USS Nelson Sailor Accounted For From World War II (Jordan, S.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Navy Seaman 1st Class Stewart Jordan, 20, of Coeburn, Virginia, killed during World War II, was accounted for Aug. 27, 2019.
(This identification was initially published Aug. 29, 2019.)
In 1944, Jordan was assigned to the USS Nelson, which was anchored off the coast of Normandy, France. He was killed June 12, 1944, when the ship was hit by enemy fire. Following the war, his remains could not be identified.
On Nov. 3, 1944, a graves registration team learned of remains that had washed ashore on “Roger White Beach,” in Normandy. The remains were noted to have a tattoo on the arm, depicting the sinking of the USS Tucker, where Jordan had been assigned prior to its sinking in August 1942. The remains were declared unidentifiable and designated as Unknown X-144 Sainte-Mère-Église #2, and were subsequently interred in what is now the Normandy American Cemetery. Of the 13 crew members unaccounted for from the USS Nelson, two previously served on the USS Tucker, including Jordan.
In September 2018, DPAA and the American Battle Monuments Commission exhumed X-144 and accessioned the remains to the laboratory.
To identify Jordan’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis. Additionally, the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
DPAA is grateful to the American Battle Monuments Commission and to the U.S. Army Regional Mortuary-Europe/Africa for their partnership in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,638 still unaccounted for from World War II with approximately 30,000 assessed as possibly recoverable. Jordan’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 missing from World War II. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For funeral details and family contact information, contact the Navy Service Casualty Office at (800) 443-9298.
The date and location for Jordan’s burial have yet to be determined. For future funeral information, visit www.dpaa.mil.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-03 18:16:252025-04-03 18:16:26Seaman 1st Class Stewart Jordan
Marine Accounted For From World War II (Nalazek, E.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Marine Corps Pfc. Edward A. Nalazek, 27, of Chicago, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Aug. 27, 2019.
In November 1943, Nalazek was a member of Company D, 2nd Battalion, 18th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, which landed against stiff Japanese resistance on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll of the Gilbert Islands, in an attempt to secure the island. Over several days of intense fighting at Tarawa, approximately 1,000 Marines and Sailors were killed and more than 2,000 were wounded, while the Japanese were virtually annihilated. Nalazek was killed on the second day of the battle, Nov. 21, 1943. His remains were reportedly buried in the Central Division Cemetery 8th Marines #2 on Betio Island.
In 1946, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company (604th GRC) centralized all of the American remains found on Tarawa to Lone Palm Cemetery for later repatriation; however, almost half of the known casualties were never found. No recovered remains could be associated with Nalazek, and in October 1949, a Board of Review declared him “non-recoverable.”
In June 1967, construction at the site of the Marine/Customs office block at the Betio Wharf uncovered multiple sets of remains, as well as American equipment. The remains were sent to the U.S. Army Mortuary at Tachikawa Air Base, Japan, and accessioned as Unknown XJ-1323. A number of remains were identified as Japanese. However, XJ-1323A-G were determined to be American. The remains could not be identified, and were subsequently buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu.
In 2015, History Flight, Inc., a nonprofit organization, excavated a site near the wharf on Betio Island, later identified as Cemetery 27. Remains recovered were accessioned to the DPAA laboratory.
On Nov. 21, 2016, DPAA disinterred XJ-1323 from the Punchbowl, and associated portions of XJ-1323B with portions recovered by History Flight in 2015.
To identify Nalazek’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this recovery. Additionally, DPAA is appreciative to History Flight, Inc., for their assistance.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,638 service members still unaccounted for from World War II with approximately 30,000 assessed as possibly recoverable. Nalazek’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others killed or lost in WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Marine Corps Service Casualty office at (800) 847-1597.
Nalazek will be buried Feb. 10, 2020, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-03 18:15:542025-04-03 18:15:56Pfc. Edward A. Nalazek
Soldier Accounted For From Korean War (Hussey, W.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Cpl. Wilfred K. Hussey, Jr. 19, of Hilo, Hawaii, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for Sept. 10, 2019.
(This identification was initially published Sept. 18, 2019.)
In late 1950, Hussey was a member of Company K, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on Dec. 12, 1950, in the vicinity of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, when his unit was attacked by enemy forces. Following the battle, his remains could not be recovered.
On July 27, 2018, following the summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un in June 2018, North Korea turned over 55 boxes, purported to contain the remains of American service members killed during the Korean War. The remains arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii on Aug. 1, 2018, and were subsequently accessioned into the DPAA laboratory for identification.
To identify Hussey’s remains, scientists from DPAA used circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), Y-chromosome DNA (Y-STR) and autosomal DNA (auSTR) analysis.
Today, 7,605 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously returned by Korean officials, recovered from Korea by American recovery teams or disinterred from unknown graves. Hussey’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with the others who are missing from the Korean War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Army Casualty office at (800) 892-2490.
Hussey will be buried in his hometown. The date has yet to be determined. For future funeral information, visit www.dpaa.mil.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-03 18:15:202025-04-03 18:15:21Cpl. Wilfred K. Hussey, Jr.
WASHINGTON— The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Cpl. Asa E. Vance, 18, of Decatur, Illinois, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for Sept. 10, 2019.
(This identification was initially published Sept. 17, 2019.)
In late 1950, Vance was a member of Company D, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action Dec. 2, 1950, in the vicinity of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, when his unit was attacked by enemy forces. Following the battle, his remains could not be recovered.
On July 27, 2018, following the summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un in June 2018, North Korea turned over 55 boxes, purported to contain the remains of American service members killed during the Korean War. The remains arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, on Aug. 1, 2018, and were subsequently accessioned into the DPAA laboratory for identification.
To identify Vance’s remains, scientists from DPAA used circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), Y-chromosome DNA (Y-STR) and autosomal DNA (auSTR) and analysis.
Today, 7,605 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously returned by Korean officials, recovered from Korea by American recovery teams or disinterred from unknown graves. Vance’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with the others who are missing from the Korean War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Army Casualty office at (800) 892-2490.
Vance will be buried May 1, 2020, in Springfield, Illinois.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-03 18:14:492025-04-03 18:14:51Cpl. Asa E. Vance
Marine Accounted For From World War II (Edwards, A.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Marine Corps Reserve Pfc. Alfred Edwards, 33 of Stilwell, Oklahoma, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Aug. 27, 2019.
In November 1943, Edwards was a member of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, which landed against stiff Japanese resistance on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll of the Gilbert Islands, in an attempt to secure the island. Over several days of intense fighting at Tarawa, approximately 1,000 Marines and Sailors were killed and more than 2,000 were wounded, while the Japanese were virtually annihilated. Edwards was killed on the first day of the battle, Nov. 20, 1943. His remains were reportedly buried in the East Division Cemetery, later renamed Cemetery 33 on Betio Island.
In 1946, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company (604th GRC) centralized all of the American remains found on Tarawa to Lone Palm Cemetery for later repatriation; however, almost half of the known casualties were never found. No recovered remains could be associated with Edwards, and in October 1949, a Board of Review declared him “non-recoverable.” The remains that could not be identified, were subsequently buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu, including two sets, designated Tarawa Unknown X-203 and X-209.
On March 27, 2017, DPAA disinterred X-203 from the Punchbowl, and on April 3, 2017, DPAA disinterred X-209. The remains were sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis, where anthropologists determined X-203 and X-209 were associated with each other.
To identify Edwards’ remains, scientists from DPAA used dental, anthropological and chest radiograph comparison analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this recovery.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,638 service members still unaccounted for from World War II, of which approximately 30,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable. Edwards’ name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others killed or lost in WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Marine Corps Service Casualty office at (800) 847-1597.
Edwards will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. The date has yet to be determined. For future funeral information, visit www.dpaa.mil.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-03 18:14:212025-04-03 18:14:23Pfc. Alfred Edwards
Marine Accounted For From World War II (Bayens, J.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Marine Corps Reserve Pfc. John R. Bayens, 20, of Louisville, Kentucky, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Sep. 23, 2019.
(This identification was initially published Oct. 1, 2019.)
In November 1943, Bayens was a member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, which landed against stiff Japanese resistance on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll of the Gilbert Islands in an attempt to secure the island. Over several days of intense fighting at Tarawa, approximately 1,000 Marines and Sailors were killed and more than 2,000 were wounded, while the Japanese were virtually annihilated. Bayens was killed on the third day of the battle, Nov. 22, 1943. His remains were reportedly buried in Cemetery 33 on Betio Island.
In 1946, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company centralized all of the American remains found on Tarawa at Lone Palm Cemetery for later repatriation; however, almost half of the known casualties were never found. No recovered remains could be associated with Bayens, and in October 1949, a Board of Review declared him “non-recoverable.”
In 2014, History Flight, Inc., a nonprofit organization, identified Cemetery 33. Excavations of the site uncovered multiple sets of remains, which were turned over to DPAA in 2015.
To identify Bayens’ remains, scientists from DPAA used dental, anthropological, and chest radiograph comparison analysis, as well as material evidence. DPAA is grateful to the United States Marine Corps for their assistance in this mission. Additionally, DPAA is appreciative to History Flight, Inc., for their partnership in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,638 service members still unaccounted for from World War II with approximately 30,000 assessed as possibly recoverable. Bayens’ name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others killed or lost in WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Marine Corps Service Casualty office at (800) 847-1597.
Bayens will be buried Dec. 16, 2019, in Louisville, Kentucky.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-03 18:13:502025-04-03 18:13:52Pfc. John R. Bayens
Soldier Accounted For From Korean War (Tackett, W.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Pfc. Wilbur T. Tackett, 18, of Alger, Ohio, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for Aug. 9, 2019.
(This identification was initially published Aug. 13, 2019.)
In late 1950, Tackett was a member of Battery B, 57th Field Artillery Battalion, 31st Regimental Combat Team, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on Dec. 6, 1950, when enemy forces attacked his unit near the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea. His remains could not be recovered following the attack.
On July 27, 2018, following the summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un in June 2018, North Korea turned over 55 boxes, purported to contain the remains of American service members killed during the Korean War. The remains arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii on Aug. 1, 2018, and were subsequently accessioned into the DPAA laboratory for identification. To identify Tackett’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), Y-chromosome DNA (Y-STR) and autosomal DNA (auSTR) analysis.
Today, 7,605 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously returned by Korean officials, recovered from Korea by American recovery teams or disinterred from unknown graves. Tackett’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with the others who are missing from the Korean War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Army Casualty office at (800) 892-2490.
Tackett will be buried in his hometown. The date has yet to be decided. For future funeral information, visit www.dpaa.mil.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-03 18:13:212025-04-03 18:13:22Pfc. Wilbur T. Tackett
USS Oklahoma Sailor Accounted For From World War II (Nielsen, A.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Navy Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class Arnold M. Nielsen, 32, of Oakland, California, killed during World War II, was accounted for on July 8, 2019.
(This identification was initially published Sept. 11, 2019.)
On Dec. 7, 1941, Nielsen was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Nielsen.
From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.
In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Nielsen.
Between June and November 2015, DPAA personnel exhumed the USS Oklahoma Unknowns from the Punchbowl for analysis.
To identify Nielsen’s remains, scientists from DPAA used circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of the Navy for their partnership in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,638 still unaccounted for from World War II with approximately 30,000 assessed as possibly recoverable. Nielsen’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.
For family information, contact the Navy Service Casualty office at (800) 443-9298.
Neilsen’s funeral date and location have yet to be decided. For future funeral information, visit www.dpaa.mil.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-03 18:12:502025-04-03 18:12:52Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class Arnold M. Nielsen
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Cpl. Autrey J. Betar, 18, of Port Arthur, Texas, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for Sept. 10, 2019.
(This identification was initially published Sept. 12, 2019.)
In late 1950, Betar was a member of Company A, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, 31st Regimental Combat Team. He was reported missing in action on Dec. 2, 1950, in the vicinity of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, when his unit was attacked by enemy forces. Following the battle, his remains could not be recovered.
On July 27, 2018, following the summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un in June 2018, North Korea turned over 55 boxes, purported to contain the remains of American service members killed during the Korean War. The remains arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii on Aug. 1, 2018, and were subsequently accessioned into the DPAA laboratory for identification.
To identify Betar’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y-chromosome DNA (Y-STR) and analysis.
Today, 7,605 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously returned by Korean officials, recovered from Korea by American recovery teams or disinterred from unknown graves. Betar’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with the others who are missing from the Korean War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Army Casualty office at (800) 892-2490.
Betar will be buried Dec. 7, 2019, in Groves, Texas.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-03 18:12:192025-04-03 18:12:21Cpl. Autrey J. Betar
Airman Accounted For From World War II (Lower, M.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Air Forces Tech. Sgt. Max. W. Lower, 23, of Lewiston, Utah, killed during World War II, was accounted for Oct. 9, 2019.
In the summer of 1943, Lower was assigned to the 345th Bombardment Squadron, 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force. On Aug. 1, 1943, the B-24 aircraft on which Lower was the radio operator crashed as a result of enemy anti-aircraft fire during Operation Tidal Wave, the largest bombing mission against the oil fields and refineries at Ploiesti, north of Bucharest, Romania. Following the operation, the Romanian government reported they had recovered 216 Americans killed in the raid, 27 of whom were identifiable. His remains were not among the 27. Those not identified were buried as Unknowns in the Hero Section of the Civilian and Military Cemetery of Bolovan, Ploiesti, Prahova, Romania.
Following the war, the American Graves Registration Command, the organization that searched for and recovered fallen American personnel, disinterred all American remains from the Bolovan Cemetery for identification. Each unidentified set of remains was designated Unknown and reinterred into the American Military Cemetery at Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium.
In 2017, DPAA began exhuming unknowns believed to be associated with unaccounted for airmen from Operation Tidal Wave losses. That year, 15 sets of remains were disinterred and sent to the laboratory for analysis.
To identify Lower’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.
DPAA is grateful to the American Battle Monuments Commission and to the U.S. Army Regional Mortuary- Europe/Africa for their partnership in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,638 service members still unaccounted for from World War II, of which approximately 30,000 are assessed as possibly recoverable. Lower’s name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at the Florence American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Impruneta, Italy, along with the others missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Army Service Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
Lower will be buried Nov. 23, 2019, in his hometown.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-04-03 18:10:112025-04-03 18:10:13Tech. Sgt. Max. W. Lower
Seaman 1st Class Stewart Jordan
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Nov. 22, 2019
USS Nelson Sailor Accounted For From World War II (Jordan, S.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Navy Seaman 1st Class Stewart Jordan, 20, of Coeburn, Virginia, killed during World War II, was accounted for Aug. 27, 2019.
(This identification was initially published Aug. 29, 2019.)
In 1944, Jordan was assigned to the USS Nelson, which was anchored off the coast of Normandy, France. He was killed June 12, 1944, when the ship was hit by enemy fire. Following the war, his remains could not be identified.
On Nov. 3, 1944, a graves registration team learned of remains that had washed ashore on “Roger White Beach,” in Normandy. The remains were noted to have a tattoo on the arm, depicting the sinking of the USS Tucker, where Jordan had been assigned prior to its sinking in August 1942. The remains were declared unidentifiable and designated as Unknown X-144 Sainte-Mère-Église #2, and were subsequently interred in what is now the Normandy American Cemetery. Of the 13 crew members unaccounted for from the USS Nelson, two previously served on the USS Tucker, including Jordan.
In September 2018, DPAA and the American Battle Monuments Commission exhumed X-144 and accessioned the remains to the laboratory.
To identify Jordan’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis. Additionally, the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
DPAA is grateful to the American Battle Monuments Commission and to the U.S. Army Regional Mortuary-Europe/Africa for their partnership in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,638 still unaccounted for from World War II with approximately 30,000 assessed as possibly recoverable. Jordan’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 missing from World War II. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For funeral details and family contact information, contact the Navy Service Casualty Office at (800) 443-9298.
The date and location for Jordan’s burial have yet to be determined. For future funeral information, visit www.dpaa.mil.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
Pfc. Edward A. Nalazek
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Nov. 21, 2019
Marine Accounted For From World War II (Nalazek, E.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Marine Corps Pfc. Edward A. Nalazek, 27, of Chicago, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Aug. 27, 2019.
In November 1943, Nalazek was a member of Company D, 2nd Battalion, 18th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, which landed against stiff Japanese resistance on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll of the Gilbert Islands, in an attempt to secure the island. Over several days of intense fighting at Tarawa, approximately 1,000 Marines and Sailors were killed and more than 2,000 were wounded, while the Japanese were virtually annihilated. Nalazek was killed on the second day of the battle, Nov. 21, 1943. His remains were reportedly buried in the Central Division Cemetery 8th Marines #2 on Betio Island.
In 1946, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company (604th GRC) centralized all of the American remains found on Tarawa to Lone Palm Cemetery for later repatriation; however, almost half of the known casualties were never found. No recovered remains could be associated with Nalazek, and in October 1949, a Board of Review declared him “non-recoverable.”
In June 1967, construction at the site of the Marine/Customs office block at the Betio Wharf uncovered multiple sets of remains, as well as American equipment. The remains were sent to the U.S. Army Mortuary at Tachikawa Air Base, Japan, and accessioned as Unknown XJ-1323. A number of remains were identified as Japanese. However, XJ-1323A-G were determined to be American. The remains could not be identified, and were subsequently buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu.
In 2015, History Flight, Inc., a nonprofit organization, excavated a site near the wharf on Betio Island, later identified as Cemetery 27. Remains recovered were accessioned to the DPAA laboratory.
On Nov. 21, 2016, DPAA disinterred XJ-1323 from the Punchbowl, and associated portions of XJ-1323B with portions recovered by History Flight in 2015.
To identify Nalazek’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this recovery. Additionally, DPAA is appreciative to History Flight, Inc., for their assistance.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,638 service members still unaccounted for from World War II with approximately 30,000 assessed as possibly recoverable. Nalazek’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others killed or lost in WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Marine Corps Service Casualty office at (800) 847-1597.
Nalazek will be buried Feb. 10, 2020, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
Cpl. Wilfred K. Hussey, Jr.
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Nov. 21, 2019
Soldier Accounted For From Korean War (Hussey, W.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Cpl. Wilfred K. Hussey, Jr. 19, of Hilo, Hawaii, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for Sept. 10, 2019.
(This identification was initially published Sept. 18, 2019.)
In late 1950, Hussey was a member of Company K, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on Dec. 12, 1950, in the vicinity of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, when his unit was attacked by enemy forces. Following the battle, his remains could not be recovered.
On July 27, 2018, following the summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un in June 2018, North Korea turned over 55 boxes, purported to contain the remains of American service members killed during the Korean War. The remains arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii on Aug. 1, 2018, and were subsequently accessioned into the DPAA laboratory for identification.
To identify Hussey’s remains, scientists from DPAA used circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), Y-chromosome DNA (Y-STR) and autosomal DNA (auSTR) analysis.
Today, 7,605 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously returned by Korean officials, recovered from Korea by American recovery teams or disinterred from unknown graves. Hussey’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with the others who are missing from the Korean War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Army Casualty office at (800) 892-2490.
Hussey will be buried in his hometown. The date has yet to be determined. For future funeral information, visit www.dpaa.mil.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
Cpl. Asa E. Vance
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Nov. 21, 2019
Soldier Accounted For From Korean War (Vance, A.)
WASHINGTON – Nov. 21, 2019
WASHINGTON— The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Cpl. Asa E. Vance, 18, of Decatur, Illinois, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for Sept. 10, 2019.
(This identification was initially published Sept. 17, 2019.)
In late 1950, Vance was a member of Company D, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action Dec. 2, 1950, in the vicinity of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, when his unit was attacked by enemy forces. Following the battle, his remains could not be recovered.
On July 27, 2018, following the summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un in June 2018, North Korea turned over 55 boxes, purported to contain the remains of American service members killed during the Korean War. The remains arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, on Aug. 1, 2018, and were subsequently accessioned into the DPAA laboratory for identification.
To identify Vance’s remains, scientists from DPAA used circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), Y-chromosome DNA (Y-STR) and autosomal DNA (auSTR) and analysis.
Today, 7,605 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously returned by Korean officials, recovered from Korea by American recovery teams or disinterred from unknown graves. Vance’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with the others who are missing from the Korean War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Army Casualty office at (800) 892-2490.
Vance will be buried May 1, 2020, in Springfield, Illinois.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
Pfc. Alfred Edwards
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Nov. 21, 2019
Marine Accounted For From World War II (Edwards, A.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Marine Corps Reserve Pfc. Alfred Edwards, 33 of Stilwell, Oklahoma, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Aug. 27, 2019.
In November 1943, Edwards was a member of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, which landed against stiff Japanese resistance on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll of the Gilbert Islands, in an attempt to secure the island. Over several days of intense fighting at Tarawa, approximately 1,000 Marines and Sailors were killed and more than 2,000 were wounded, while the Japanese were virtually annihilated. Edwards was killed on the first day of the battle, Nov. 20, 1943. His remains were reportedly buried in the East Division Cemetery, later renamed Cemetery 33 on Betio Island.
In 1946, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company (604th GRC) centralized all of the American remains found on Tarawa to Lone Palm Cemetery for later repatriation; however, almost half of the known casualties were never found. No recovered remains could be associated with Edwards, and in October 1949, a Board of Review declared him “non-recoverable.” The remains that could not be identified, were subsequently buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu, including two sets, designated Tarawa Unknown X-203 and X-209.
On March 27, 2017, DPAA disinterred X-203 from the Punchbowl, and on April 3, 2017, DPAA disinterred X-209. The remains were sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis, where anthropologists determined X-203 and X-209 were associated with each other.
To identify Edwards’ remains, scientists from DPAA used dental, anthropological and chest radiograph comparison analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this recovery.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,638 service members still unaccounted for from World War II, of which approximately 30,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable. Edwards’ name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others killed or lost in WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Marine Corps Service Casualty office at (800) 847-1597.
Edwards will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. The date has yet to be determined. For future funeral information, visit www.dpaa.mil.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
Pfc. John R. Bayens
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Nov. 20, 2019
Marine Accounted For From World War II (Bayens, J.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Marine Corps Reserve Pfc. John R. Bayens, 20, of Louisville, Kentucky, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Sep. 23, 2019.
(This identification was initially published Oct. 1, 2019.)
In November 1943, Bayens was a member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, which landed against stiff Japanese resistance on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll of the Gilbert Islands in an attempt to secure the island. Over several days of intense fighting at Tarawa, approximately 1,000 Marines and Sailors were killed and more than 2,000 were wounded, while the Japanese were virtually annihilated. Bayens was killed on the third day of the battle, Nov. 22, 1943. His remains were reportedly buried in Cemetery 33 on Betio Island.
In 1946, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company centralized all of the American remains found on Tarawa at Lone Palm Cemetery for later repatriation; however, almost half of the known casualties were never found. No recovered remains could be associated with Bayens, and in October 1949, a Board of Review declared him “non-recoverable.”
In 2014, History Flight, Inc., a nonprofit organization, identified Cemetery 33. Excavations of the site uncovered multiple sets of remains, which were turned over to DPAA in 2015.
To identify Bayens’ remains, scientists from DPAA used dental, anthropological, and chest radiograph comparison analysis, as well as material evidence.
DPAA is grateful to the United States Marine Corps for their assistance in this mission. Additionally, DPAA is appreciative to History Flight, Inc., for their partnership in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,638 service members still unaccounted for from World War II with approximately 30,000 assessed as possibly recoverable. Bayens’ name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others killed or lost in WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Marine Corps Service Casualty office at (800) 847-1597.
Bayens will be buried Dec. 16, 2019, in Louisville, Kentucky.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
Pfc. Wilbur T. Tackett
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Nov. 20, 2019
Soldier Accounted For From Korean War (Tackett, W.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Pfc. Wilbur T. Tackett, 18, of Alger, Ohio, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for Aug. 9, 2019.
(This identification was initially published Aug. 13, 2019.)
In late 1950, Tackett was a member of Battery B, 57th Field Artillery Battalion, 31st Regimental Combat Team, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on Dec. 6, 1950, when enemy forces attacked his unit near the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea. His remains could not be recovered following the attack.
On July 27, 2018, following the summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un in June 2018, North Korea turned over 55 boxes, purported to contain the remains of American service members killed during the Korean War. The remains arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii on Aug. 1, 2018, and were subsequently accessioned into the DPAA laboratory for identification.
To identify Tackett’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), Y-chromosome DNA (Y-STR) and autosomal DNA (auSTR) analysis.
Today, 7,605 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously returned by Korean officials, recovered from Korea by American recovery teams or disinterred from unknown graves. Tackett’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with the others who are missing from the Korean War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Army Casualty office at (800) 892-2490.
Tackett will be buried in his hometown. The date has yet to be decided. For future funeral information, visit www.dpaa.mil.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class Arnold M. Nielsen
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Nov. 20, 2019
USS Oklahoma Sailor Accounted For From World War II (Nielsen, A.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Navy Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class Arnold M. Nielsen, 32, of Oakland, California, killed during World War II, was accounted for on July 8, 2019.
(This identification was initially published Sept. 11, 2019.)
On Dec. 7, 1941, Nielsen was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Nielsen.
From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries.
In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Nielsen.
Between June and November 2015, DPAA personnel exhumed the USS Oklahoma Unknowns from the Punchbowl for analysis.
To identify Nielsen’s remains, scientists from DPAA used circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of the Navy for their partnership in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,638 still unaccounted for from World War II with approximately 30,000 assessed as possibly recoverable. Nielsen’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.
For family information, contact the Navy Service Casualty office at (800) 443-9298.
Neilsen’s funeral date and location have yet to be decided. For future funeral information, visit www.dpaa.mil.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
Cpl. Autrey J. Betar
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Nov. 20, 2019
Soldier Accounted For From Korean War (Betar, A.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Cpl. Autrey J. Betar, 18, of Port Arthur, Texas, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for Sept. 10, 2019.
(This identification was initially published Sept. 12, 2019.)
In late 1950, Betar was a member of Company A, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, 31st Regimental Combat Team. He was reported missing in action on Dec. 2, 1950, in the vicinity of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, when his unit was attacked by enemy forces. Following the battle, his remains could not be recovered.
On July 27, 2018, following the summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un in June 2018, North Korea turned over 55 boxes, purported to contain the remains of American service members killed during the Korean War. The remains arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii on Aug. 1, 2018, and were subsequently accessioned into the DPAA laboratory for identification.
To identify Betar’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y-chromosome DNA (Y-STR) and analysis.
Today, 7,605 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously returned by Korean officials, recovered from Korea by American recovery teams or disinterred from unknown graves. Betar’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with the others who are missing from the Korean War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Army Casualty office at (800) 892-2490.
Betar will be buried Dec. 7, 2019, in Groves, Texas.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.
Tech. Sgt. Max. W. Lower
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Nov. 14, 2019
Airman Accounted For From World War II (Lower, M.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Air Forces Tech. Sgt. Max. W. Lower, 23, of Lewiston, Utah, killed during World War II, was accounted for Oct. 9, 2019.
In the summer of 1943, Lower was assigned to the 345th Bombardment Squadron, 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force. On Aug. 1, 1943, the B-24 aircraft on which Lower was the radio operator crashed as a result of enemy anti-aircraft fire during Operation Tidal Wave, the largest bombing mission against the oil fields and refineries at Ploiesti, north of Bucharest, Romania. Following the operation, the Romanian government reported they had recovered 216 Americans killed in the raid, 27 of whom were identifiable. His remains were not among the 27. Those not identified were buried as Unknowns in the Hero Section of the Civilian and Military Cemetery of Bolovan, Ploiesti, Prahova, Romania.
Following the war, the American Graves Registration Command, the organization that searched for and recovered fallen American personnel, disinterred all American remains from the Bolovan Cemetery for identification. Each unidentified set of remains was designated Unknown and reinterred into the American Military Cemetery at Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium.
In 2017, DPAA began exhuming unknowns believed to be associated with unaccounted for airmen from Operation Tidal Wave losses. That year, 15 sets of remains were disinterred and sent to the laboratory for analysis.
To identify Lower’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.
DPAA is grateful to the American Battle Monuments Commission and to the U.S. Army Regional Mortuary- Europe/Africa for their partnership in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,638 service members still unaccounted for from World War II, of which approximately 30,000 are assessed as possibly recoverable. Lower’s name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at the Florence American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Impruneta, Italy, along with the others missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Army Service Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
Lower will be buried Nov. 23, 2019, in his hometown.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us