camp 5, in Pyoktong, North Korea. His remains were not among those returned by communist forces during Operation Glory in 1954.
Between 1990 and 1994, North Korea turned over to the U.S. 208 boxes of human remains now believed to contain more than 600 U.S. servicemen who fought during the war. North Korean documents turned over with some of the boxes indicated that some of the remains were recovered from the vicinity where Ewing was believed to have died.
To identify Ewing’s remains, scientists from the DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence, dental comparison, and two forms of DNA analysis including; mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosome Short Tandem Repeat DNA (Y-STR) analysis, which matched his brother.
Today, more than 7,800 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern 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.
Price, Griffin, Richardson
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Oct. 1, 2015
Soldiers Missing From Vietnam War Accounted For (Price, Griffin, Richardson)
The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of three U.S. servicemen, missing from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be buried with full military honors.
Army Maj. Dale W. Richardson, 28, of Mount Sterling, Ill.; Staff Sgt. Bunyan D. Price Jr., 20, of Monroe, N.C.; and Sgt. Rodney L. Griffin, 21, of Mexico, Mo, have been accounted for. Price was buried Apr. 11 in Belmont, N.C.; Griffin was buried Apr. 25 in his hometown; Richardson was buried Aug. 29 in Mountain View, Ark.; and the group remains representing the crew will be buried Oct. 20 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington D.C.
Richardson, Price, and Griffin, all assigned to 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, were passengers aboard an UH-1H Iroquois (Huey) helicopter that was en route to Fire Support Base Katum, South Vietnam, when it was diverted due to bad weather. After flying into Cambodian airspace, the aircraft came under heavy enemy ground fire, causing the pilot to make an emergency landing in Kampong Cham Province, Cambodia. The Huey’s four crewmen and its four passengers survived the landing. One crewman was able to evade being captured by enemy forces and later returned to friendly lines. The other three crewmen and one passenger were captured. Two of the captured crewmen were released by the Vietnamese in 1973, and the remains of the other two captured men were returned to U.S. control in the 1980s and identified. Richardson, Price, and Griffin died at the site of the crash during a fire fight with enemy forces. Their remains were not recovered after the fire fight.
From 1992 through 2008, joint U.S./Kingdom of Cambodia (K.O.C.) teams investigated the site without success. On Feb. 18, 2009, a joint team interviewed witnesses in the Memot District of Cambodia who claimed to have information on the loss. The witnesses identified a possible burial site for the unaccounted for servicemen. The team excavated the burial site but was unsuccessful locating the remains.
From Jan. 16, 2010 to March 11, 2011, joint U.S./K.O.C. teams excavated the area, but were unsuccessful recovering the crewman’s remains.
In February 2012, another joint U.S./K.O.C. team re-interviewed two of the witnesses. The witnesses identified a secondary burial site near the previously excavated site. The team excavated the secondary burial site and recovered human remains and military gear from a single grave.
In the identification of Richardson, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) analyzed circumstantial evidence and used forensic identification tools, to include mitochondrial DNA, which matched his sister.
In the identification of Price, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL analyzed circumstantial evidence and used forensic identification tools, to include mitochondrial DNA, which matched his brothers and sisters.
In the identification of Griffin, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL analyzed circumstantial evidence and used forensic identification tools, to include mitochondrial DNA, which matched his brothers.
Today there are 1,626 American service members that are still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil or call (703) 699-1420.