Press Release | Nov. 13, 2019

Soldier Accounted For From Korean War (Avant, J.)

WASHINGTON  –   The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Cpl. Joe T. Avant, 20, of Greenwood, Mississippi, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for Sept. 10, 2019.

(This identification was initially published Sept. 12, 2019.)

In late 1950, Avant was a member of Heavy Mortar Company, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, 31st Regimental Combat Team. He was reported missing in action Nov. 30, 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 Avant’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 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. Avant’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.

Avant will be buried Dec. 13, 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 on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.

Press Release | Nov. 7, 2019

Soldier Accounted For From Korean War (Dye, K.)

WASHINGTON  –   The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced that Army Pfc. Karl L. Dye, 17, of Marion, Ohio, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for on Dec. 3, 2018.

(This identification was initially published Dec. 12, 2018.)

In July 1950, Dye was a member of Battery B, 52nd Field Artillery Battalion, 24th Infantry Division, engaged in combat operations against Democratic People’s Republic of Korea forces near Taejon, South Korea. According to a witness, he was seriously wounded by an enemy mortar shell and placed in an ambulance. The ambulance allegedly encountered an enemy roadblock. Dye was reported missing in action on July 16, 1950.

In October 1950, one set of remains, designated “Unknown X-159 Taejon,” was recovered in the vicinity of Taejon. Despite several attempts, the remains could not be identified and were subsequently sent to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu, where they were buried as an Unknown.

On Oct. 16, 2017, Unknown X-159 was disinterred from the Punchbowl and sent to the DPAA laboratory.

To identify Dye’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental, anthropological and chest radiograph comparison analysis, as well as and 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 Army for their partnership in this mission.

Today, 7,606 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously returned by North Korean officials or recovered from North Korea by American recovery teams. Dye’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl 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 Service Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.

Dye will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. The date has not been set. 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.

Press Release | Nov. 6, 2019

Marine Accounted For From World War II (Kocopy, M.)

WASHINGTON  –   The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Marine Corps Reserve Pfc. Michael Kocopy, 20, of Gardendale, Pennsylvania, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Aug. 27, 2019.

(This identification was initially published Sept. 9, 2019.)

In November 1943, Kocopy 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. Kocopy was killed on the first day of the battle, Nov. 20, 1943. His remains were reportedly buried in the Central Division Cemetery on Betio Island.

In 1946, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company 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 Kocopy, and in October 1949, a Board of Review declared him “non-recoverable.”

In 2014, History Flight, Inc., a nonprofit organization, identified a site correlated with Cemetery 26. Excavations of the site uncovered multiple sets of remains, which were turned over to DPAA in 2015, where they were subsequently accessioned to the DPAA laboratory.

To identify Kocopy’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 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 72,641 service members still unaccounted for from World War II with approximately 30,000 assessed as possibly recoverable. Kocopy’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.

Kocopy will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. The date has not been set. 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.

Press Release | Nov. 4, 2019

Soldier Accounted For From Korean War (Crisp, G.)

WASHINGTON  –   The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army 1st Lt. George S. Crisp, 24, of Alba, Texas, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for Sept. 3, 2019.

(This identification was initially published Sept. 9, 2019.)

In late 1950, Crisp was a member of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. His unit was engaged in intense fighting with the Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces at Sinhung-ri, near the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. He was reported to have last been seen near Hagaru-ri, but his remains could not be located. The U.S. Army declared Crisp deceased as of Dec. 12, 1950.

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 Crisp’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 autosomal DNA (auSTR) analysis.

Today, 7,606 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. Crisp’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.

Crisp will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. The date has yet to be determined.

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.

Press Release | Nov. 1, 2019

Marine Accounted For From World War II (Morrissey, H.)

WASHINGTON  –   The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Marine Corps Pfc. Harry C. Morrissey, 27, of Everett, Massachusetts, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Aug. 28, 2017.

(This identification was initially published Jan. 11, 2018.)

On October 9, 1942, Morrissey was a member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, participating in a main offensive action in the Battle of Guadalcanal. After nearly two months of battle, the regiment completed their action. However, due to rapid unit movement, Marines who had been killed in action were buried hastily. Morrissey and two other Marines from his battalion were reportedly interred in graves atop Hill 73.

From 1947 through 1949, the American Graves Registration Service searched for isolated burials on Guadalcanal, but did not associate any remains with Morrissey. Based on the lack of information, Morrissey was declared non-recoverable.

In 2011, Yorick Tokuru, a resident of Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, located possible remains near his home on the western edge of Skyline Ridge (Hill 73). A team of Royal Solomon Islands Police Force investigators excavated the site and turned recovered remains over to the state archaeologist. The archaeologist turned the remains over to John Innes, an Australian expert on the Battle of Guadalcanal, who in turn contacted the Joint POW/MIA Recovery Command (JPAC, the predecessor unit to DPAA).

On July 12, 2013, Ewan Stevenson, a Guadalcanal native living in New Zealand, contacted JPAC stating more remains had been recovered near the site of the 2011 recovery location.

On August 6, 2013, the remains were unilaterally turned over to JPAC for identification.

To identify Morrissey’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.

DPAA is grateful to Yorick Tokuru, John Innes, Ewan Stevenson and the Solomon Islands government and police force for their assistance 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 72,648 service members still unaccounted for from World War II with approximately 30,000 assessed as possibly recoverable. Morrissey’s name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Manila, Philippines, 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 Marine Corps Service Casualty office at (800) 847-1597.

Morrissey will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. The date has yet to be determined.

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.