Have You Heard Another Five Missing Soldiers Have Been Returned Home?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 20:10:47 -0400

This is the real deal despite what the butthead writer said about the POW/MIA.
Welcome Home Brothers, Your War Is Over.

From World War II

• 1stLt William O. Pile, 559th Bombardment Squadron, 387th Bombardment Group, 9th Air Force, US Army, was lost on 23 December 1944 in Germany. He was accounted for on 13 June 2015. 1stLt Pile was the pilot on the aircraft in which 2nd Lt. Robert W. Ward, identified/accounted for by DPAA on 7 May 2015 as noted here, was the co-pilot.

From Korea

• SFC Robert Reager, Company C, 32nd Regimental Combat Team, 7th Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 2 December 1950 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 21 July 2015.

• SGT Wilson Meckley, Jr., Company A, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 13 February 1951 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 9 August 2015.

• PFC George L. Rights, Battery B, 15th Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 13 February 1951 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 22 July 2015.

• CPL Grant H. Ewing, Battery C, 38th Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 28 February 1951 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 29 July 2015.

You’re no longer missing, my elder brothers-in-arms. Our apologies that it took so long.

Rest in peace. You’re finally home.

. . .

Over 73,000 US personnel remain unaccounted for from World War II; over 7,800 US personnel remain unaccounted for from the Korean War; and over 1,600 remain unaccounted for in Southeast Asia (SEA). Comparison of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from recovered remains against mtDNA from a matrilineal descendant can assist in making a positive ID for unidentified remains that have already been recovered, or which may be recovered in the future.

TAH reader HMCS(FMF) noted in comments elsewhere that DPAA’s web site now has what appears to be a decent “Contact Us” page. The page doesn’t have instructions concerning who can and cannot submit a mtDNA sample or how to submit one, but the POCs listed there may be able to point you in the correct direction if you’re interested. If you think you might possibly qualify, please contact those POCs for further information.

If it turns out you qualify to submit a mtDNA sample, please arrange to submit one. By doing that you just might help identify the remains of a US service member who’s been repatriated but not yet been identified – as well as a relative of yours, however distant. Or you may help to identify remains to be recovered in the future.

Everybody deserves a proper burial. That’s especially true for those who gave their all while serving this nation.

http://www.dpaa.mil/OurMissing/RecentlyAccountedFor.aspx

Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency > Our Missing > Recently Accounted For

The POW/MIA names listed here are U.S. military servicemembers who were once missing and are now accounted-for. Additional information may be seen by visiting the respective Vietnam, Korean War and WWII pages on this site.

Response by PO3 Steven Sherrill made Aug 13 at 2015 8:14 PM

PO3 Steven Sherrill — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 20:14:13 -0400

Welcome home. Rest in peace

Response by COL Mikel J. Burroughs made Aug 13 at 2015 8:25 PM

COL Mikel J. Burroughs — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 20:25:44 -0400

SGT Private RallyPoint Member Thanks for sharing. Welcome home!

Response by SSgt Charles Edwards made Aug 13 at 2015 8:45 PM

SSgt Charles Edwards — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 20:45:09 -0400

Welcome home

Response by SN Greg Wright made Aug 14 at 2015 9:10 AM

SN Greg Wright — Fri, 14 Aug 2015 09:10:58 -0400

"Our apologies that it took so long." COL Mikel J. Burroughs

This.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 14 at 2015 9:48 AM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 14 Aug 2015 09:48:40 -0400

Always good to have someone returned home.