Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Hilgenberg)
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 Sgt. 1st Class Earl E. Hilgenberg, 23, of Ironton, Ohio, will be buried March 27 in Willow Wood, Ohio. In early November 1950, Hilgenberg 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. Hilgenberg was reported missing in action on Nov. 2, 1950, while his unit was conducting a fighting withdrawal to a more defensible position. A military board later amended his status to killed in action.
In 1953, as part of Operation Big Switch, soldiers who were returned told debriefers that Hilgenberg had been captured during the battle and died from lack of medical care. His remains were not among those returned by communist forces in 1954.
Between 1991 and 1994, North Korea turned over to the U.S. 208 boxes of human remains believed to contain more than 400 U.S. servicemen who fought during the war. North Korean documents, turned over at that time, indicated that some of the remains were recovered from the area where Hilgenberg was believed to have died.
To identify Hilgenberg’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including mitochondrial DNA, which matched his brother.
Today, 7,852 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) 699-1169.
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 18:57:062025-03-31 18:57:081st Class Earl E. Hilgenberg
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Bowers)
The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. soldier, unaccounted for from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Pfc. John R. Bowers, 18, of Piedmont S.C., will be buried March 21, in his hometown. On Feb. 11, 1951, Bowers was assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment (IR), 2nd Infantry Division (ID), which was engaged in a battle against enemy forces in the vicinity of Changbong-ni, Republic of South Korea. Enemy forces overwhelmed the 9th IR, and they were forced to withdraw to a more defensible position. On Feb. 14, 1951, Bowers was reported missing in action.
On June 20, 1951, the Chinese reported that Bowers was captured and was held in the prisoner of war camp, known as Camp 5, near Pyokdong, North Korea. On Dec. 26, 1951, Chinese forces reported that Bowers died May 3, 1951, as a result of friendly fire.
In late 1953, when no further information pertaining to Bowers was received during the prisoner of war exchange, known as “Operation Big Switch,” and his remains were not among those turned over to the U.S. by communist forces after the Armistice, a military review board amended his status to presumed dead.
Between 1991 and 1994, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (D.P.R.K) turned over to the U.S. 208 boxes of human remains believed to contain more than 400 U.S. servicemen who fought during the war. North Korean documents, turned over at that time, indicated that some of the remains were recovered from the vicinity where Bowers was believed to have died.
To identify Bowers, scientists from the DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence, dental comparison, and forensic identification tools, to include two forms of DNA analysis: mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched his sister and brother, and Y- chromosome Short Tandem Repeat (Y-STR) DNA analysis, which matched his brother.
Today, 7,852 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.
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 18:56:182025-03-31 18:56:19Pfc. John R. Bowers
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Massey)
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. Anthony Massey, Jr., 22, of Mayfield, Ky., will be buried March 14, in Mayfield, Ky. In November 1950, Massey was a member of Company C, 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division (ID), when Chinese forces conducted a major offensive attack against elements of the 25th ID and Eighth U.S. Army in northwest Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. During this battle of the Chongchon River, Massey was listed as missing in action.
After the war, returning U.S. prisoners of war reported that Massey had been captured by the Chinese during that battle and died from malnutrition in 1951, in prisoner of war Camp 5, near Pyoktong, North Korea. 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 Central Identification Unit (CIU) in Kokura, Japan, for analysis. The unidentified remains were interred as unknowns at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii, known as the “Punchbowl.”
In 2014, with advances in technology, DPAA re-examined the records from the CIU and concluded that it was possible to identify the remains. The remains were exhumed and analyzed.
To identify Massey’s remains, scientists from the DPAA used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including radiographs, which matched his records.
Today, 7,853 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) 699-1169.
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 18:54:392025-03-31 18:54:40Pfc. Anthony Massey
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Jones)
Jones –
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. Lotchie J.R. Jones, 18, of Jasper, Tenn., will be buried March 6, in Chattanooga, Tenn. In November 1950, Jones was a member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. In 1953, reports from returning prisoners of war (POW) indicated that Jones was captured by enemy forces Nov. 2, 1950, and died in a prisoner of war camp, known as Camp 5, Feb. 28, 1951.
From August 31 to Nov. 9, 1954, the United Nations and communist forces exchanged the war dead, commonly known as Operation Glory. As part of the exchange, communist forces turned over 25 boxes of remains that were believed to be American servicemen who were recovered near the vicinity where Jones was held as a POW. The remains were transferred to the U.S. Army’s Central Identification Unit (CIU) in Kokura, Japan for analysis. Out of the 25 boxes transferred to the CIU, 17 servicemen were identified; one box was believed to be that of a Korean national; and the last seven boxes of remains were unidentified. When all attempts to associate these remains to servicemen were unsuccessful, a military review board declared the remains to be unidentifiable and the remains were interred in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, commonly known as the Punchbowl.
In 2014, with the advances of technology, the DoD laboratory, re-examined the records from the CIU and concluded that the possibility of identifying the remains now existed. The remains were exhumed and analyzed.
To identify Jones’ remains, scientists from DPAA used circumstantial evidence, radiographs and dental comparison.
Today, 7.855 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 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 18:52:212025-03-31 18:52:22Pfc. Lotchie J.R. Jones
Soldier Missing from Korean War Accounted For (Jackson)
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. Floyd J.R. Jackson, 20, of Warrensburg, Mo., will be buried March 7, in Littleton, Colo. In late November 1950, Jackson was assigned to Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, which made up part of the 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT). The 31st RCT was deployed east of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, when it was attacked by overwhelming numbers of Chinese forces. On Nov. 29, 1950, remnants of the 31st RCT, known historically as Task Force Faith, began a fighting withdrawal to more defensible positions near Hagaru-ri, south of the reservoir. On Dec. 12, 1950, Jackson was reported as missing in action.
In late 1953, during a prisoner of war exchange, known as Operation Big Switch, a returning U.S. service member told U.S. debriefers that Jackson was captured by Chinese forces Dec. 12, 1950, and had died Feb. 13, 1951, while in an enemy prisoner of war camp. His remains were not among those returned by communist forces during Operation Glory in 1954.
Between 1991 and 1994, North Korea turned over to the U.S. 208 boxes of human remains believed to contain more than 400 U.S. servicemen who fought during the war. North Korean documents, turned over at that time, indicated that some of the remains were recovered from the area where Jackson was believed to have died.
From 1990 – 2005, U.S. teams excavated sites in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (D.P.R.K.), where U.S. servicemen were believed to have been lost during the Korean War. In July 2000, a U.S. team excavated a burial site near Unsan, North Korea, recovering commingled human remains.
To identify Jackson’s remains, scientists from the DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and two forms of DNA identification tools; including mitochondrial DNA, which matched Jackson’s niece and grand-nephew, and Y-chromosome Short Tandem Repeat DNA (Y-STR) analysis, which matched his nephew. The results of the DNA analysis revealed that Jackson’s remains were among those turned over by North Korea and those excavated near Unsan.
Today, 7,855 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 18:50:252025-03-31 18:52:53Sgt. Floyd J.R. Jackson
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of U.S. servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been accounted for and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.
Army Air Forces 1st Lts. William D. Bernier, 28, of Augusta, Mont., Bryant E. Poulsen, 22, of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Herbert V. Young Jr., 23, of Clarkdale, Ariz., and Tech Sgts. Charles L. Johnston, 20, of Pittsburgh, Penn., and Hugh F. Moore, 36, of Elkton, Md., Staff Sgts. John E. Copeland, 21, of Dearing, Kan., and Charles J. Jones, 24, of Athens, Ga., and Sgt. Charles A. Gardner, 32, of San Francisco, Calif., have been accounted for and buried with full military honors. Jones will be buried Feb. 28, in his hometown. Johnston will be buried March 2, in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C., and on March 18, there will be a group burial service at Arlington National Cemetery honoring Poulsen, Copeland and the other crew members. Bernier was buried Sept. 19, 2014, in his hometown. Young was buried Oct. 15, 2014, in Prescott, Ariz. Moore was buried on Nov. 11, 2014, in his hometown. Gardner was buried on Dec. 4, 2014, in Arlington National Cemetery.
On April 10, 1944, 12 B-24D Liberator crew members took off from Texter Strip, Nazdab Air Field, New Guinea, on a mission to attack an anti-aircraft site at Hansa Bay. The aircraft was shot down by enemy anti-aircraft fire over the Madang Province, New Guinea. Four of the crewmen were able to parachute from the aircraft, but were reported to have died in captivity.
Following World War II, the Army Graves Registration Service (AGRS) conducted investigations and recovered the remains of three of the missing airmen. In May 1949, AGRS concluded the remaining nine crew members were unrecoverable.
In 2001, a U.S.-led team located wreckage of a B-24D that bore the tail number of this aircraft. After several surveys, DoD teams excavated the site and recovered human remains and non-biological material evidence.
To identify Jones’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Jones’ maternal niece.
To identify Johnston’s remains, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Johnston’s maternal cousins.
To identify Gardner’s remains, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Gardner’s maternal niece and nephew.
To identify Young’s remains, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Young’s sister.
To identify Moore’s remains, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Moore’s niece and grand-niece.
To identify Bernier’s remains, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Bernier’s cousins.
To account for Poulsen and Copeland, scientists from DPAA used circumstantial evidence that placed them on the aircraft and accounted for as them as part of the group.
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) 699-1169
Airmen Missing From WWII Accounted For (Bernier, Poulsen, Young, Johnston, Moore, Copeland, Jones, Gardner)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of U.S. servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been accounted for and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.
Army Air Forces 1st Lts. William D. Bernier, 28, of Augusta, Mont., Bryant E. Poulsen, 22, of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Herbert V. Young Jr., 23, of Clarkdale, Ariz., and Tech Sgts. Charles L. Johnston, 20, of Pittsburgh, Penn., and Hugh F. Moore, 36, of Elkton, Md., Staff Sgts. John E. Copeland, 21, of Dearing, Kan., and Charles J. Jones, 24, of Athens, Ga., and Sgt. Charles A. Gardner, 32, of San Francisco, Calif., have been accounted for and buried with full military honors. Jones will be buried Feb. 28, in his hometown. Johnston will be buried March 2, in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C., and on March 18, there will be a group burial service at Arlington National Cemetery honoring Poulsen, Copeland and the other crew members. Bernier was buried Sept. 19, 2014, in his hometown. Young was buried Oct. 15, 2014, in Prescott, Ariz. Moore was buried on Nov. 11, 2014, in his hometown. Gardner was buried on Dec. 4, 2014, in Arlington National Cemetery.
On April 10, 1944, 12 B-24D Liberator crew members took off from Texter Strip, Nazdab Air Field, New Guinea, on a mission to attack an anti-aircraft site at Hansa Bay. The aircraft was shot down by enemy anti-aircraft fire over the Madang Province, New Guinea. Four of the crewmen were able to parachute from the aircraft, but were reported to have died in captivity.
Following World War II, the Army Graves Registration Service (AGRS) conducted investigations and recovered the remains of three of the missing airmen. In May 1949, AGRS concluded the remaining nine crew members were unrecoverable.
In 2001, a U.S.-led team located wreckage of a B-24D that bore the tail number of this aircraft. After several surveys, DoD teams excavated the site and recovered human remains and non-biological material evidence.
To identify Jones’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Jones’ maternal niece.
To identify Johnston’s remains, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Johnston’s maternal cousins.
To identify Gardner’s remains, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Gardner’s maternal niece and nephew.
To identify Young’s remains, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Young’s sister.
To identify Moore’s remains, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Moore’s niece and grand-niece.
To identify Bernier’s remains, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Bernier’s cousins.
To account for Poulsen and Copeland, scientists from DPAA used circumstantial evidence that placed them on the aircraft and accounted for as them as part of the group.
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) 699-1169.
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Bolden)
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. C G. Bolden, 23, of Shirley, Ark., will be buried Feb. 21 in Clinton, Ark. In January 1951, Bolden was assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. His unit engaged enemy forces near Hoengsong, South Korea, when they were attacked by Chinese forces which forced a withdrawal south to a more defensible position. Bolden was reported as missing in action Jan. 5, 1951.
In late 1953, during a prisoner of war exchange, known as Operation Big Switch, a returning U.S. service member told U.S. debriefers that Bolden was captured by Chinese forces and had died from malnutrition in April 1951while in enemy control. His remains were not among those returned by communist forces during Operation Glory in 1954.
Between 1991 and 1994, North Korea turned over to the U.S. 208 boxes of human remains believed to contain more than 400 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 Bolden was believed to have died.
To identify Bolden’s remains, scientists from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence, dental and radiograph comparison, and two forms of DNA; mitochondrial DNA, which matched his sister and brother and Y-chromosome Short Tandem Repeat DNA (Y-STR) analysis, which matched his brother.
Today, 7,855 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were 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 web site at www.dpaa.mil or call (703) 699-1169.
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 18:44:382025-03-31 18:48:40Cpl. C G. Bolden
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing since World War II, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
U.S. Army Air Forces 1st Lt. James F. Gatlin, 25, of Jacksonville, Fla., will be buried Jan. 30, in Bushnell, Fla. On Dec. 23, 1944, Gatlin and his crew of five were assigned to the 575th Bombardment Squadron, 391st Bombardment Group, 9th Air Force and were deployed to Germany. Gatlin was a co-pilot of a B-26C Marauder that crashed after being struck by enemy fire while on a bombing mission against enemy forces near Ahrweiler, Germany. Gatlin and four other crew members were reported killed in action. His remains were not recovered during the war.
One of the crew members parachuted from the aircraft but was captured and held as a prisoner of war by German forces. Following his release, he reported to U. S. officials that he had no knowledge of the fate of the remaining crewmen.
Following the war, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC) conducted investigations on the loss of Gatlin and his crew and successfully located the crash site, near Manderscheid and Bettenfeld. The remains of two crewmen were recovered.
On May 27, 1999, a U.S. team investigating World War II losses in Germany visited a crash site near Bettenfeld. Two German nationals had researched the crash site and showed the team artifacts that were found and turned over remains collected from the site. Those remains were identified as Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Joe R. Sanchez, 20, of Los Nietos, Calif. He was accounted for in March 2011, and returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Between 2011 and 2014, Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) teams traveled to Bettenfeld and conducted operations at the crash site.
To identify Gatlin’s remains, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used forensic identification tools to include mitochondrial DNA, which matched his cousins.
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.
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 18:42:582025-03-31 18:42:591st Lt. James F. Gatlin
Marine Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Blasdel)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) 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.
Marine Cpl. William S. Blasdel, 26, of Freeport, Ill., was buried June 9, 2014, in National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. In November 1950, Blasdel was assigned to Company H, 3rd Battalion, 11th Regiment, 1st Marine Division, when his unit was deployed south of the North Korean village of Yudam-ni on the western bank of the Chosin Reservoir. On November 28, Blasdel was in his forward observer position near Fox Hill, when his position was struck by enemy mortar rounds. It was during these attacks that his unit was overwhelmed and began a fighting withdrawal south. Blasdel was presumed to have been killed in action during the attacks.
In late 1954, Chinese forces repatriated unknown remains they claimed to have recovered from Blasdel’s last known location.
A military review board in December 1955, declared the remains as unidentifiable and the remains were transferred to Hawaii to be buried as unknown in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the “Punchbowl.”
In 2013, due to advances in forensic science technology, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) determined that the possibility of identifying the remains now existed. The unknown remains were disinterred for analysis and possible identification.
In the identification of Blasdel, scientists from JPAC used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, to include dental comparison and radiograph comparisons, which matched his records.
Today, 7,860 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 from North Korea by American teams.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
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 18:41:302025-03-31 18:41:32Cpl. William S. Blasdel
1st Class Earl E. Hilgenberg
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | March 20, 2015
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Hilgenberg)
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 Sgt. 1st Class Earl E. Hilgenberg, 23, of Ironton, Ohio, will be buried March 27 in Willow Wood, Ohio. In early November 1950, Hilgenberg 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. Hilgenberg was reported missing in action on Nov. 2, 1950, while his unit was conducting a fighting withdrawal to a more defensible position. A military board later amended his status to killed in action.
In 1953, as part of Operation Big Switch, soldiers who were returned told debriefers that Hilgenberg had been captured during the battle and died from lack of medical care. His remains were not among those returned by communist forces in 1954.
Between 1991 and 1994, North Korea turned over to the U.S. 208 boxes of human remains believed to contain more than 400 U.S. servicemen who fought during the war. North Korean documents, turned over at that time, indicated that some of the remains were recovered from the area where Hilgenberg was believed to have died.
To identify Hilgenberg’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including mitochondrial DNA, which matched his brother.
Today, 7,852 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) 699-1169.
Pfc. John R. Bowers
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | March 17, 2015
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Bowers)
The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. soldier, unaccounted for from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Pfc. John R. Bowers, 18, of Piedmont S.C., will be buried March 21, in his hometown. On Feb. 11, 1951, Bowers was assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment (IR), 2nd Infantry Division (ID), which was engaged in a battle against enemy forces in the vicinity of Changbong-ni, Republic of South Korea. Enemy forces overwhelmed the 9th IR, and they were forced to withdraw to a more defensible position. On Feb. 14, 1951, Bowers was reported missing in action.
On June 20, 1951, the Chinese reported that Bowers was captured and was held in the prisoner of war camp, known as Camp 5, near Pyokdong, North Korea. On Dec. 26, 1951, Chinese forces reported that Bowers died May 3, 1951, as a result of friendly fire.
In late 1953, when no further information pertaining to Bowers was received during the prisoner of war exchange, known as “Operation Big Switch,” and his remains were not among those turned over to the U.S. by communist forces after the Armistice, a military review board amended his status to presumed dead.
Between 1991 and 1994, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (D.P.R.K) turned over to the U.S. 208 boxes of human remains believed to contain more than 400 U.S. servicemen who fought during the war. North Korean documents, turned over at that time, indicated that some of the remains were recovered from the vicinity where Bowers was believed to have died.
To identify Bowers, scientists from the DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence, dental comparison, and forensic identification tools, to include two forms of DNA analysis: mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched his sister and brother, and Y- chromosome Short Tandem Repeat (Y-STR) DNA analysis, which matched his brother.
Today, 7,852 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.
Pfc. Anthony Massey
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | March 9, 2015
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Massey)
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. Anthony Massey, Jr., 22, of Mayfield, Ky., will be buried March 14, in Mayfield, Ky. In November 1950, Massey was a member of Company C, 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division (ID), when Chinese forces conducted a major offensive attack against elements of the 25th ID and Eighth U.S. Army in northwest Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. During this battle of the Chongchon River, Massey was listed as missing in action.
After the war, returning U.S. prisoners of war reported that Massey had been captured by the Chinese during that battle and died from malnutrition in 1951, in prisoner of war Camp 5, near Pyoktong, North Korea. 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 Central Identification Unit (CIU) in Kokura, Japan, for analysis. The unidentified remains were interred as unknowns at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii, known as the “Punchbowl.”
In 2014, with advances in technology, DPAA re-examined the records from the CIU and concluded that it was possible to identify the remains. The remains were exhumed and analyzed.
To identify Massey’s remains, scientists from the DPAA used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including radiographs, which matched his records.
Today, 7,853 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) 699-1169.
Pfc. Lotchie J.R. Jones
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Feb. 27, 2015
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Jones)
Jones –
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. Lotchie J.R. Jones, 18, of Jasper, Tenn., will be buried March 6, in Chattanooga, Tenn. In November 1950, Jones was a member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. In 1953, reports from returning prisoners of war (POW) indicated that Jones was captured by enemy forces Nov. 2, 1950, and died in a prisoner of war camp, known as Camp 5, Feb. 28, 1951.
From August 31 to Nov. 9, 1954, the United Nations and communist forces exchanged the war dead, commonly known as Operation Glory. As part of the exchange, communist forces turned over 25 boxes of remains that were believed to be American servicemen who were recovered near the vicinity where Jones was held as a POW. The remains were transferred to the U.S. Army’s Central Identification Unit (CIU) in Kokura, Japan for analysis. Out of the 25 boxes transferred to the CIU, 17 servicemen were identified; one box was believed to be that of a Korean national; and the last seven boxes of remains were unidentified. When all attempts to associate these remains to servicemen were unsuccessful, a military review board declared the remains to be unidentifiable and the remains were interred in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, commonly known as the Punchbowl.
In 2014, with the advances of technology, the DoD laboratory, re-examined the records from the CIU and concluded that the possibility of identifying the remains now existed. The remains were exhumed and analyzed.
To identify Jones’ remains, scientists from DPAA used circumstantial evidence, radiographs and dental comparison.
Today, 7.855 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 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.
Sgt. Floyd J.R. Jackson
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Feb. 27, 2015
Soldier Missing from Korean War Accounted For (Jackson)
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. Floyd J.R. Jackson, 20, of Warrensburg, Mo., will be buried March 7, in Littleton, Colo. In late November 1950, Jackson was assigned to Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, which made up part of the 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT). The 31st RCT was deployed east of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, when it was attacked by overwhelming numbers of Chinese forces. On Nov. 29, 1950, remnants of the 31st RCT, known historically as Task Force Faith, began a fighting withdrawal to more defensible positions near Hagaru-ri, south of the reservoir. On Dec. 12, 1950, Jackson was reported as missing in action.
In late 1953, during a prisoner of war exchange, known as Operation Big Switch, a returning U.S. service member told U.S. debriefers that Jackson was captured by Chinese forces Dec. 12, 1950, and had died Feb. 13, 1951, while in an enemy prisoner of war camp. His remains were not among those returned by communist forces during Operation Glory in 1954.
Between 1991 and 1994, North Korea turned over to the U.S. 208 boxes of human remains believed to contain more than 400 U.S. servicemen who fought during the war. North Korean documents, turned over at that time, indicated that some of the remains were recovered from the area where Jackson was believed to have died.
From 1990 – 2005, U.S. teams excavated sites in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (D.P.R.K.), where U.S. servicemen were believed to have been lost during the Korean War. In July 2000, a U.S. team excavated a burial site near Unsan, North Korea, recovering commingled human remains.
To identify Jackson’s remains, scientists from the DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and two forms of DNA identification tools; including mitochondrial DNA, which matched Jackson’s niece and grand-nephew, and Y-chromosome Short Tandem Repeat DNA (Y-STR) analysis, which matched his nephew. The results of the DNA analysis revealed that Jackson’s remains were among those turned over by North Korea and those excavated near Unsan.
Today, 7,855 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.
Bernier, Poulsen, Young, Johnston, Moore, Copeland, Jones, Gardner
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Feb. 23, 2015
Airmen Missing From WWII Accounted For (Johnston)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of U.S. servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been accounted for and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.
Army Air Forces 1st Lts. William D. Bernier, 28, of Augusta, Mont., Bryant E. Poulsen, 22, of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Herbert V. Young Jr., 23, of Clarkdale, Ariz., and Tech Sgts. Charles L. Johnston, 20, of Pittsburgh, Penn., and Hugh F. Moore, 36, of Elkton, Md., Staff Sgts. John E. Copeland, 21, of Dearing, Kan., and Charles J. Jones, 24, of Athens, Ga., and Sgt. Charles A. Gardner, 32, of San Francisco, Calif., have been accounted for and buried with full military honors. Jones will be buried Feb. 28, in his hometown. Johnston will be buried March 2, in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C., and on March 18, there will be a group burial service at Arlington National Cemetery honoring Poulsen, Copeland and the other crew members. Bernier was buried Sept. 19, 2014, in his hometown. Young was buried Oct. 15, 2014, in Prescott, Ariz. Moore was buried on Nov. 11, 2014, in his hometown. Gardner was buried on Dec. 4, 2014, in Arlington National Cemetery.
On April 10, 1944, 12 B-24D Liberator crew members took off from Texter Strip, Nazdab Air Field, New Guinea, on a mission to attack an anti-aircraft site at Hansa Bay. The aircraft was shot down by enemy anti-aircraft fire over the Madang Province, New Guinea. Four of the crewmen were able to parachute from the aircraft, but were reported to have died in captivity.
Following World War II, the Army Graves Registration Service (AGRS) conducted investigations and recovered the remains of three of the missing airmen. In May 1949, AGRS concluded the remaining nine crew members were unrecoverable.
In 2001, a U.S.-led team located wreckage of a B-24D that bore the tail number of this aircraft. After several surveys, DoD teams excavated the site and recovered human remains and non-biological material evidence.
To identify Jones’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Jones’ maternal niece.
To identify Johnston’s remains, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Johnston’s maternal cousins.
To identify Gardner’s remains, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Gardner’s maternal niece and nephew.
To identify Young’s remains, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Young’s sister.
To identify Moore’s remains, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Moore’s niece and grand-niece.
To identify Bernier’s remains, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Bernier’s cousins.
To account for Poulsen and Copeland, scientists from DPAA used circumstantial evidence that placed them on the aircraft and accounted for as them as part of the group.
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) 699-1169
Bernier, Poulsen, Young, Johnston, Moore, Copeland, Jones, Gardner
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Feb. 23, 2015
Airmen Missing From WWII Accounted For (Bernier, Poulsen, Young, Johnston, Moore, Copeland, Jones, Gardner)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of U.S. servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been accounted for and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.
Army Air Forces 1st Lts. William D. Bernier, 28, of Augusta, Mont., Bryant E. Poulsen, 22, of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Herbert V. Young Jr., 23, of Clarkdale, Ariz., and Tech Sgts. Charles L. Johnston, 20, of Pittsburgh, Penn., and Hugh F. Moore, 36, of Elkton, Md., Staff Sgts. John E. Copeland, 21, of Dearing, Kan., and Charles J. Jones, 24, of Athens, Ga., and Sgt. Charles A. Gardner, 32, of San Francisco, Calif., have been accounted for and buried with full military honors. Jones will be buried Feb. 28, in his hometown. Johnston will be buried March 2, in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C., and on March 18, there will be a group burial service at Arlington National Cemetery honoring Poulsen, Copeland and the other crew members. Bernier was buried Sept. 19, 2014, in his hometown. Young was buried Oct. 15, 2014, in Prescott, Ariz. Moore was buried on Nov. 11, 2014, in his hometown. Gardner was buried on Dec. 4, 2014, in Arlington National Cemetery.
On April 10, 1944, 12 B-24D Liberator crew members took off from Texter Strip, Nazdab Air Field, New Guinea, on a mission to attack an anti-aircraft site at Hansa Bay. The aircraft was shot down by enemy anti-aircraft fire over the Madang Province, New Guinea. Four of the crewmen were able to parachute from the aircraft, but were reported to have died in captivity.
Following World War II, the Army Graves Registration Service (AGRS) conducted investigations and recovered the remains of three of the missing airmen. In May 1949, AGRS concluded the remaining nine crew members were unrecoverable.
In 2001, a U.S.-led team located wreckage of a B-24D that bore the tail number of this aircraft. After several surveys, DoD teams excavated the site and recovered human remains and non-biological material evidence.
To identify Jones’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Jones’ maternal niece.
To identify Johnston’s remains, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Johnston’s maternal cousins.
To identify Gardner’s remains, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Gardner’s maternal niece and nephew.
To identify Young’s remains, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Young’s sister.
To identify Moore’s remains, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Moore’s niece and grand-niece.
To identify Bernier’s remains, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Bernier’s cousins.
To account for Poulsen and Copeland, scientists from DPAA used circumstantial evidence that placed them on the aircraft and accounted for as them as part of the group.
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) 699-1169.
Cpl. C G. Bolden
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Feb. 13, 2015
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Bolden)
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. C G. Bolden, 23, of Shirley, Ark., will be buried Feb. 21 in Clinton, Ark. In January 1951, Bolden was assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. His unit engaged enemy forces near Hoengsong, South Korea, when they were attacked by Chinese forces which forced a withdrawal south to a more defensible position. Bolden was reported as missing in action Jan. 5, 1951.
In late 1953, during a prisoner of war exchange, known as Operation Big Switch, a returning U.S. service member told U.S. debriefers that Bolden was captured by Chinese forces and had died from malnutrition in April 1951while in enemy control. His remains were not among those returned by communist forces during Operation Glory in 1954.
Between 1991 and 1994, North Korea turned over to the U.S. 208 boxes of human remains believed to contain more than 400 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 Bolden was believed to have died.
To identify Bolden’s remains, scientists from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence, dental and radiograph comparison, and two forms of DNA; mitochondrial DNA, which matched his sister and brother and Y-chromosome Short Tandem Repeat DNA (Y-STR) analysis, which matched his brother.
Today, 7,855 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were 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 web site at www.dpaa.mil or call (703) 699-1169.
1st Lt. James F. Gatlin
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Jan. 26, 2015
Airman Missing From WWII Accounted For (Gatlin)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing since World War II, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
U.S. Army Air Forces 1st Lt. James F. Gatlin, 25, of Jacksonville, Fla., will be buried Jan. 30, in Bushnell, Fla. On Dec. 23, 1944, Gatlin and his crew of five were assigned to the 575th Bombardment Squadron, 391st Bombardment Group, 9th Air Force and were deployed to Germany. Gatlin was a co-pilot of a B-26C Marauder that crashed after being struck by enemy fire while on a bombing mission against enemy forces near Ahrweiler, Germany. Gatlin and four other crew members were reported killed in action. His remains were not recovered during the war.
One of the crew members parachuted from the aircraft but was captured and held as a prisoner of war by German forces. Following his release, he reported to U. S. officials that he had no knowledge of the fate of the remaining crewmen.
Following the war, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC) conducted investigations on the loss of Gatlin and his crew and successfully located the crash site, near Manderscheid and Bettenfeld. The remains of two crewmen were recovered.
On May 27, 1999, a U.S. team investigating World War II losses in Germany visited a crash site near Bettenfeld. Two German nationals had researched the crash site and showed the team artifacts that were found and turned over remains collected from the site. Those remains were identified as Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Joe R. Sanchez, 20, of Los Nietos, Calif. He was accounted for in March 2011, and returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Between 2011 and 2014, Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) teams traveled to Bettenfeld and conducted operations at the crash site.
To identify Gatlin’s remains, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used forensic identification tools to include mitochondrial DNA, which matched his cousins.
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.
Cpl. William S. Blasdel
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Jan. 20, 2015
Marine Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Blasdel)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) 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.
Marine Cpl. William S. Blasdel, 26, of Freeport, Ill., was buried June 9, 2014, in National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. In November 1950, Blasdel was assigned to Company H, 3rd Battalion, 11th Regiment, 1st Marine Division, when his unit was deployed south of the North Korean village of Yudam-ni on the western bank of the Chosin Reservoir. On November 28, Blasdel was in his forward observer position near Fox Hill, when his position was struck by enemy mortar rounds. It was during these attacks that his unit was overwhelmed and began a fighting withdrawal south. Blasdel was presumed to have been killed in action during the attacks.
In late 1954, Chinese forces repatriated unknown remains they claimed to have recovered from Blasdel’s last known location.
A military review board in December 1955, declared the remains as unidentifiable and the remains were transferred to Hawaii to be buried as unknown in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the “Punchbowl.”
In 2013, due to advances in forensic science technology, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) determined that the possibility of identifying the remains now existed. The unknown remains were disinterred for analysis and possible identification.
In the identification of Blasdel, scientists from JPAC used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, to include dental comparison and radiograph comparisons, which matched his records.
Today, 7,860 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 from North Korea by American teams.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.