USS Pigeon Sailor Accounted for from WWII (Duncan, R.)
WASHINGTON –
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Naval Reserve Radioman 2nd Class (RM2c) Robert T. Duncan, who was captured and died as a prisoner of war during World War II, was accounted for December 26, 2023.
In September 1942, Duncan was serving aboard the submarine rescue vessel USS Pigeon (ASR-6) in Manila Bay when Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands. Intense fighting continued until the surrender of the Bataan peninsula on April 9, 1942, and of Corregidor Island on May 6, 1942.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-04 17:27:432025-04-04 17:27:44Radioman 2nd Class Robert T. Duncan
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Leroy C. Cloud, 24, of Thrall, Texas, killed during World War II, was accounted for Aug 29, 2023.
In July 1944, Cloud was assigned to Company A, 744th Tank Battalion, as a crew member of an M5A1 Stuart light tank. His unit was engaged in battle with German forces at Saint-Germain-d’Elle, France, on July 26 when his tank was struck by an enemy shoulder-fired rocket. Two crewmembers were able to escape the vehicle, but Cloud and another Soldier were never seen or heard from again. Due to strong enemy artillery fire and intense combat, surviving crewmembers were unable to recover Cloud’s remains. He was declared missing in action, but the Germans never reported him as a prisoner of war. On Aug 16, with no evidence Cloud survived the fighting, the War Department issued a report of death.
Following the end of the war, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC) was tasked with investigating and recovering missing American personnel in Europe. On July 30, 1944, AGRC personnel recovered two sets of remains from an M5A1 destroyed in the vicinity of Saint-Lô. Ultimately, they could not identify the remains, designated X-141 and X-142 St. Laurent, and they were interred in the Normandy American Cemetery, France.
While studying unresolved American losses in the Saint-Germain-d’Elle area, a DPAA historian determined that the M5A1 Stuart tank recovered from the area belonged to Company A, where Cloud was assigned. This correlation led DPAA and American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) personnel to exhume the remains of X-141 and X-142 in April 2018 and sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis and identification.
To identify Cloud’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used Y chromosome DNA (Y-STR) analysis.
Cloud’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at Normandy American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Colleville-sur-Mer, France, along with the others still missing from World War II. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
Cloud will be buried in Taylor, Texas, on April 7, 2024.
For family and funeral information, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
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Sailor Accounted for from USS California (Hillman, M.)
Washington D.C. –
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Pharmacist’s Mate 2nd Class (PhM2c) Merle C. J. Hillman, 25, of Holyoke, Massachusetts, killed during World War II, was accounted for on October 20, 2023.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Hillman was assigned to the battleship USS California, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS California sustained multiple torpedo and bomb hits, which caused it catch fire and slowly flood. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 104 crewmen, including Hillman.
From December 1941 to April 1942, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.
In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. In addition to the 42 casualties from the USS California initially identified after the attack, the laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 39 men from the USS California at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified the remains of the unresolved crew members, including Hillman, as non-recoverable.
In 2018, DPAA personnel exhumed the 25 USS California Unknowns from the Punchbowl for analysis.
To identify Hillman’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), and Y chromosome DNA (Y-STR) analysis.
Hillman’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
Hillman will be buried on Jan. 27, 2024, in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
For family and funeral information, contact the Navy Service Casualty office at (800) 443-9298.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-04 17:26:212025-04-04 17:26:23Pharmacist’s Mate 2nd Class Merle C. J. Hillman
Soldier Accounted for from Korean War (Barrow, R.)
Washington D.C. –
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Master Sgt. Roy E. Barrow, 39 of Valdosta, Georgia, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for Sept. 22, 2023.
At the end of World War II, the U.S. military began a lengthy process of downsizing it forces. Many troops, especially commissioned officers, felt the call to continue service of their nation. As such, Lieutenants and Captains would be offered a reduction to Master Sergeant. This was the case with MSG Barrow, who had been reduced in rank when called to serve in the Korean War.
In the winter of 1950, MSG Barrow was a member of King Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on Dec. 12 after his unit was attacked by enemy forces as they attempted to withdraw near the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea.
In 1954, during Operation Glory, North Korea unilaterally turned over remains to the United States, including one set, designated Unknown X-15869 Operation Glory. The remains were reportedly recovered from prisoner of war camps, United Nations cemeteries and isolated burial sites. None of the remains could be identified as Barrow and he was declared non-recoverable on Jan. 16, 1956. The remains were subsequently buried as an unknown in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.
In 2013, DPAA disinterred X-15869, and after a decade of scientific advances and increased historical research, DPAA was able to positively associate X-15869 to Barrow.
To identify Barrow’s remains, scientists from DPAA used chest radiograph comparison, dental and anthropological analysis. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
MSG Barrow’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are still missing from the Korean War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
MSG Barrow will be buried in Valdosta, Georgia, on January 27, 2024.
For family and funeral information, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-04 17:25:372025-04-04 17:25:38Master Sgt. Roy E. Barrow
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Air Forces Major Theodore Willhite, 26, of Muscatine, Iowa, killed during World War II, was accounted for Sept. 19, 2023.
In March of 1944, Willhite was assigned to the 724th Bombardment Squadron, 451st Bombardment Group, 15th Air Force in the Mediterranean and European Theater of Operations. On Mar 11, Willhite was piloting a B-24 “Liberator,” when it was struck by anti-aircraft fire after a bombing raid on a German position near Toulon, France. Eyewitnesses on another B-24 reported seeing Willhite’s aircraft spinning out of control at approximately 3000 feet before breaking apart and crashing into the sea. All 11 crewmembers aboard the aircraft were lost in the incident and not identified following the war.
Beginning in 1945, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC), Army Quartermaster Corps, was the organization tasked with recovering missing American personnel in the European Theater. Following the war, the AGRC disinterred and identified seven sets of remains recovered from the Lagoubran Cemetery, at Toulon, France. At the time they were unable to identify Willhite and other crewmembers, and they were interred in the Rhône American Cemetery.
In 2019, DPAA investigators and American Battle Monuments Commission personnel exhumed the remains of X-84 Luynes, X-85 Luynes, X-86 Luynes, and X-92 Luynes and sent them to the DPAA laboratory for analysis and identification.
To identify Willhite’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
Willhite’s name is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at Rhône American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Draguignan, France, along with others still missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
Willhite will be buried at a place and time to be determined by the family.
For family and funeral information, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Air Forces Technician 4th Grade (TECH4) Herbert F. March, 24, of Cook, Washington, who was captured and died as a prisoner of war during World War II, was accounted for Aug. 10, 2023.
In late 1941, March was a member of Headquarters Squadron, 24th Pursuit Group, when Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands in December. Intense fighting continued until the surrender of the Bataan peninsula on April 9, 1942, and of Corregidor Island on May 6, 1942.
Thousands of U.S. and Filipino service members were captured and interned at POW camps. March was among those reported captured when U.S. forces in Bataan surrendered to the Japanese. They were subjected to the 65-mile Bataan Death March and then held at the Cabanatuan POW Camp #1. More than 2,500 POWs perished in this camp during the war.
According to prison camp and other historical records, March died July 26, 1942, and was buried along with other deceased prisoners in the local Cabanatuan Camp Cemetery in Common Grave 225.
Following the war, American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) personnel exhumed those buried at the Cabanatuan cemetery and relocated the remains to a temporary U.S. military mausoleum near Manila. In 1947, the AGRS examined the remains in an attempt to identify them. Three of the sets of remains from Common Grave 225 were identified, but the rest were declared unidentifiable. The unidentified remains were buried at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial (MACM) as Unknowns.
In March 2018, the remains associated with Common Grave 225 were disinterred and sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.
To identify March’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis as well as circumstantial evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y-chromosome DNA (Y-STR) analysis.
Although interred as an Unknown in MACM, March’s grave was meticulously cared for over the past 70 years by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC).
March will be buried in Woodland, Washington, on a date to be determined.
For family and funeral information, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-04 17:24:182025-04-04 17:24:19Technician 4th Grade Herbert F. March
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Pvt. Robert L. A. Hurst, 21, of Wabasso, Florida, who was captured and died as a prisoner of war during World War II, was accounted for July 10, 2023.
In late 1942, Hurst was a member of the 429th Signal Maintenance Company when Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands in December. Intense fighting continued until the surrender of the Bataan peninsula on April 9, 1942, and of Corregidor Island on May 6, 1942.
Thousands of U.S. and Filipino service members were captured and interned at POW camps. Hurst was among those reported captured when U.S. forces in Bataan surrendered to the Japanese. They were subjected to the 65-mile Bataan Death March and then held at the Cabanatuan POW camp. More than 2,500 POWs perished in this camp during the war.
According to prison camp and other historical records, Hurst died July 27, 1942, and was buried along with other deceased prisoners in the local Cabanatuan Camp Cemetery in Common Grave 225.
Following the war, American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) personnel exhumed those buried at the Cabanatuan cemetery and relocated the remains to a temporary U.S. military mausoleum near Manila. In 1947, the AGRS examined the remains in an attempt to identify them. Three sets of remains from Common Grave 225 were identified, but the rest were declared unidentifiable. The unidentified remains were buried at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial (MACM) as Unknowns.
In early 2018, the remains associated with Common Grave 225 were disinterred and sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.
To identify Hurst’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y-chromosome DNA (Y-STR) analysis.
Although interred as an Unknown in MACM, Hurst’s grave was meticulously cared for over the past 70 years by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC).
Hurst will be buried in Vero Beach, Florida, on a date to be determined.
For family and funeral information, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-04 17:23:172025-04-04 17:23:19Pvt. Robert L. A. Hurst
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Pvt. Homer J. Mitchell, 20, of Portales, New Mexico, killed during World War II, was accounted for July 24, 2023.
In November 1944, Mitchell was assigned to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 359th Infantry Regiment, 90th Infantry Division. His battalion had been tasked with holding defensive positions in the Pachten Forest near Dillingen, Germany, when he was reported killed in action on Dec. 10 by enemy artillery fire. His body could not be evacuated due to intense fighting against heavily reinforced German forces. American commanders eventually ordered the regiment to withdraw, but many casualties were nonrecoverable due to the intensity of the mortar and artillery strikes.
Following the end of the war, the American Graves Registration Command was tasked with investigating and recovering missing American personnel in Europe. They conducted several investigations in the Pachten Forest area between 1946 and 1950 but were unable to recover or identify Mitchell’s remains. He was officially declared Killed in Action in November 1951.
While studying unresolved American losses in the Pachten Forest area in 2018, a DPAA historian determined that one set of unidentified remains, designated X-3212, recovered in Feb. 1946, possibly belonged to Mitchell. The remains, which had been interred in the United States Military Cemetery (now Brittany American Cemetery), an American Battle Monuments Commission site in St. James, France, in 1950, were disinterred in August 2021 and sent to the DPAA laboratory for identification.
To identify Mitchell’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as dental and circumstantial evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
Mitchell’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at Lorraine American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in St. Avold, France, along with the others still missing from World War II. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
Mitchell will be buried in Portales, New Mexico, on April 26, 2024.
For family and funeral information, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
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The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Pfc. Hood E. Cole, 26, of Atlanta, Georgia, killed during World War II, was accounted for Feb. 22, 2023.
In January 1945, Cole was assigned to L Company, 3rd Battalion, 276th Infantry Regiment, 70th Infantry Division. On Jan. 14, Cole was killed in action when his unit was attacked by German forces near Baerenthal, France. At some point during the fighting, Cole was killed, but historical records do not indicate exactly where. Due to the fighting, his body was unable to be immediately recovered.
Beginning in 1947, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC), the organization that searched for and recovered fallen American personnel in the European Theater, searched the area around Baerenthal. None of the investigations uncovered any leads regarding the disposition of Cole’s remains. He was declared non-recoverable on May 11, 1951.
DPAA historians have been conducting on-going research into Soldiers missing from combat around Baerenthal and found that X-9441 and X-9442 Frankfurt Mausoleum, buried in Ardennes American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in in Neupré, Belgium, could be associated with Cole. X-9441 and X-9442 were disinterred in April 2018 and transferred to the DPAA Laboratory at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, for analysis.
To identify Cole’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological and dental analysis. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y chromosome DNA (Y-STR) analysis.
Cole’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at Epinal American Cemetery in Dinozé, France, along with others still missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
Cole will be buried on January 15, 2024, in Canton, Georgia.
For family and funeral information, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-04 17:22:162025-04-04 17:22:18Pfc. Hood E. Cole
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Sergeant George F. Bishop, 22, of Centralia, Washington, who was captured and died as a prisoner of war during World War II, was accounted for June 30, 2023.
In late 1942, Bishop was a member of Battery K, 3rd Battalion, 59th Coast Artillery Regiment, when Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands in December. Intense fighting continued until the surrender of the Bataan peninsula on April 9, 1942, and of Corregidor Island on May 6, 1942.
Thousands of U.S. and Filipino service members were captured and interned at POW camps. Bishop was among those reported captured when U.S. forces in Corregidor surrendered to the Japanese. They were subjected to the 65-mile Bataan Death March and then held at the Cabanatuan POW camp. More than 2,500 POWs perished in this camp during the war.
According to prison camp and other historical records, Bishop died July 28, 1942, and was buried along with other deceased prisoners in the local Cabanatuan Camp Cemetery in Common Grave 215.
Following the war, American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) personnel exhumed those buried at the Cabanatuan cemetery and relocated the remains to a temporary U.S. military mausoleum near Manila. In 1947, the AGRS examined the remains in an attempt to identify them. Five sets of remains from Common Grave 215 were identified, but the rest were declared unidentifiable. The unidentified remains were buried at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial (MACM) as Unknowns.
In early 2018, the remains associated with Common Grave 215 were disinterred and sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis. Among those remains were X-2875, believed to be Sgt. Bishop.
To identify Bishop’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y chromosome DNA (Y-STR) analysis.
Although interred as an Unknown in MACM, Bishop’s grave was meticulously cared for over the past 70 years by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC).
Bishop will be buried in Centralia, Washington, on a date to be determined.
For family and funeral information, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
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Radioman 2nd Class Robert T. Duncan
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Jan. 22, 2024
USS Pigeon Sailor Accounted for from WWII (Duncan, R.)
WASHINGTON –
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Naval Reserve Radioman 2nd Class (RM2c) Robert T. Duncan, who was captured and died as a prisoner of war during World War II, was accounted for December 26, 2023.
In September 1942, Duncan was serving aboard the submarine rescue vessel USS Pigeon (ASR-6) in Manila Bay when Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands. Intense fighting continued until the surrender of the Bataan peninsula on April 9, 1942, and of Corregidor Island on May 6, 1942.
Staff Sgt. Leroy C. Cloud
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Jan. 18, 2024
Tanker Accounted for from WWII (Cloud, L.)
Washington D.C. –
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Leroy C. Cloud, 24, of Thrall, Texas, killed during World War II, was accounted for Aug 29, 2023.
In July 1944, Cloud was assigned to Company A, 744th Tank Battalion, as a crew member of an M5A1 Stuart light tank. His unit was engaged in battle with German forces at Saint-Germain-d’Elle, France, on July 26 when his tank was struck by an enemy shoulder-fired rocket. Two crewmembers were able to escape the vehicle, but Cloud and another Soldier were never seen or heard from again. Due to strong enemy artillery fire and intense combat, surviving crewmembers were unable to recover Cloud’s remains. He was declared missing in action, but the Germans never reported him as a prisoner of war. On Aug 16, with no evidence Cloud survived the fighting, the War Department issued a report of death.
Following the end of the war, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC) was tasked with investigating and recovering missing American personnel in Europe. On July 30, 1944, AGRC personnel recovered two sets of remains from an M5A1 destroyed in the vicinity of Saint-Lô. Ultimately, they could not identify the remains, designated X-141 and X-142 St. Laurent, and they were interred in the Normandy American Cemetery, France.
While studying unresolved American losses in the Saint-Germain-d’Elle area, a DPAA historian determined that the M5A1 Stuart tank recovered from the area belonged to Company A, where Cloud was assigned. This correlation led DPAA and American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) personnel to exhume the remains of X-141 and X-142 in April 2018 and sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis and identification.
To identify Cloud’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used Y chromosome DNA (Y-STR) analysis.
Cloud’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at Normandy American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Colleville-sur-Mer, France, along with the others still missing from World War II. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
Cloud will be buried in Taylor, Texas, on April 7, 2024.
For family and funeral information, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
Pharmacist’s Mate 2nd Class Merle C. J. Hillman
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Jan. 18, 2024
Sailor Accounted for from USS California (Hillman, M.)
Washington D.C. –
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Pharmacist’s Mate 2nd Class (PhM2c) Merle C. J. Hillman, 25, of Holyoke, Massachusetts, killed during World War II, was accounted for on October 20, 2023.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Hillman was assigned to the battleship USS California, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS California sustained multiple torpedo and bomb hits, which caused it catch fire and slowly flood. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 104 crewmen, including Hillman.
From December 1941 to April 1942, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.
In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. In addition to the 42 casualties from the USS California initially identified after the attack, the laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 39 men from the USS California at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified the remains of the unresolved crew members, including Hillman, as non-recoverable.
In 2018, DPAA personnel exhumed the 25 USS California Unknowns from the Punchbowl for analysis.
To identify Hillman’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), and Y chromosome DNA (Y-STR) analysis.
Hillman’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
Hillman will be buried on Jan. 27, 2024, in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
For family and funeral information, contact the Navy Service Casualty office at (800) 443-9298.
Master Sgt. Roy E. Barrow
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Jan. 17, 2024
Soldier Accounted for from Korean War (Barrow, R.)
Washington D.C. –
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Master Sgt. Roy E. Barrow, 39 of Valdosta, Georgia, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for Sept. 22, 2023.
At the end of World War II, the U.S. military began a lengthy process of downsizing it forces. Many troops, especially commissioned officers, felt the call to continue service of their nation. As such, Lieutenants and Captains would be offered a reduction to Master Sergeant. This was the case with MSG Barrow, who had been reduced in rank when called to serve in the Korean War.
In the winter of 1950, MSG Barrow was a member of King Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on Dec. 12 after his unit was attacked by enemy forces as they attempted to withdraw near the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea.
In 1954, during Operation Glory, North Korea unilaterally turned over remains to the United States, including one set, designated Unknown X-15869 Operation Glory. The remains were reportedly recovered from prisoner of war camps, United Nations cemeteries and isolated burial sites. None of the remains could be identified as Barrow and he was declared non-recoverable on Jan. 16, 1956. The remains were subsequently buried as an unknown in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.
In 2013, DPAA disinterred X-15869, and after a decade of scientific advances and increased historical research, DPAA was able to positively associate X-15869 to Barrow.
To identify Barrow’s remains, scientists from DPAA used chest radiograph comparison, dental and anthropological analysis. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
MSG Barrow’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are still missing from the Korean War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
MSG Barrow will be buried in Valdosta, Georgia, on January 27, 2024.
For family and funeral information, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
Major Theodore Willhite
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Jan. 16, 2024
Pilot Accounted for from WWII (Willhite, T.)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Air Forces Major Theodore Willhite, 26, of Muscatine, Iowa, killed during World War II, was accounted for Sept. 19, 2023.
In March of 1944, Willhite was assigned to the 724th Bombardment Squadron, 451st Bombardment Group, 15th Air Force in the Mediterranean and European Theater of Operations. On Mar 11, Willhite was piloting a B-24 “Liberator,” when it was struck by anti-aircraft fire after a bombing raid on a German position near Toulon, France. Eyewitnesses on another B-24 reported seeing Willhite’s aircraft spinning out of control at approximately 3000 feet before breaking apart and crashing into the sea. All 11 crewmembers aboard the aircraft were lost in the incident and not identified following the war.
Beginning in 1945, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC), Army Quartermaster Corps, was the organization tasked with recovering missing American personnel in the European Theater. Following the war, the AGRC disinterred and identified seven sets of remains recovered from the Lagoubran Cemetery, at Toulon, France. At the time they were unable to identify Willhite and other crewmembers, and they were interred in the Rhône American Cemetery.
In 2019, DPAA investigators and American Battle Monuments Commission personnel exhumed the remains of X-84 Luynes, X-85 Luynes, X-86 Luynes, and X-92 Luynes and sent them to the DPAA laboratory for analysis and identification.
To identify Willhite’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
Willhite’s name is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at Rhône American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Draguignan, France, along with others still missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
Willhite will be buried at a place and time to be determined by the family.
For family and funeral information, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
Technician 4th Grade Herbert F. March
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Jan. 16, 2024
Airman Accounted for from WWII (March, H.)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Air Forces Technician 4th Grade (TECH4) Herbert F. March, 24, of Cook, Washington, who was captured and died as a prisoner of war during World War II, was accounted for Aug. 10, 2023.
In late 1941, March was a member of Headquarters Squadron, 24th Pursuit Group, when Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands in December. Intense fighting continued until the surrender of the Bataan peninsula on April 9, 1942, and of Corregidor Island on May 6, 1942.
Thousands of U.S. and Filipino service members were captured and interned at POW camps. March was among those reported captured when U.S. forces in Bataan surrendered to the Japanese. They were subjected to the 65-mile Bataan Death March and then held at the Cabanatuan POW Camp #1. More than 2,500 POWs perished in this camp during the war.
According to prison camp and other historical records, March died July 26, 1942, and was buried along with other deceased prisoners in the local Cabanatuan Camp Cemetery in Common Grave 225.
Following the war, American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) personnel exhumed those buried at the Cabanatuan cemetery and relocated the remains to a temporary U.S. military mausoleum near Manila. In 1947, the AGRS examined the remains in an attempt to identify them. Three of the sets of remains from Common Grave 225 were identified, but the rest were declared unidentifiable. The unidentified remains were buried at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial (MACM) as Unknowns.
In March 2018, the remains associated with Common Grave 225 were disinterred and sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.
To identify March’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis as well as circumstantial evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y-chromosome DNA (Y-STR) analysis.
Although interred as an Unknown in MACM, March’s grave was meticulously cared for over the past 70 years by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC).
March will be buried in Woodland, Washington, on a date to be determined.
For family and funeral information, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
Pvt. Robert L. A. Hurst
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Dec. 21, 2023
Soldier Accounted for from WWII (Hurst, R.)
WASHINGTON –
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Pvt. Robert L. A. Hurst, 21, of Wabasso, Florida, who was captured and died as a prisoner of war during World War II, was accounted for July 10, 2023.
In late 1942, Hurst was a member of the 429th Signal Maintenance Company when Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands in December. Intense fighting continued until the surrender of the Bataan peninsula on April 9, 1942, and of Corregidor Island on May 6, 1942.
Thousands of U.S. and Filipino service members were captured and interned at POW camps. Hurst was among those reported captured when U.S. forces in Bataan surrendered to the Japanese. They were subjected to the 65-mile Bataan Death March and then held at the Cabanatuan POW camp. More than 2,500 POWs perished in this camp during the war.
According to prison camp and other historical records, Hurst died July 27, 1942, and was buried along with other deceased prisoners in the local Cabanatuan Camp Cemetery in Common Grave 225.
Following the war, American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) personnel exhumed those buried at the Cabanatuan cemetery and relocated the remains to a temporary U.S. military mausoleum near Manila. In 1947, the AGRS examined the remains in an attempt to identify them. Three sets of remains from Common Grave 225 were identified, but the rest were declared unidentifiable. The unidentified remains were buried at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial (MACM) as Unknowns.
In early 2018, the remains associated with Common Grave 225 were disinterred and sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.
To identify Hurst’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y-chromosome DNA (Y-STR) analysis.
Although interred as an Unknown in MACM, Hurst’s grave was meticulously cared for over the past 70 years by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC).
Hurst will be buried in Vero Beach, Florida, on a date to be determined.
For family and funeral information, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
Pvt. Homer J. Mitchell
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Dec. 18, 2023
Soldier Accounted for from WWII (Mitchell, H.)
WASHINGTON –
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Pvt. Homer J. Mitchell, 20, of Portales, New Mexico, killed during World War II, was accounted for July 24, 2023.
In November 1944, Mitchell was assigned to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 359th Infantry Regiment, 90th Infantry Division. His battalion had been tasked with holding defensive positions in the Pachten Forest near Dillingen, Germany, when he was reported killed in action on Dec. 10 by enemy artillery fire. His body could not be evacuated due to intense fighting against heavily reinforced German forces. American commanders eventually ordered the regiment to withdraw, but many casualties were nonrecoverable due to the intensity of the mortar and artillery strikes.
Following the end of the war, the American Graves Registration Command was tasked with investigating and recovering missing American personnel in Europe. They conducted several investigations in the Pachten Forest area between 1946 and 1950 but were unable to recover or identify Mitchell’s remains. He was officially declared Killed in Action in November 1951.
While studying unresolved American losses in the Pachten Forest area in 2018, a DPAA historian determined that one set of unidentified remains, designated X-3212, recovered in Feb. 1946, possibly belonged to Mitchell. The remains, which had been interred in the United States Military Cemetery (now Brittany American Cemetery), an American Battle Monuments Commission site in St. James, France, in 1950, were disinterred in August 2021 and sent to the DPAA laboratory for identification.
To identify Mitchell’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as dental and circumstantial evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
Mitchell’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at Lorraine American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in St. Avold, France, along with the others still missing from World War II. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
Mitchell will be buried in Portales, New Mexico, on April 26, 2024.
For family and funeral information, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
Pfc. Hood E. Cole
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Dec. 12, 2023
Soldier Accounted for from WWII (Cole, H.)
WASHINGTON –
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Pfc. Hood E. Cole, 26, of Atlanta, Georgia, killed during World War II, was accounted for Feb. 22, 2023.
In January 1945, Cole was assigned to L Company, 3rd Battalion, 276th Infantry Regiment, 70th Infantry Division. On Jan. 14, Cole was killed in action when his unit was attacked by German forces near Baerenthal, France. At some point during the fighting, Cole was killed, but historical records do not indicate exactly where. Due to the fighting, his body was unable to be immediately recovered.
Beginning in 1947, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC), the organization that searched for and recovered fallen American personnel in the European Theater, searched the area around Baerenthal. None of the investigations uncovered any leads regarding the disposition of Cole’s remains. He was declared non-recoverable on May 11, 1951.
DPAA historians have been conducting on-going research into Soldiers missing from combat around Baerenthal and found that X-9441 and X-9442 Frankfurt Mausoleum, buried in Ardennes American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in in Neupré, Belgium, could be associated with Cole. X-9441 and X-9442 were disinterred in April 2018 and transferred to the DPAA Laboratory at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, for analysis.
To identify Cole’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological and dental analysis. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y chromosome DNA (Y-STR) analysis.
Cole’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at Epinal American Cemetery in Dinozé, France, along with others still missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
Cole will be buried on January 15, 2024, in Canton, Georgia.
For family and funeral information, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
Sergeant George F. Bishop
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Nov. 28, 2023
Soldier Accounted for from WWII (Bishop, G.)
WASHINGTON –
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Sergeant George F. Bishop, 22, of Centralia, Washington, who was captured and died as a prisoner of war during World War II, was accounted for June 30, 2023.
In late 1942, Bishop was a member of Battery K, 3rd Battalion, 59th Coast Artillery Regiment, when Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands in December. Intense fighting continued until the surrender of the Bataan peninsula on April 9, 1942, and of Corregidor Island on May 6, 1942.
Thousands of U.S. and Filipino service members were captured and interned at POW camps. Bishop was among those reported captured when U.S. forces in Corregidor surrendered to the Japanese. They were subjected to the 65-mile Bataan Death March and then held at the Cabanatuan POW camp. More than 2,500 POWs perished in this camp during the war.
According to prison camp and other historical records, Bishop died July 28, 1942, and was buried along with other deceased prisoners in the local Cabanatuan Camp Cemetery in Common Grave 215.
Following the war, American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) personnel exhumed those buried at the Cabanatuan cemetery and relocated the remains to a temporary U.S. military mausoleum near Manila. In 1947, the AGRS examined the remains in an attempt to identify them. Five sets of remains from Common Grave 215 were identified, but the rest were declared unidentifiable. The unidentified remains were buried at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial (MACM) as Unknowns.
In early 2018, the remains associated with Common Grave 215 were disinterred and sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis. Among those remains were X-2875, believed to be Sgt. Bishop.
To identify Bishop’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y chromosome DNA (Y-STR) analysis.
Although interred as an Unknown in MACM, Bishop’s grave was meticulously cared for over the past 70 years by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC).
Bishop will be buried in Centralia, Washington, on a date to be determined.
For family and funeral information, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.