Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Sanchez)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that 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. Gilberto L. Sanchez, 19, of New Braunfels, Texas, will be buried Jan. 23, in San Antonio. In late November 1950, Sanchez was assigned to Medical Company, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 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 Dec. 1, 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. 2, 1950, Sanchez was reported as missing in action.
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 Sanchez was believed to have died.
To identify Sanchez’s remains, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools including mitochondrial DNA, which matched Sanchez’s sister and brothers, and Y-STR DNA analysis, which matched his brothers.
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 by American 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 18:40:512025-03-31 18:40:52Sgt Gilberto L. Sanchez
Soldier Missing from Korean War Accounted For (Hannah)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) 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 Sgt.1st Class Gordon L. Hannah, 27, of Grand Rapids, Minn., will be buried Jan. 7, 2015, in Fort Snelling, Minn. On Jan. 28, 1951, Hannah was assigned to Company K, 3rd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division (ID), which was engaged in a battle against enemy forces in the vicinity of Wonju, Republic of South Korea. Hannah was reported missing in action after the battle.
In late 1953, as part of a prisoner of war exchange, known as “Operation Big Switch,” returning U.S. soldiers told debriefers that Hannah was captured Jan. 28, 1951, by enemy forces and died from dysentery in early 1951 at Suan Bean Camp. His remains were not among those turned over to the U.S. by communist forces after the Armistice.
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 Hannah was believed to have died. In addition, in late 2000, a joint U.S./D.P.R.K. team excavated a purported burial site near Kujang, North Korea, where they recovered commingled human remains. Hannah’s remains were recovered during these two field activities. To identify Hannah scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence, dental and radiograph comparison, and forensic identification tools, to include two forms of DNA analysis mitochondrial DNA, which matched his niece and nephew and Y-STR DNA, which matched his son.
Today, 7,865 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 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 17:33:102025-03-31 17:45:13Sgt 1st Class Gordon L. Hannah
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, lost during World War II, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Air Forces Maj. Peyton S. Mathis, Jr., 28, of Montgomery, Ala., will be buried Jan. 3, 2015, in his hometown. On June 5, 1944, Mathis was the pilot of a P-38J Lightning on a bombing mission on Japanese gun positions in the Shortland-Poporang area of the northern Solomons Islands. En route Mathis lost power in his right engine. At approximately the same time the mission was canceled. Mathis crashed while attempting to land at Kukum Air Field on Guadalcanal Island in the Solomon Islands. A rescue team located the crash site the same day, but was unable to recover Mathis because the aircraft was submerged in water in a dense jungle swamp.
In 1949, an Army Graves Registration Company searched for Mathis’ P-38J, but was unable to locate it. He was subsequently declared nonrecoverable.
In 2012, while surveying another crash site, Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) was led by local individuals to another crash site. JPAC surveyed the area and in 2013 JPAC excavated the site. While there in 2013 the team took possession of additional remains that were in custody of the local police department. These additional remains were reported as being found by local villagers prior to the team’s arrival to excavate the site.
To identify Mathis’ remains, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, to include dental comparisons and mitochondrial DNA, which matched Mathis’ maternal-line cousin.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPMO website 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 17:32:202025-03-31 17:32:22Maj. Peyton S. Mathis
Soldier Missing from Korean War Accounted For (La Rossa)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) 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 Pfc. Anthony R. La Rossa, 18, of Brooklyn, N.Y., will be buried Dec. 15, 2014, in Farmingdale, N.Y. On Feb. 11, 1951, La Rossa was assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, as part of Support Force 21. They were deployed near Changbong-ni, South Korea, when their defensive line was attacked by Chinese forces, forcing the unit to withdraw south to a more defensible position. La Rossa was reported as missing in action Feb. 13, 1951.
Reports received after the battle indicated that La Rossa had been captured by Chinese forces and died while in captivity, but these were not substantiated by any eyewitness accounts of American POWs who returned. His remains were not among those returned by communist forces after the Armistice in 1953, or in Operation Glory in 1954. When no information regarding La Rossa was received, a military review board declared him presumed dead and his remains unrecoverable.
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 La Rossa was believed to have died.
To identify La Rossa’s remains, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, to include mitochondrial DNA, which matched his brother.
Today, 7,867 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 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 17:30:042025-03-31 17:30:05Pfc. Anthony R. La Rossa
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Smith)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from the Korean War, were recently identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. Leland F. Smith, 18, of Angola, Ind., will be buried Dec. 8, in Angola, Ind. On the night of Nov. 27, 1950, elements of the 25th Infantry Division (ID) and 35th Infantry Regiment (IR) were engaged in fighting when Chinese forces attacked their position near the Ch’ongch’on River, North Korea. Due to extensive losses and casualties, Smith’s unit began a fighting withdrawal south. On Nov. 28, 1950, Smith was reported missing in action.
In late 1953, as part of a prisoner of war exchange, known as “Operation Big Switch,” a returning U.S. service member told debriefers that Smith was captured by enemy forces and later died of malnutrition in February 1951 at prisoner of war Camp 5, in Pyokdong. In 1954, a military review board changed his status from missing in action to presumed dead.
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 Smith was believed to have died.
On Oct. 6, 2000, a Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC)/Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (D.P.R.K.) team excavated a purported burial site near the Kujang, North Korea, recovering remains.
In identifying of Smith’s remains, scientists from the JPAC and Armed Forces DNA Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including two forms of DNA analysis: mitochondrial DNA, which matched his sister, half-sister, nieces and nephew, and autosomal Short Tandem Report DNA (auSTR), which matched his sisters.
Today, 7,868 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 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 17:29:122025-03-31 17:40:32Cpl. Leland F. Smith
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office 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 will be buried with full military honors. Gardner will be buried Dec. 4 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
On April 10, 1944, Gardner, along with 11 other 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, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) teams excavated the site and recovered human remains and non-biological material evidence.
To identify Gardner’s remains, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Gardner’s maternal niece and nephew.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Skeens)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from the Korean War, were recently identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. Lonald D. Skeens, 19, of Denver, Ky., will be buried Nov. 30, in Paintsville, Ky. On Sept. 3, 1950, Skeens and elements of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, were overrun by enemy forces near Haman, South Korea. After the battle, Skeens was reported as missing in action.
In 1951, Korean National Police recovered remains associated with the battle and turned them over to U.S. officials. The U.S. Army was unable to identify Skeens’ remains at the time, and he was buried as “unknown” in the U.N. Cemetery at Tanggok, South Korea. Later that year, the U.S. consolidated cemeteries on the peninsula and the remains were sent to the U.S. Army’s Central Identification Unit in Kokura, Japan, to determine whether they could be identified. When scientific analysis determined identification of the remains was not possible, Skeens’ remains were transferred to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii and reinterred as “unknown.”
In 2011, due to advances in identification technology, analysts from DPMO and the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) reevaluated the information associated with the remains interred in Hawaii and concluded that they could likely be identified.
In the identification of Skeens’ remains, scientists from the JPAC used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including skeletal comparison.
Today, 7871 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were buried as unknowns in American cemeteries and those 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 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 17:24:492025-03-31 17:24:50Cpl. Lonald D. Skeens
Soldier Missing from Korean War Accounted For (Barra)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) 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 Sgt. Michael J. Barra, 18, of Ithaca, N.Y., will be buried Nov. 22, in Ithica, N.Y. In late November 1950, Barra was assigned to Company C, 2nd Engineer Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division (ID), which was deployed north and northeast of Kunu-ri, North Korea, when their defensive line was attacked by Chinese forces, forcing the unit to withdraw 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.” Barra was reported missing in action after the battle.
Returning American soldiers who had been held as prisoners of war and released after the Armistice, reported that Barra had been captured Dec. 1, 1950, by Chinese forces and died Feb. 20, 1951, in a prisoner of war camp, known as Camp 5, in Pyokdong, North Korea.
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 vicinity where Barra was believed to have died.
To identify Barra’s remains, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, to include two forms of DNA analysis; mitochondrial DNA, which matched his sister and brother and Y-STR DNA, which matched his brother.
Today, 7,874 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 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 17:22:582025-03-31 17:23:28Sgt. Michael J. Barra
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office 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 Sgt. John E. Copeland, 21, of Dearing, Kan., and Sgt. Charles A. Gardner, 32, of San Francisco, Calif., have been accounted for and will be buried with full military honors. Moore will be buried Nov. 11 in hometown. Bernier was buried Sept. 19 in his hometown. Young was buried Oct. 15 in Prescott, Ariz. The other service members will be buried at dates and locations still to be determined.
On April 10, 1944, Bernier, along with 11 other 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, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) teams excavated the site and recovered human remains and non-biological material evidence.
To identify Moore’s remains, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Moore’s niece and grand-niece.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPMO website at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
Soldier Missing From Vietnam War Accounted For (Van Bendegom)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing from the Vietnam War, who died in captivity in 1967, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Staff Sgt. James L. Van Bendegom, 19, of Kenosha, Wis., will be buried Nov. 11, 2014, in Kenosha, Wis. On July 12, 1967, Van Bendegom was assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, as a member of a patrol that was overrun by enemy forces in South Vietnam, near the Cambodian border. During this attack, Van Bendegom was captured by enemy forces and returning POWs later reported that he died from wounds sustained during the attack.
On March 14, 1986, a Vietnamese national in a refugee camp in Thailand, turned over to U.S. custody, remains of what were purported to be an American service member. Information provided by the Vietnamese national did not correlate with any unaccounted for service members.
In mid 2000, due to the advances in technology, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) re-examined the remains and determined that there was a possibility for identification.
In the identification of Van Bendegom, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including two forms of DNA analysis; mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosome Short Tandem Report DNA (Y-STR), which matched his brothers.
Today there are 1,639 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, visit the DPMO website 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 17:19:432025-03-31 17:19:45Staff Sgt. James L. Van Bendegom
Sgt Gilberto L. Sanchez
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Jan. 16, 2015
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Sanchez)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that 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. Gilberto L. Sanchez, 19, of New Braunfels, Texas, will be buried Jan. 23, in San Antonio. In late November 1950, Sanchez was assigned to Medical Company, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 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 Dec. 1, 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. 2, 1950, Sanchez was reported as missing in action.
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 Sanchez was believed to have died.
To identify Sanchez’s remains, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools including mitochondrial DNA, which matched Sanchez’s sister and brothers, and Y-STR DNA analysis, which matched his brothers.
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 by American teams.
Sgt 1st Class Gordon L. Hannah
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Dec. 29, 2014
Soldier Missing from Korean War Accounted For (Hannah)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) 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 Sgt.1st Class Gordon L. Hannah, 27, of Grand Rapids, Minn., will be buried Jan. 7, 2015, in Fort Snelling, Minn. On Jan. 28, 1951, Hannah was assigned to Company K, 3rd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division (ID), which was engaged in a battle against enemy forces in the vicinity of Wonju, Republic of South Korea. Hannah was reported missing in action after the battle.
In late 1953, as part of a prisoner of war exchange, known as “Operation Big Switch,” returning U.S. soldiers told debriefers that Hannah was captured Jan. 28, 1951, by enemy forces and died from dysentery in early 1951 at Suan Bean Camp. His remains were not among those turned over to the U.S. by communist forces after the Armistice.
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 Hannah was believed to have died. In addition, in late 2000, a joint U.S./D.P.R.K. team excavated a purported burial site near Kujang, North Korea, where they recovered commingled human remains. Hannah’s remains were recovered during these two field activities. To identify Hannah scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence, dental and radiograph comparison, and forensic identification tools, to include two forms of DNA analysis mitochondrial DNA, which matched his niece and nephew and Y-STR DNA, which matched his son.
Today, 7,865 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 DPMO web site at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
Maj. Peyton S. Mathis
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Dec. 29, 2014
Airman Missing From WWII Accounted For (Mathis)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, lost during World War II, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Air Forces Maj. Peyton S. Mathis, Jr., 28, of Montgomery, Ala., will be buried Jan. 3, 2015, in his hometown. On June 5, 1944, Mathis was the pilot of a P-38J Lightning on a bombing mission on Japanese gun positions in the Shortland-Poporang area of the northern Solomons Islands. En route Mathis lost power in his right engine. At approximately the same time the mission was canceled. Mathis crashed while attempting to land at Kukum Air Field on Guadalcanal Island in the Solomon Islands. A rescue team located the crash site the same day, but was unable to recover Mathis because the aircraft was submerged in water in a dense jungle swamp.
In 1949, an Army Graves Registration Company searched for Mathis’ P-38J, but was unable to locate it. He was subsequently declared nonrecoverable.
In 2012, while surveying another crash site, Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) was led by local individuals to another crash site. JPAC surveyed the area and in 2013 JPAC excavated the site. While there in 2013 the team took possession of additional remains that were in custody of the local police department. These additional remains were reported as being found by local villagers prior to the team’s arrival to excavate the site.
To identify Mathis’ remains, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, to include dental comparisons and mitochondrial DNA, which matched Mathis’ maternal-line cousin.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPMO website at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
Pfc. Anthony R. La Rossa
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Dec. 8, 2014
Soldier Missing from Korean War Accounted For (La Rossa)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) 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 Pfc. Anthony R. La Rossa, 18, of Brooklyn, N.Y., will be buried Dec. 15, 2014, in Farmingdale, N.Y. On Feb. 11, 1951, La Rossa was assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, as part of Support Force 21. They were deployed near Changbong-ni, South Korea, when their defensive line was attacked by Chinese forces, forcing the unit to withdraw south to a more defensible position. La Rossa was reported as missing in action Feb. 13, 1951.
Reports received after the battle indicated that La Rossa had been captured by Chinese forces and died while in captivity, but these were not substantiated by any eyewitness accounts of American POWs who returned. His remains were not among those returned by communist forces after the Armistice in 1953, or in Operation Glory in 1954. When no information regarding La Rossa was received, a military review board declared him presumed dead and his remains unrecoverable.
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 La Rossa was believed to have died.
To identify La Rossa’s remains, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, to include mitochondrial DNA, which matched his brother.
Today, 7,867 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 DPMO web site at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
Cpl. Leland F. Smith
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Dec. 4, 2014
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Smith)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from the Korean War, were recently identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. Leland F. Smith, 18, of Angola, Ind., will be buried Dec. 8, in Angola, Ind. On the night of Nov. 27, 1950, elements of the 25th Infantry Division (ID) and 35th Infantry Regiment (IR) were engaged in fighting when Chinese forces attacked their position near the Ch’ongch’on River, North Korea. Due to extensive losses and casualties, Smith’s unit began a fighting withdrawal south. On Nov. 28, 1950, Smith was reported missing in action.
In late 1953, as part of a prisoner of war exchange, known as “Operation Big Switch,” a returning U.S. service member told debriefers that Smith was captured by enemy forces and later died of malnutrition in February 1951 at prisoner of war Camp 5, in Pyokdong. In 1954, a military review board changed his status from missing in action to presumed dead.
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 Smith was believed to have died.
On Oct. 6, 2000, a Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC)/Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (D.P.R.K.) team excavated a purported burial site near the Kujang, North Korea, recovering remains.
In identifying of Smith’s remains, scientists from the JPAC and Armed Forces DNA Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including two forms of DNA analysis: mitochondrial DNA, which matched his sister, half-sister, nieces and nephew, and autosomal Short Tandem Report DNA (auSTR), which matched his sisters.
Today, 7,868 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 DPMO web site at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
Bernier, Poulsen, Young, Johnston, Moore, Copeland, Jones, Gardner
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Nov. 25, 2014
Airmen Missing From WWII Accounted For (Gardner)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office 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 will be buried with full military honors. Gardner will be buried Dec. 4 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
On April 10, 1944, Gardner, along with 11 other 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, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) teams excavated the site and recovered human remains and non-biological material evidence.
To identify Gardner’s remains, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Gardner’s maternal niece and nephew.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
Cpl. Lonald D. Skeens
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Nov. 17, 2014
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Skeens)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from the Korean War, were recently identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. Lonald D. Skeens, 19, of Denver, Ky., will be buried Nov. 30, in Paintsville, Ky. On Sept. 3, 1950, Skeens and elements of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, were overrun by enemy forces near Haman, South Korea. After the battle, Skeens was reported as missing in action.
In 1951, Korean National Police recovered remains associated with the battle and turned them over to U.S. officials. The U.S. Army was unable to identify Skeens’ remains at the time, and he was buried as “unknown” in the U.N. Cemetery at Tanggok, South Korea. Later that year, the U.S. consolidated cemeteries on the peninsula and the remains were sent to the U.S. Army’s Central Identification Unit in Kokura, Japan, to determine whether they could be identified. When scientific analysis determined identification of the remains was not possible, Skeens’ remains were transferred to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii and reinterred as “unknown.”
In 2011, due to advances in identification technology, analysts from DPMO and the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) reevaluated the information associated with the remains interred in Hawaii and concluded that they could likely be identified.
In the identification of Skeens’ remains, scientists from the JPAC used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including skeletal comparison.
Today, 7871 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were buried as unknowns in American cemeteries and those 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 DPMO web site at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
Sgt. Michael J. Barra
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Nov. 10, 2014
Soldier Missing from Korean War Accounted For (Barra)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) 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 Sgt. Michael J. Barra, 18, of Ithaca, N.Y., will be buried Nov. 22, in Ithica, N.Y. In late November 1950, Barra was assigned to Company C, 2nd Engineer Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division (ID), which was deployed north and northeast of Kunu-ri, North Korea, when their defensive line was attacked by Chinese forces, forcing the unit to withdraw 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.” Barra was reported missing in action after the battle.
Returning American soldiers who had been held as prisoners of war and released after the Armistice, reported that Barra had been captured Dec. 1, 1950, by Chinese forces and died Feb. 20, 1951, in a prisoner of war camp, known as Camp 5, in Pyokdong, North Korea.
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 vicinity where Barra was believed to have died.
To identify Barra’s remains, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, to include two forms of DNA analysis; mitochondrial DNA, which matched his sister and brother and Y-STR DNA, which matched his brother.
Today, 7,874 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 DPMO web site at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
Bernier, Poulsen, Young. Johnston, Moore, Copeland, Gardner
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Oct. 31, 2014
Airmen Missing From WWII Accounted For (Moore)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office 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 Sgt. John E. Copeland, 21, of Dearing, Kan., and Sgt. Charles A. Gardner, 32, of San Francisco, Calif., have been accounted for and will be buried with full military honors. Moore will be buried Nov. 11 in hometown. Bernier was buried Sept. 19 in his hometown. Young was buried Oct. 15 in Prescott, Ariz. The other service members will be buried at dates and locations still to be determined.
On April 10, 1944, Bernier, along with 11 other 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, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) teams excavated the site and recovered human remains and non-biological material evidence.
To identify Moore’s remains, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including, mitochondrial DNA, which matched Moore’s niece and grand-niece.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPMO website at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
Staff Sgt. James L. Van Bendegom
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Oct. 31, 2014
Soldier Missing From Vietnam War Accounted For (Van Bendegom)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing from the Vietnam War, who died in captivity in 1967, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Staff Sgt. James L. Van Bendegom, 19, of Kenosha, Wis., will be buried Nov. 11, 2014, in Kenosha, Wis. On July 12, 1967, Van Bendegom was assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, as a member of a patrol that was overrun by enemy forces in South Vietnam, near the Cambodian border. During this attack, Van Bendegom was captured by enemy forces and returning POWs later reported that he died from wounds sustained during the attack.
On March 14, 1986, a Vietnamese national in a refugee camp in Thailand, turned over to U.S. custody, remains of what were purported to be an American service member. Information provided by the Vietnamese national did not correlate with any unaccounted for service members.
In mid 2000, due to the advances in technology, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) re-examined the remains and determined that there was a possibility for identification.
In the identification of Van Bendegom, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including two forms of DNA analysis; mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosome Short Tandem Report DNA (Y-STR), which matched his brothers.
Today there are 1,639 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, visit the DPMO website at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1169.