USS Oklahoma Sailor Accounted For From World War II (Steely, U.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Navy Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Ulis C. Steely, 25, of Corbin, Kentucky, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Oct. 15, 2018.
(This identification was initially published on Nov. 16, 2018.)
On Dec. 7, 1941, Steely 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 Steely.
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 Steely.
Between June and November 2015, DPAA personnel exhumed the USS Oklahoma Unknowns from the Punchbowl for analysis.
To identify Steely’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis. 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 72,674 still unaccounted for from World War II, of which approximately 30,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable. Steely’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.
Steely will be buried Oct. 5, 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.
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 15:32:522025-04-03 15:32:53Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Ulis C. Steely
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Master Sgt. James G. Cates, 29, of Philadelphia, Mississippi, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for on May 31, 2019.
(This identification was initially published June 4, 2019.)
In late November 1950, Cates was a member of Company I, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Approximately 2,500 U.S. and 700 South Korean soldiers assembled into the 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT), which was deployed east of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, when it was attacked by overwhelming numbers of Chinese forces. The American forces withdrew south with the Chinese attacks continuing. By December 6, the U.S. Army evacuated approximately 1,500 wounded service members; the remaining Soldiers had been either captured, killed or went missing in enemy territory. Because Cates could not be accounted for by his unit at the end of the battle, he was reported missing in action as of Dec. 3, 1950.
In September 1954, as part of Operation Glory, where the United Nations Command, Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces and Korean People’s Army exchanged war dead at Munsan-ni, South Korea, the United Nations received 25 sets of remains reported to have been recovered from isolated burial sites east of the Chosin Reservoir. The remains were sent to the Central Identification Unit for attempted identification. One set, designated X-15903 was declared unidentifiable. They were then transferred to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP,) known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu and were interred as Unknown.
In February 2013, following thorough historical and scientific analysis, X-15903 was disinterred from the Punchbowl and sent to the laboratory for analysis.
To identify Cates’ 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 mission.
Today, 7,631 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. Cates’ name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl along with 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 contact information, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
Cates will be buried Sept. 21, 2019, in Chunchala, Alabama.
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.
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 15:32:042025-04-03 15:32:06Master Sgt. James G. Cates
Soldier Accounted For From World War II (Ebert, L.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Pvt. Laurel W. Ebert, 27, of Blairstown, Iowa, killed during World War II, was accounted for on July 1, 2019.
(This identification was initially published on July 9, 2019.)
On Nov. 26, 1942, Ebert was a member of Company I, 126th Infantry Regiment, 32nd Infantry Division, serving as part of a nine-person patrol to find and silence an enemy machine gun position somewhere west of the Sanananda Track in the Cape Killerton area of the Australian Territory of Papua (present-day Papua New Guinea.) Six members of the patrol, including Ebert, failed to return following the mission. He was subsequently listed as missing in action.
On Jan. 15, 1943, the remains of an unidentified American Soldier were interred at the U.S. Temporary Cemetery Sanananda #3. In March 1945, the remains were moved to U.S. Armed Forces Cemetery Finschhafen #2 where they were designated “Unknown X-44.”
In 1947, the American Graves Registration service exhumed approximately 11,000 sets of remains, including X-44, which was redesignated as X-3127, and sent to the Central Identification Point at the Manila Mausoleum in the Philippines. X-3127 could not be identified and was interred at Fort McKinley (now the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial.)
In May 2017, Unknown X-3127 (X-44) was disinterred, and the remains were sent to the DPAA Laboratory for analysis.
To identify Ebert’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
DPAA is grateful to the American Battle Monuments Commission for their partnership in this mission.
For family information, contact the Army Service Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
Ebert will be buried Sept. 20, 2019, in his hometown.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,674 service members still unaccounted for from World War II, of which approximately 30,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable. Ebert’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, an American Battle Monuments Commission site along with the others missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
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.
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 15:31:352025-04-03 15:31:37Pvt. Laurel W. Ebert
Airman Accounted For From World War II (Cybowski, P.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Paul Cybowski, 25, of South Plainfield, New Jersey, killed during World War II, was accounted for on July 8, 2019.
(This identification was initially published July 10, 2019.)
In September 1943, Cybowski was a member of the 373rd Bombardment Squadron, 308th Bombardment Group, based in Yangkai, China. On Sept. 15, 1943, Cybowski was a gunner aboard a B-24D aircraft, on a bombing mission over Haiphong, French Indochina (present-day Vietnam.) Approximately 50 Japanese fighters attacked the formation as it turned to make a run over the target, shooting down three of the five American aircraft. Five crewmembers were able to bail prior to the crash, but Cybowski, and four other crewmembers, were killed during the attack.
On Oct. 12, 1945, the American Graves Registration Service recovered five sets of remains from a European cemetery in Hai Duong, French Indochina. The five sets included two known U.S. casualties and three Unknowns, designated X-16, X-17 and X-18. The Unknowns were redesignated X-42, X-43 and X-44 Kunming, and were subsequently buried in the U.S. Military Cemetery in Kunming, China.
By April 1947, all U.S. Unknowns buried in China were disinterred and sent to the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory in Honolulu. In 1949, remains that could not be identified were interred at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP,) known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu, including Unknown X-43.
Based upon the original recovery location of X-43, a DPAA historian determined that there was good potential to identify this Unknown. On April 15, 2019, Unknown X-43 was disinterred and the remains were sent to the laboratory for analysis.
To identify Cybowski’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence.
DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.
For family information, contact the Army Service Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
Cybowski will be buried Sept. 25, 2019, in his hometown.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,674 service members (approximately 30,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Cybowski’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, an American Battle Monuments Commission site along with the others missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
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.
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 15:29:552025-04-03 15:29:56Staff Sgt. Paul Cybowski
Soldier Accounted For From World War II (Franks, P.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Pvt. Penn Franks, Jr., 20, of San Antonio, killed during World War II, was accounted for on June 24, 2019.
(This identification was initially published July 8, 2019).
In February 1945, Franks was a member of Company G, 371st Infantry Regiment 92nd Infantry Division. His unit was engaged in battle on the Gothic line in the northern Apennine Mountains near Strettoia, Italy, when he was killed in action on Feb. 10, 1945. Following the battle, his unit was unable to recover his remains.
In July and August 1945, during search and recovery operations, American personnel recovered a set of remains, later designated Unknown X-187 Castelfiorentino, from an area east of the town of Strettoia. The remains were examined at the Central Identification Point at Leghorn Port Morgue in November 1948, and declared non-identifiable due to lack of sufficient identifying data. On March 11, 1949, the American Graves Registration Service transferred Unknown X-187 to the United States Military Cemetery Florence, present-day Florence American Cemetery, for burial.
Based upon the original recovery location of X-187, a DPAA historian determined that there was a good possibility the remains could be identified. In June 2016, the Department of Defense and American Battle Monuments Commission disinterred X-187 and accessioned the remains to the DPAA laboratory for identification.
To identify Franks’ remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and 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.
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 72,682 service members still unaccounted for from World War II, of which approximately 30,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable. Franks’ 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. Although interred as an Unknown, Franks’ grave was meticulously cared for by ABMC for 70 years. 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.
Franks will be buried Aug. 16, 2019, in Fort Sam Houston, 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 15:29:122025-04-03 15:29:14Pvt. Penn Franks, Jr.
Airman Accounted For From World War II (Gotts, H.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Air Forces Sgt. Howard F. Gotts, 23, of Flint, New York, killed during World War II, was accounted for on June 24, 2019.
(This identification was initially published on June 26, 2019.)
In August 1943, Gotts was a radio operator assigned to the 66th Bombardment Squadron, 44th Bombardment Group (Heavy,) known as the Flying 8-Balls. On Aug. 1, 1943, the B-24D aircraft on which Gotts served, crashed during Operation Tidal Wave, the largest bombing mission, against the oil fields and refineries at Ploiesti, north of Bucharest, Romania. The Romanian government announced they had recovered and buried 216 Americans killed in the bombing raid, but could only identify 27 of the men at the time of the recovery. The remaining casualties were said to have been buried as Unknowns in the Hero Section of the Civilian and Military Cemetery of Bolovan, Ploiesti, Prahova, Romania.
After the war, American Graves Registration Command teams disinterred all of the American deceased in Bolovan Cemetery and transferred them to the American Military Cemetery at Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium. Two of Gotts’ crewmates were identified, but five other crewmembers, including Gotts, could not be identified, and his name was not found on any prisoner of war list. His remains were declared non-recoverable.
DPAA personnel analyzed historical documentation regarding X-5059 Neuville, which had originally been designated Bolovan X-51. Based upon the original recovery location of X-5059, a DPAA historian determined that there was a likely association between the remains and Gotts. On Sept. 6, 2017, the Department of Defense and American Battle Monuments Commission disinterred X-5059 and accessioned the remains to the DPAA laboratory for identification.
To identify Gotts’ remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and 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 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 72,682 service members still unaccounted for from World War II, of which approximately 30,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable. Gotts’ 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. Although interred as an Unknown, Gotts’ grave was meticulously cared for by ABMC for 70 years. 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.
Gotts will be buried Sept. 2, 2019, in Gorham, New York.
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 15:28:272025-04-03 15:28:29Sgt. Howard F. Gotts
Soldier Accounted For From Korean War (Morrison, E.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Pvt. Edward M. Morrison, 19, of Ashland, Wisconsin, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for on May 31, 2019.
(This identification was initially published on June 4, 2019.)
In July 1950, Morrison was a member of 1st Platoon, Company B, 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. His unit was holding a defensive position north of P’yongt’aek, South Korea, when he was killed by small arms fire on July 6, 1950. Morrison was the first casualty of his company during its second engagement in the war. His remains could not be recovered following the battle.
On April 4, 1951, a set of remains, designated Unknown X-900 Tanggok was recovered near Kwang Jong-ni, South Korea, by a team from the 565th Graves Registration Service, and interred at the United Nations Military Cemetery Tanggok, South Korea. Later in 1951, the remains were disinterred and processed for identification at the Central Identification Unit at Kokura, Japan. When identification attempts failed, they were transferred to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP,) known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu and were interred as Unknown.
In April 2018, DPAA disinterred Unknown X-900 Tanggok from the Punchbowl and sent the remains to the laboratory for analysis. To identify Morrison’s 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 mission.
Today, 7,644 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. Morrison’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl along with 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 contact information, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
Morrison will be buried Aug. 17, 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.
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 15:27:392025-04-03 15:27:40Pvt. Edward M. Morrison
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Air Force Col. Roy A. Knight, Jr., 36, of Millsap, Texas, killed during the Vietnam War, was accounted for June 4, 2019.
(This identification was initially published on June 13, 2019.)
In May 1967, Knight was a pilot with the 602nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, assigned to Udorn Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand. On May 19, 1967, Knight was leading a flight of two A-1E aircraft on a strike mission in northern Laos, when his aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire. No parachute was observed prior to the aircraft crashing and bursting into flames. Additionally, no beeper signals were heard. While search and rescue efforts were initiated, an organized search could not be conducted due to intensity of hostile ground fire in the area. The Air Force declared Knight deceased in September 1974.
In 1991 and 1992, Joint U.S./Lao People’s Democratic Republic (L.P.D.R.) teams investigated a crash site allegedly associated with Knight’s loss, recommending it for excavation. In March 1994, the site was excavated and life support items were recovered. The crash site was investigated four additional times in subsequent years.
In January and February 2019, a joint team recovered possible human remains and additional life support items. The remains were accessioned to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.
To identify Knight’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental analysis, as well as material and circumstantial evidence.
DPAA is grateful to the government and people of Laos for their partnership in this mission.
Today there are 1,588 Department of Defense personnel who are still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War. Knight’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with others unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Air Force Casualty Assistance Office at (800) 831-5501.
Knight will be buried Aug. 10, 2019 in Weatherford, 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 15:27:032025-04-03 15:27:05Col. Roy A. Knight
Soldier Accounted For From World War II (Middlekauff, R.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Pfc. Raymond H. Middlekauff, 31, of Baltimore, killed during World War II, was accounted for on April 8, 2019.
(This identification was initially published on April 16, 2019.)
In late 1944, Middlekauff was a member of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, which was engaged in battle against German forces near the town of Grosshau, in the Hürtgen Forest in Germany. He was reported missing in action as of Dec. 4, 1944, when his company reorganized after a severe counterattack and he could not be accounted for.
Following the close of hostilities in Europe in 1945, Middlekauff was among the hundreds of soldiers still missing from combat in the Hürtgen Forest. On Dec. 5, 1945, after no information on his whereabouts, the War Department declared him deceased and non-recoverable.
Between 1947 and 1950, American Graves Registration Command (AGRC) investigative teams traveled to Grosshau to search for Middlekauff’s remains. Various graves registration units recovered dozens of unidentified remains from the Hürtgen Forest. Those that could not be identified were designated as Unknowns and buried in American cemeteries in Europe.
Following thorough analysis of military records and AGRC documentation by DPAA historians and scientists, one set of remains, Unknown X-2773 Neuville, which was buried at present day Ardennes American Cemetery in Belgium, was determined to have a likely association with Middlekauff. Unknown X-2773 Neuville was disinterred in April 2018 and sent to DPAA for analysis.
To identify Middlekauff’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence. Additionally, the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y-chromosome STR 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 72,692 service members still unaccounted for from World War II, of which approximately 30,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable. Middlekauff’s name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, Netherlands, an American Battle Monuments Commission site along with others who are missing from WWII. Although interred as an “unknown” his grave was meticulously cared for over the past 70 years by the American Battle Monuments Commission. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
If you wish to contact Middlekauff’s family, call the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
Middlekauff will be buried Feb. 5, 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 15:25:532025-04-03 15:25:54Pfc. Raymond H. Middlekauff
U.S. Servicemen Killed During Battle of Tarawa To Be Returned to United States
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today the remains of at least 22 servicemen, killed during the battle of Tarawa in World War II, are being returned to the United States in an Honorable Carry Ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, July 17, 2019.
The Battle for Tarawa was part of a larger U.S. invasion (Operation GALVANIC) to capture Japanese-held territory within the Gilbert Islands. The operation commenced on November 20, 1943, with simultaneous attacks at Betio Island (within the Tarawa Atoll) and Makin Island (more than 100 miles north of Tarawa Atoll). While lighter Japanese defenses at Makin Island meant fewer losses for U.S. forces, firmly entrenched Japanese defenders on Betio Island turned the fight for Tarawa Atoll into a costly 76-hour battle.
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. Servicemen killed in action were buried where they fell, or placed in large trench burials constructed during and after the battle. These graves were typically marked with improvised markers, such as crosses made from sticks, or an up-turned rifle. Grave sites ranged in size from single isolated burials to large trench burials of more than 100 individuals.
Postwar Graves Registration recovery efforts were complicated by incomplete record keeping and by the alterations to the cemeteries shortly after the battle. The locations of multiple cemeteries were lost. The alternations to other cemeteries resulted in the relocation of grave markers without relocating the remains beneath. These sites became known as memorial graves. As a result, many of the Tarawa dead were not recovered.
“Today we welcome home more than 20 American servicemen still unaccounted for from the battle of Tarawa during World War II,” said Acting Secretary of Defense Richard V. Spencer. “We do not forget those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, and it is our duty and obligation to return our missing home to their families and the nation. Thank you to everyone who took part in this repatriation.”
DPAA is grateful to History Flight, Inc. for their continued partnership and dedicated support.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,692 service members still unaccounted for from World War II, of which approximately 30,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable.
For a live stream of today’s Honorable Carry visit: https://www.dvidshub.net/webcast/20886
For more information on the battle of Tarawa, casualties and recovery efforts, visit https://www.dpaa.mil/Resources/Fact-Sheets/Article-View/Article/569615/tarawa/
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 15:25:242025-04-03 15:25:25Battle of Tarawa
Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Ulis C. Steely
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Aug. 26, 2019
USS Oklahoma Sailor Accounted For From World War II (Steely, U.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Navy Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Ulis C. Steely, 25, of Corbin, Kentucky, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Oct. 15, 2018.
(This identification was initially published on Nov. 16, 2018.)
On Dec. 7, 1941, Steely 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 Steely.
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 Steely.
Between June and November 2015, DPAA personnel exhumed the USS Oklahoma Unknowns from the Punchbowl for analysis.
To identify Steely’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis. 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 72,674 still unaccounted for from World War II, of which approximately 30,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable. Steely’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.
Steely will be buried Oct. 5, 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.
Master Sgt. James G. Cates
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Aug. 26, 2019
Soldier Accounted For From Korean War (Cates, J.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Master Sgt. James G. Cates, 29, of Philadelphia, Mississippi, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for on May 31, 2019.
(This identification was initially published June 4, 2019.)
In late November 1950, Cates was a member of Company I, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Approximately 2,500 U.S. and 700 South Korean soldiers assembled into the 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT), which was deployed east of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, when it was attacked by overwhelming numbers of Chinese forces. The American forces withdrew south with the Chinese attacks continuing. By December 6, the U.S. Army evacuated approximately 1,500 wounded service members; the remaining Soldiers had been either captured, killed or went missing in enemy territory. Because Cates could not be accounted for by his unit at the end of the battle, he was reported missing in action as of Dec. 3, 1950.
In September 1954, as part of Operation Glory, where the United Nations Command, Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces and Korean People’s Army exchanged war dead at Munsan-ni, South Korea, the United Nations received 25 sets of remains reported to have been recovered from isolated burial sites east of the Chosin Reservoir. The remains were sent to the Central Identification Unit for attempted identification. One set, designated X-15903 was declared unidentifiable. They were then transferred to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP,) known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu and were interred as Unknown.
In February 2013, following thorough historical and scientific analysis, X-15903 was disinterred from the Punchbowl and sent to the laboratory for analysis.
To identify Cates’ 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 mission.
Today, 7,631 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. Cates’ name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl along with 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 contact information, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
Cates will be buried Sept. 21, 2019, in Chunchala, Alabama.
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.
Pvt. Laurel W. Ebert
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Aug. 26, 2019
Soldier Accounted For From World War II (Ebert, L.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Pvt. Laurel W. Ebert, 27, of Blairstown, Iowa, killed during World War II, was accounted for on July 1, 2019.
(This identification was initially published on July 9, 2019.)
On Nov. 26, 1942, Ebert was a member of Company I, 126th Infantry Regiment, 32nd Infantry Division, serving as part of a nine-person patrol to find and silence an enemy machine gun position somewhere west of the Sanananda Track in the Cape Killerton area of the Australian Territory of Papua (present-day Papua New Guinea.) Six members of the patrol, including Ebert, failed to return following the mission. He was subsequently listed as missing in action.
On Jan. 15, 1943, the remains of an unidentified American Soldier were interred at the U.S. Temporary Cemetery Sanananda #3. In March 1945, the remains were moved to U.S. Armed Forces Cemetery Finschhafen #2 where they were designated “Unknown X-44.”
In 1947, the American Graves Registration service exhumed approximately 11,000 sets of remains, including X-44, which was redesignated as X-3127, and sent to the Central Identification Point at the Manila Mausoleum in the Philippines. X-3127 could not be identified and was interred at Fort McKinley (now the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial.)
In May 2017, Unknown X-3127 (X-44) was disinterred, and the remains were sent to the DPAA Laboratory for analysis.
To identify Ebert’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
DPAA is grateful to the American Battle Monuments Commission for their partnership in this mission.
For family information, contact the Army Service Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
Ebert will be buried Sept. 20, 2019, in his hometown.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,674 service members still unaccounted for from World War II, of which approximately 30,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable. Ebert’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, an American Battle Monuments Commission site along with the others missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
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.
Staff Sgt. Paul Cybowski
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Aug. 23, 2019
Airman Accounted For From World War II (Cybowski, P.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Paul Cybowski, 25, of South Plainfield, New Jersey, killed during World War II, was accounted for on July 8, 2019.
(This identification was initially published July 10, 2019.)
In September 1943, Cybowski was a member of the 373rd Bombardment Squadron, 308th Bombardment Group, based in Yangkai, China. On Sept. 15, 1943, Cybowski was a gunner aboard a B-24D aircraft, on a bombing mission over Haiphong, French Indochina (present-day Vietnam.) Approximately 50 Japanese fighters attacked the formation as it turned to make a run over the target, shooting down three of the five American aircraft. Five crewmembers were able to bail prior to the crash, but Cybowski, and four other crewmembers, were killed during the attack.
On Oct. 12, 1945, the American Graves Registration Service recovered five sets of remains from a European cemetery in Hai Duong, French Indochina. The five sets included two known U.S. casualties and three Unknowns, designated X-16, X-17 and X-18. The Unknowns were redesignated X-42, X-43 and X-44 Kunming, and were subsequently buried in the U.S. Military Cemetery in Kunming, China.
By April 1947, all U.S. Unknowns buried in China were disinterred and sent to the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory in Honolulu. In 1949, remains that could not be identified were interred at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP,) known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu, including Unknown X-43.
Based upon the original recovery location of X-43, a DPAA historian determined that there was good potential to identify this Unknown. On April 15, 2019, Unknown X-43 was disinterred and the remains were sent to the laboratory for analysis.
To identify Cybowski’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence.
DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.
For family information, contact the Army Service Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
Cybowski will be buried Sept. 25, 2019, in his hometown.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,674 service members (approximately 30,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Cybowski’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, an American Battle Monuments Commission site along with the others missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
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.
Pvt. Penn Franks, Jr.
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Aug. 15, 2019
Soldier Accounted For From World War II (Franks, P.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Pvt. Penn Franks, Jr., 20, of San Antonio, killed during World War II, was accounted for on June 24, 2019.
(This identification was initially published July 8, 2019).
In February 1945, Franks was a member of Company G, 371st Infantry Regiment 92nd Infantry Division. His unit was engaged in battle on the Gothic line in the northern Apennine Mountains near Strettoia, Italy, when he was killed in action on Feb. 10, 1945. Following the battle, his unit was unable to recover his remains.
In July and August 1945, during search and recovery operations, American personnel recovered a set of remains, later designated Unknown X-187 Castelfiorentino, from an area east of the town of Strettoia. The remains were examined at the Central Identification Point at Leghorn Port Morgue in November 1948, and declared non-identifiable due to lack of sufficient identifying data. On March 11, 1949, the American Graves Registration Service transferred Unknown X-187 to the United States Military Cemetery Florence, present-day Florence American Cemetery, for burial.
Based upon the original recovery location of X-187, a DPAA historian determined that there was a good possibility the remains could be identified. In June 2016, the Department of Defense and American Battle Monuments Commission disinterred X-187 and accessioned the remains to the DPAA laboratory for identification.
To identify Franks’ remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and 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.
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 72,682 service members still unaccounted for from World War II, of which approximately 30,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable. Franks’ 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. Although interred as an Unknown, Franks’ grave was meticulously cared for by ABMC for 70 years. 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.
Franks will be buried Aug. 16, 2019, in Fort Sam Houston, 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.
Sgt. Howard F. Gotts
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Aug. 12, 2019
Airman Accounted For From World War II (Gotts, H.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Air Forces Sgt. Howard F. Gotts, 23, of Flint, New York, killed during World War II, was accounted for on June 24, 2019.
(This identification was initially published on June 26, 2019.)
In August 1943, Gotts was a radio operator assigned to the 66th Bombardment Squadron, 44th Bombardment Group (Heavy,) known as the Flying 8-Balls. On Aug. 1, 1943, the B-24D aircraft on which Gotts served, crashed during Operation Tidal Wave, the largest bombing mission, against the oil fields and refineries at Ploiesti, north of Bucharest, Romania. The Romanian government announced they had recovered and buried 216 Americans killed in the bombing raid, but could only identify 27 of the men at the time of the recovery. The remaining casualties were said to have been buried as Unknowns in the Hero Section of the Civilian and Military Cemetery of Bolovan, Ploiesti, Prahova, Romania.
After the war, American Graves Registration Command teams disinterred all of the American deceased in Bolovan Cemetery and transferred them to the American Military Cemetery at Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium. Two of Gotts’ crewmates were identified, but five other crewmembers, including Gotts, could not be identified, and his name was not found on any prisoner of war list. His remains were declared non-recoverable.
DPAA personnel analyzed historical documentation regarding X-5059 Neuville, which had originally been designated Bolovan X-51. Based upon the original recovery location of X-5059, a DPAA historian determined that there was a likely association between the remains and Gotts. On Sept. 6, 2017, the Department of Defense and American Battle Monuments Commission disinterred X-5059 and accessioned the remains to the DPAA laboratory for identification.
To identify Gotts’ remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and 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 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 72,682 service members still unaccounted for from World War II, of which approximately 30,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable. Gotts’ 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. Although interred as an Unknown, Gotts’ grave was meticulously cared for by ABMC for 70 years. 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.
Gotts will be buried Sept. 2, 2019, in Gorham, New York.
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.
Pvt. Edward M. Morrison
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Aug. 12, 2019
Soldier Accounted For From Korean War (Morrison, E.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Pvt. Edward M. Morrison, 19, of Ashland, Wisconsin, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for on May 31, 2019.
(This identification was initially published on June 4, 2019.)
In July 1950, Morrison was a member of 1st Platoon, Company B, 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. His unit was holding a defensive position north of P’yongt’aek, South Korea, when he was killed by small arms fire on July 6, 1950. Morrison was the first casualty of his company during its second engagement in the war. His remains could not be recovered following the battle.
On April 4, 1951, a set of remains, designated Unknown X-900 Tanggok was recovered near Kwang Jong-ni, South Korea, by a team from the 565th Graves Registration Service, and interred at the United Nations Military Cemetery Tanggok, South Korea. Later in 1951, the remains were disinterred and processed for identification at the Central Identification Unit at Kokura, Japan. When identification attempts failed, they were transferred to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP,) known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu and were interred as Unknown.
In April 2018, DPAA disinterred Unknown X-900 Tanggok from the Punchbowl and sent the remains to the laboratory for analysis.
To identify Morrison’s 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 mission.
Today, 7,644 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. Morrison’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl along with 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 contact information, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
Morrison will be buried Aug. 17, 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.
Col. Roy A. Knight
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | July 18, 2019
Pilot Accounted For From Vietnam War (Knight, R.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Air Force Col. Roy A. Knight, Jr., 36, of Millsap, Texas, killed during the Vietnam War, was accounted for June 4, 2019.
(This identification was initially published on June 13, 2019.)
In May 1967, Knight was a pilot with the 602nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, assigned to Udorn Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand. On May 19, 1967, Knight was leading a flight of two A-1E aircraft on a strike mission in northern Laos, when his aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire. No parachute was observed prior to the aircraft crashing and bursting into flames. Additionally, no beeper signals were heard. While search and rescue efforts were initiated, an organized search could not be conducted due to intensity of hostile ground fire in the area. The Air Force declared Knight deceased in September 1974.
In 1991 and 1992, Joint U.S./Lao People’s Democratic Republic (L.P.D.R.) teams investigated a crash site allegedly associated with Knight’s loss, recommending it for excavation. In March 1994, the site was excavated and life support items were recovered. The crash site was investigated four additional times in subsequent years.
In January and February 2019, a joint team recovered possible human remains and additional life support items. The remains were accessioned to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.
To identify Knight’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental analysis, as well as material and circumstantial evidence.
DPAA is grateful to the government and people of Laos for their partnership in this mission.
Today there are 1,588 Department of Defense personnel who are still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War. Knight’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with others unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family information, contact the Air Force Casualty Assistance Office at (800) 831-5501.
Knight will be buried Aug. 10, 2019 in Weatherford, 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.
Pfc. Raymond H. Middlekauff
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | July 18, 2019
Soldier Accounted For From World War II (Middlekauff, R.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Pfc. Raymond H. Middlekauff, 31, of Baltimore, killed during World War II, was accounted for on April 8, 2019.
(This identification was initially published on April 16, 2019.)
In late 1944, Middlekauff was a member of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, which was engaged in battle against German forces near the town of Grosshau, in the Hürtgen Forest in Germany. He was reported missing in action as of Dec. 4, 1944, when his company reorganized after a severe counterattack and he could not be accounted for.
Following the close of hostilities in Europe in 1945, Middlekauff was among the hundreds of soldiers still missing from combat in the Hürtgen Forest. On Dec. 5, 1945, after no information on his whereabouts, the War Department declared him deceased and non-recoverable.
Between 1947 and 1950, American Graves Registration Command (AGRC) investigative teams traveled to Grosshau to search for Middlekauff’s remains. Various graves registration units recovered dozens of unidentified remains from the Hürtgen Forest. Those that could not be identified were designated as Unknowns and buried in American cemeteries in Europe.
Following thorough analysis of military records and AGRC documentation by DPAA historians and scientists, one set of remains, Unknown X-2773 Neuville, which was buried at present day Ardennes American Cemetery in Belgium, was determined to have a likely association with Middlekauff. Unknown X-2773 Neuville was disinterred in April 2018 and sent to DPAA for analysis.
To identify Middlekauff’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence. Additionally, the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y-chromosome STR 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 72,692 service members still unaccounted for from World War II, of which approximately 30,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable. Middlekauff’s name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, Netherlands, an American Battle Monuments Commission site along with others who are missing from WWII. Although interred as an “unknown” his grave was meticulously cared for over the past 70 years by the American Battle Monuments Commission. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
If you wish to contact Middlekauff’s family, call the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
Middlekauff will be buried Feb. 5, 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.
Battle of Tarawa
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | July 17, 2019
U.S. Servicemen Killed During Battle of Tarawa To Be Returned to United States
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today the remains of at least 22 servicemen, killed during the battle of Tarawa in World War II, are being returned to the United States in an Honorable Carry Ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, July 17, 2019.
The Battle for Tarawa was part of a larger U.S. invasion (Operation GALVANIC) to capture Japanese-held territory within the Gilbert Islands. The operation commenced on November 20, 1943, with simultaneous attacks at Betio Island (within the Tarawa Atoll) and Makin Island (more than 100 miles north of Tarawa Atoll). While lighter Japanese defenses at Makin Island meant fewer losses for U.S. forces, firmly entrenched Japanese defenders on Betio Island turned the fight for Tarawa Atoll into a costly 76-hour battle.
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. Servicemen killed in action were buried where they fell, or placed in large trench burials constructed during and after the battle. These graves were typically marked with improvised markers, such as crosses made from sticks, or an up-turned rifle. Grave sites ranged in size from single isolated burials to large trench burials of more than 100 individuals.
Postwar Graves Registration recovery efforts were complicated by incomplete record keeping and by the alterations to the cemeteries shortly after the battle. The locations of multiple cemeteries were lost. The alternations to other cemeteries resulted in the relocation of grave markers without relocating the remains beneath. These sites became known as memorial graves. As a result, many of the Tarawa dead were not recovered.
“Today we welcome home more than 20 American servicemen still unaccounted for from the battle of Tarawa during World War II,” said Acting Secretary of Defense Richard V. Spencer. “We do not forget those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, and it is our duty and obligation to return our missing home to their families and the nation. Thank you to everyone who took part in this repatriation.”
DPAA is grateful to History Flight, Inc. for their continued partnership and dedicated support.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,692 service members still unaccounted for from World War II, of which approximately 30,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable.
For a live stream of today’s Honorable Carry visit:
https://www.dvidshub.net/webcast/20886
For more information on the battle of Tarawa, casualties and recovery efforts, visit https://www.dpaa.mil/Resources/Fact-Sheets/Article-View/Article/569615/tarawa/
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.