3

RESEARCH. RECOVER. IDENTIFY.

MISSION

DPAA is committed 

to providing the 

fullest possible 

accounting for 

missing personnel 

to their families and 

the nation. DPAA is 

equally dedicated to 

communicating to 

their families and 

the nation 

information about 

their loved one's 

loss and the 

service, sacrifice, 

and answers 

associated with 

that loss.

VISION

A world-class workforce fulfills 

the nation's obligation by 

maximizing the number of DoD 

personnel accounted for while 

ensuring timely, accurate 

information is provided 

to their families.

CORE VALUES

Compassion: We conduct our 

work and communication 

with empathy. 

Integrity: We live 

our lives with 

truthfulness 

and objectivity. 

Teamwork: We are 

committed and 

willing to do all we 

can to assist each 

other, strengthening 

our ability to partner 

with family 

organizations, 

veterans, public and 

private entities, 

foreign 

governments, and 

academia to achieve 

our mission. 

Respect: We always 

demonstrate the 

utmost regard for 

one another, our partners, and 

our missing personnel 

and their families.

Innovation: We apply fresh 

thinking and continuously 

improve upon everything we do. 1 5 8 A c c o u n t e d F o r

Accounted for October 2022 - September 2023

N E V E R F O R G O T T E N

2 3

V i e t n a m W a r

A r m y

 C h i e f Wa r r a n t O ff i c e r 3 L a r r y Z i c h

A i r F o r c e

 C o l . E r n e s t D e S o t o

 C a p t . F r e d e r i c k H a l l

M a r i n e C o r p s

 C a p t . R a l p h C h i p m a n

S g t . I r v i n g N e w m a n

 S t a ff S g t . J a c k C o y

 S t a ff S g t . J a c k s o n B a r b o u r

 C p l . J a m e s H u r t

 2 n d L t . J a m e s M a r r a h

 2 n d L t . J a m e s L i t h e r l a n d

1 s t L t . J a m e s D e e d s

 Te c h . S g t . J a m e s Tr i p l e t t

 Te c h . S g t . J o h n H o l o k a

 P v t . J o h n R o p p

 Te c h . S g t . K e n n e t h M c K e e m a n

 2 n d L t . K e n y o n B r i n d l e y

 Te c h . S g t . L a w r e n c e R e i t z

 2 n d L t . M a x D a i l e y

 1 s t L t . N o e l S h o u p

 Te c h . S g t . P a u l E s h e l m a n

 2 n d L t . P o r t e r P i l e

 S t a ff S g t . R a y m o n d K a u d e l k y

 1 s t L t . R i c h a r d K a s t e n

 P f c . R o b e r t C o l t e r

 S t a ff S g t . R o b e r t F e r r i s

 Te c h . S g t . R o b e r t A l l e n

 S t a ff S g t . R o b e r t E l l i o t t

 M a j . T h e o d o r e W i l l h i t e

 Te c h . S g t . Tu r n e r J o h n s t o n

 2 n d L t . Wa l t e r M i k l o s h

 S t a ff S g t . We s l e y J o n e s

 S g t . W h i t e G o i n g s

 S g t . W i l l a r d K e n d a l l

 Te c h . S g t . W i l l i a m L e u k e r i n g

 1 s t L t . W i l l i a m M o n t g o m e r y

 2 n d L t . W i l l i a m S c o t t

 S t a ff S g t . W i l l i e J o n e s

M a r i n e C o r p s

 1 s t L t . A l v i n C o c k r e l l

 P f c . C h r i s t o p h e r S u r b e r

 P v t . E u g e n e M i l l e r

 S g t . H a r o l d H a m m e t t

 P l a t o o n S g t . H a r o l d We a v e r

 P f c . J o h n R e y n o l d s

 C p l . M a n u e l P i m e n t e l

 P v t . R o b e r t B u d d

 S g t . R o b e r t M o o n

 S g t . R o b e r t Va n h e c k

 P v t . T h o m a s P h i l l i p s

 C p l . We l v e r Va u g h a n

N a v y

 Av i a t i o n O r d n a n c e m a n 1 s t C l a s s A n t h o n y D i p e t t a

 G u n n e r ' s M a t e 3 r d C l a s s A r n o l d Ly o n

 Av i a t i o n R a d i o m a n 1 s t C l a s s W i l b u r M i t t s

W O R L D W A R I I

A r m y

 S t a ff S g t . A l v i n S c a r b o r o u g h

 P v t . D a n i e l M o n i z

 P v t . E a r l S e i b e r t

 T / 4 E l m o H a r t w i c k

 2 n d L t . G e n e Wa l k e r

 S g t . G e o r g e B i s h o p

 P f c . G e o r g e T h o m a s

 S g t . G r e g o r y K n o l l

 S t a ff S g t . H a r o l d S c h a f e r

 P f c . H a r r y H o s f e l t

 P f c . H e n r y Wa d e

 P v t . H o m e r M i t c h e l l

 P f c . H o o d C o l e

 P v t . J a m e s M c C a r t n e y

 P f c . J a m e s H a r r i n g t o n

 S g t . J o h n H e r r i c k

 S g t . J o h n R a d a n o v i c h

 C p l . J u l i u s Wo l f e

 Te c h . S g t . L e o n a r d D e t t l o ff

 S t a ff S g t . L e r o y C l o u d

 P v t . L e r o y S l e n k e r

 P f c . L e x L i l l a r d

 P f c . M a n u e l Tr u j i l l o

 P f c . M a r c u s E n g e s s e r

 Te c h . S g t . M a t t h e w M c K e o n

 S t a ff S g t . M a x T h u r s t o n

 P f c . N o a h R e e v e s

 P f c . R a y m o n d S c h l a m p

 S g t . R i c h a r d H a m m o n d

 P f c . R i c h a r d P i t s o r

 P v t . R o b e r t H u r s t

 S t a ff S g t . R o b e r t R u d d

 P f c . T h o m a s B r o o k s

 P f c . T h o m a s L o n g

 P v t . W i l l i a m S m i t h

 P f c . W i l l i a m S i m o n

 P v t . W i n g H o m

 S t a ff S g t . Wo o d r o w G e r d e s e s

A r m y A i r F o r c e s

 2 n d L t . A l b e r t S t a h l

 1 s t L t . A l f r e d P e z z e l l a

 2 n d L t . A r t h u r B l a z i s

 S g t . A r t h u r Va n K l e e c k

 1 s t L t . B r u c e B r o w n

 1 s t L t . C h a r l e s R e y n o l d s

 P f c . C h a r l e s P o w e r s

 C p l . C h a r l e s E e d s

 F l i g h t O ff i c e r C h e s t e r R i n k e

 1 s t L t . D a n C o r s o n

 1 s t L t . D a v i d S k j e i e

 S g t . D o n a l d A i k e n

 Te c h . S g t . D o n a l d B a n t a

 P v t . D o y l e S e x t o n

 S t a ff S g t . E d g a r M i l l s

 1 s t L t . E d w a r d M c G u i r e

 2 n d L t . E d w a r d B a r n e t t

 Te c h . S g t . E l t o n G o m i l l i o n

 S t a ff S g t . F e l i x S h o s t a k

 Te c h . S g t . F r a n k F e r r e l

 S t a ff S g t . F r a n k l i n H a l l

 2 n d L t . F r e d B r e w e r

 1 s t L t . G e o r g e W i n g e r

 1 s t L t . G e o r g e R e u t e r

 2 n d L t . G i l b e r t M y e r s

 P f c . G l e n n H a r r i s

 S t a ff S g t . H e n r y S t e v e n s

 P v t . H e n r y M c C o n n e l l

 Te c h n i c i a n 4 t h G r a d e H e r b e r t M a r c h

K o r e a n W a r

A r m y

 C p l . A d i n N o r r i s

 P f c . A l b e r t G o s n e l l

 S g t . A l l e n Tu t t l e

 P v t . A l v i n T h u r m a n

 P f c . A n t h o n y L o p a

 P f c . B i l l y D e b o r d

 C p l . C a r m e n C a r r i l l o

 P f c . C h a r l e s D i c k m a n

 C p l . C h a r l e s P a t t e n

 S g t . C r e s e n c i a n o G a r c i a

 P f c . D a l e T h o m p s o n

 C p l . D a n i e l D e a n d a

M a s t e r S g t . D a v i d S l u d e r

 C p l . D e w e y R e w i s

 C p l . D o n a l d D u p o n t

 C a p t . E r i k Y d e

 C p l . E r i v e r t o O r t i z

 C p l . G o r d o n M c C a r t h y

 P f c . H a r o l d W i l d e r

 S g t . H o w a r d M a l c o l m

 S g t . 1 s t C l a s s J a m e s D o r r a n c e

 S g t . 1 s t C l a s s J a m e s W i l k i n s o n

 P f c . J a m e s M i l l e r

 P f c . J i m m y S m i t h

 C p l . J o h n S p r u e l l

 S g t . L a w r e n c e R o b i d o u x

 C p l . L e w i s H i l l

 C p l . L u t h e r S t o r y

 C p l . R . V. S h o r t

 C p l . R a y L i l l y

 C p l . R e x P o w e l l

 S g t . R i c h a r d C r o t t y

 S g t . R i c h a r d S h a r r o w

 P f c . R o b e r t Wr i g h t

 M a s t e r S g t . R o y B a r r o w

 S g t . S t a n l e y Tu r b a

 P f c . T h o m a s S m i t h

 C p l . W i l l i a m H e r r i n g t o n

 S g t . W i l l i e B a t y
4 5

October

On the left, U.S. Air Force Tech 

Sgt. Cameron Farrell, an 

Explosive Ordnance Disposal 

(EOD) technician and a ShortTerm Independent Augmentee 

(STIA) with DPAA, utilizes a 

specialized demolition hammer to 

break up concrete during a 

recovery mission spanning from 

September to October 2022. 

On the right, Robert Ingraham, 

Anthropologist and Supervisory 

Scientific Recovery Expert (SRE), 

gathers dirt profile measurements 

for scientific and research 

evidence supporting a recovery 

operation on Oct. 3, 2022.

Nicole Rhoton, DPAA 

historian, diligently cleaned 

a piece of aircraft wreckage 

druing an investigation 

mission late-September 

2022, in Madang, Papua 

New Guinea, correlating it 

to a crash site that could be 

proposed for a future 

excavation. (U.S. Army 

photo by Staff Sgt. John 

Miller)

A delegation from the U.S. House of Representatives received a briefing about DPAA recovery operations and toured an excavation site in 

Xienghoang, Laos, on Oct. 11, 2022. The visit allowed the delegation to gain firsthand experience in DPAA field operations. (U.S. Army photo by 

Sgt. Edward Randolph)

U.S. Service Members and civilians assigned to DPAA and U.S. Embassy Port Moresby participate in a repatriation ceremony at the completion 

of an underwater recovery mission off the coast of Papua New Guinea, Oct. 14, 2022. Civilian and military members of the Diplomatic Corps 

also participated. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Jack A. E. Rigsby) 

PAPUA NEW GUINEA REPATRIATION

U.S. CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION ENGAGES WITH RECOVERY TEAM IN LAOS

RECOVERY TEAM 

WORKING IN, 

XIENGKHOANG 

PROVINCE, LAOS

RECOVERY TEAM 

EXAMINES 

WRECKAGE IN 

MADANG, PAPUA 

NEW GUINEA
6 7

second child. Chinda cherished the 

thoughtful gift.

A year later, Harley returned to Laos for 

another recovery mission, excited to reunite 

with James and Chinda. While Cormier had 

moved on to a new assignment, Harley 

continued the tradition of giving candy to 

James. This time, James was accompanied 

by his newborn brother and cousins who 

eagerly joined in the excitement. Harley's 

dedication to fostering relationships with the 

local community inspired her teammates to 

follow suit. The small gesture of offering 

candy became a way to show goodwill and 

strengthen bonds.

As Harley reflects on her experiences, she 

finds fulfillment in bringing joy to others 

through these simple acts of kindness. 

Supporting DPAA's mission to account for 

missing personnel is not just a duty for her; it 

is an opportunity to make a positive impact 

on the lives of families who have lost their 

loved ones.

Harley's candy-sharing tradition serves as a 

reminder that even the smallest gestures can 

create lasting connections. James has 

developed a fondness for Dum Dums, but it 

is the friendly face and positive disposition 

that truly make a difference. In Laos, candy 

has become a symbol of friendship, bridging 

cultures and hearts.

I

t's 4:15 p.m. in Laos, and DPAA Mortuary 

Affairs Specialist Sgt. Harley Miller is heading 

back to her guesthouse after a day of 

screening and digging. As she takes her seat on 

the bus, she retrieves a few pieces of candy 

from her backpack. The bus arrives in the town 

of Ban Ban, where she is greeted by James, a 

local boy who eagerly awaits her return.

Harley and James share a special bond, having 

met during her first mission to Laos the previous 

year. Despite being new to the agency and the 

country back then, Harley embraced the 

opportunity to assist in any way she could. The 

stark contrast between life in Laos and the 

United States left a lasting impression on her.

During her initial mission, Harley met U.S. Air 

Force Master Sgt. Reginald Cormier, who 

became both a mentor and a friend. Cormier 

introduced Harley to James and began the 

tradition of giving the boy American candy. 

Inspired by Cormier's gesture, Harley joined in, 

ensuring she always had candy to share with 

James. Cormier, a DPAA Life Support 

Investigator, had initiated this tradition back then.

James's mother, Chinda Chanthavong, was 

delighted to meet Harley and appreciated her 

kindness. Before Harley's departure, she and 

her teammates gathered baby clothes to give to 

Chinda, who was pregnant at the time with her 

Miller gives candy to local children during a recovery 

mission in Laos, Oct. 14, 2022.

Miller poses with members of the Chanthavong family, Oct. 16, 2022.

Photos and Story by

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Blake Gonzales

“He sees me every day and 

knows, ‘Oh, this lady’s got 

candy!” 

Miller wet-screens soil during 

her second recovery mission 

in Laos, Oct. 14, 2022.
8 9

Brian Pearl, DPAA Plans and Policy Director, delivered a speech at Jefferson High School in Springfield, Missouri, on Veterans Day, November 

11, 2022, to commemorate missing personnel and honor those who have served in the military, particularly those unaccounted for from past 

conflicts. (Courtesy Photo)

U.S. Navy divers assigned to the Mobile Dive Salvage Unit Company 1-6 prepare dive equipment for underwater recovery operations near the 

Solomon Islands on Nov. 17, 2022. (U.S. Army Photo by SFC Corey Idleburg)

DPAA AND NAVY JOIN UNDERWATER RECOVERY OPERATIONS NEAR SOLOMON ISLANDS

PLANS AND POLICY DIRECTOR SPEAKS AT LOCAL SCHOOL ON VETERANS DAY

November In November 2022, a 

recovery team commenced 

a mission in Panama's 

remote and mountainous 

Santa Fe National Park. As 

requested by the Secretary 

of the Navy, the DPAA 

mission aimed to locate and 

recover evidence 

associated with the 1985 

loss of two Naval Aviators 

from a training accident. 

The severe terrain and 

environmental challenges 

made this 12-day mission 

one of the most complex to 

plan and execute.

(Top left) U.S. Army 

Staff Sgt. Austin 

Jacobs ascends a 

high-angle rock face.

(Second) U.S. 

Army Capt. Kyle 

Meariman 

surveys the 

terrain.

(Third) U.S. 

Army Sgt. 

1

st Class 

Richard 

Soto, Team Sergeant, 

wet-screens soil.

(Fourth) The 

recovery team spent 

Thanksgiving Day in 

Panama enjoying a 

turkey dinner and all the 

trimmings.

(Right) U.S. Army 

Staff Sgt. Nathan 

Otterbacher 

awaits direction from 

team leaders before 

engaging in an ascent.

DPAA RECOVERY 

OPERATION IN 

PANAMA
F A M I LY M E M B E R U P D A T E S A R EBIGGER THAN EVER

DALLAS

A record-breaking event in Dallas gathered over 360 family 

members, emphasizing the importance of good 

communication between families and the Agency. The 

event also highlighted the partnership with the Armed 

Forces Medical Examiners System, where they briefed 

about their advanced technology and collaboration.

CHICAGO

The final Family Member Update (FMU) of the year saw 

the Agency visit Chicago, with 345 family members in 

attendance to receive case updates from Department of 

Defense (DoD) experts. The Department and families 

continue their shared journey, ensuring no hero is 

forgotten. Each FMU is a platform for the free expression of 

emotions, displaying resilience and determination. Hopes 

are kindled as families share their generational grieving 

with each other and the DoD personnel who serve them.

Since 1995, DPAA has been a vital link for 

families of missing American Service Members, 

facilitating communication through regular 

updates. These gatherings inform families about 

the U.S. government’s global mission to locate 

the missing. Families exchange insights and 

updates during these events. DoD officials guide 

these discussions, briefing families on the 

mission’s objectives and providing updates on 

specific cases.

In Orlando, the DPAA held its second Family Member 

Update (FMU) of the fiscal year, demonstrating its ongoing 

dedication to establishing connections with families. The 

agency reiterated its focus on Service Members from 

various conflicts who are still missing. Among those 

honored was U.S. Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Pharis E. 

Weekley. His sister, Marva, attended the event along with 

five other family members. Her heartfelt words emphasized 

the importance of DNA contributions in identifying missing 

Service Members, a process that was instrumental in her 

brother's identification.

ORLANDO, FLORIDA

In Norfolk, the Agency hosted its first Family Member 

Update (FMU) of Fiscal Year 2023. DNA contributions are 

crucial, shedding light on missing loved ones and their 

legacies. Janice Carr and Jeanie Corso’s journey 

exemplified the impact of FMUs. Learning about their 

paternal uncle, Carr shared, “I was absolutely floored.” 

Corso’s father’s DNA helped in the identification process.

NORFOLK, VIRGINIA

10 11
Dr. Gargi Jani, an NFSU program manager, along with four students from the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU)-Gandhinagar, 

collaborated with Dr. William Belcher, a former DPAA archaeologist, Dr. LuAnn Wandsnider of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), and Dr. 

Koel Mukherjee of the Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) during an archaeological excavation at a World War II-era aircraft crash site in 

Assam State, India, on Dec. 2, 2022. The initiative aimed to explore and recover artifacts, advancing our understanding of historical events. 

(Courtesy Photo)

Fern Sumpter Winbush, DPAA 

Principal Deputy Director (right), 

spoke during the 20th Security 

Dialogue in Bandung, Indonesia, on 

Dec. 2, 2022, reaffirming the 

agency's mission and the Department 

of Defense's commitment to 

establishing a strategic partnership. 

Maj. Gen. Bambang Trisnohadi, 

Director General of Defence Strategy 

for the Ministry of Defence of the 

Republic of Indonesia, led the 

delegations for the IUSSD. The 

discussions, focusing on the ongoing 

recovery mission and the necessity to 

finalize a memorandum of 

arrangement to facilitate country 

access, aimed to strengthen the 

strategic partnership between the two 

nations. (DoD Photo by James Crow)

DPAA PARTNERS CONDUCT MISSION IN INDIA

CEREMONY MARKS PHASE 4 COMPLETION OF KOREAN WAR DISINTERMENT PROJECT

Agency military personnel carry a casket during a disinterment ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii, 

on Dec. 5, 2022. The ceremony commemorated the conclusion of Phase 4, out of a total of 7 phases, within the Korean War Disinterment 

Project. Upon its completion, the project aims to unearth and identify the remains of Service Members buried as Unknowns from the Korean 

War. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ariel Owings)

Johnie Webb, Outreach and Communications Deputy Director, retires from his 28 years of civil service to the POW/MIA mission during a 

ceremony held on Dec. 15, 2022. Coupled with his 28 years of service in the U.S. Army (10 years in the POW/MIA mission), then-Lt. Col. 

Webb led a small team to conduct the first field activity in Vietnam, 10 years after the war’s end. Webb’s career reflects the enduring 

commitment and sacrifices made by agency personnel and partners in their efforts to honor and bring closure to fallen comrades, their 

families, and this nation (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ariel Owings)

A LEGEND RETIRES

20TH INDONESIA-U.S. 

SECURITY DIALOGUE

12 13

December
DPAA begins multi-year 

“Hellship” 

Accounting Project

I

n a significant endeavor, the DPAA has 

embarked on a multi-year mission to try to 

identify the remains of 431 Unknowns 

associated with the Enoura Maru, a WWII 

cargo vessel employed by the Imperial 

Japanese Navy for transporting prisoners of 

war (POWs). This mission is vital, as nearly 

1,000 Service Members are still unaccounted 

for from this incident.

The project's genesis involved collecting DNA 

family reference samples (FRS), a prerequisite 

for proposing disinterment. "An important part 

of the project is that we cut a small piece of 

the bones," affirmed Carrie LeGarde, project 

lead and forensic anthropologist at DPAA's 

Nebraska Lab. "Then, that needs to be 

compared to a FRS to figure out who it is, so 

the DNA we get from living biological relatives 

is really important."

Upon accumulating sufficient FRS and 

obtaining Department of Defense approval, 

DPAA commenced the Disinterment process. 

This task has been complicated by the 

wartime circumstances; many casualties were 

either buried at sea, cremated during the 

ship's voyage, or commingled with other 

remains. "The remains were mixed up so part 

of what we need to do is figure out which 

bones belong together and represent one 

individual," explained LeGarde, 

acknowledging the formidable nature of this 

project.

Fortunately, DPAA's experience from previous 

undertakings like the USS Oklahoma Project 

has proven invaluable. "The USS Oklahoma 

was another large, commingled human 

remains project, so I am fortunate to be able to 

take the lessons we learned from that project 

Story by U.S. Army Sgt. Ashleigh Maxwell 

Staff from the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) and members of the DPAA worked together to exhume 

a casket at the American Cemetery and Memorial (MACM) in the Philippines on March 6, 2023. This disinterment is part 

of the Enoura Maru Project, involving three POW transport ships used by Imperial Japanese forces in World War II, 

known as Hellships, and over 400 unidentified sets of remains. The ships were mistakenly bombed by Allied forces, 

and the remains of 430 casualties were unidentifiable. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Zachary T. Beatty)

and apply [them] towards the Enoura Maru 

Disinterment Project," LeGarde highlighted, 

stressing the project's scale and complexity.

The historical context of the Enoura Maru 

incident reveals the grim plight of over 20,000 

Allied POWs 

transported by 

Japanese 

"Hellships" in 

1944. These 

vessels subjected 

POWs to 

horrendous 

conditions, 

including 

crowding, 

starvation, poor 

sanitation, and 

maltreatment by 

Japanese 

soldiers. Many 

POWs also faced 

death as they 

were abandoned 

at sea or ordered 

to swim towards 

land under the 

threat of 

Japanese gunfire.

Numerous POWs 

succumbed to 

illness and malnutrition. Several hundred who 

managed to survive embarked on a 

harrowing voyage aboard the Enoura Maru. 

Tragically, the ship was not marked as a 

POW transport and was mistakenly targeted 

by U.S. aircraft, leading to a devastating 

explosion that resulted in the loss of more 

than 300 lives. The survivors endured 

additional adversities, with a handful 

eventually reaching 

Japan aboard the 

Brazil Maru.

Dr. Greg Kupsky, lead 

historian for the 

project, 

acknowledged the 

courage of those who 

endured these 

adversities. "These 

guys held out for 

months against pretty 

tough odds and they 

did a lot of heroic acts 

in the process," he 

remarked.

Given the magnitude 

and intricacies of the 

project, the initial 

analyses and DNA 

testing are projected 

to take several years. 

Despite its 

complexity, DPAA is 

steadfast in its 

mission to provide long-sought answers to 

Enoura Maru families whose loved ones are 

unaccounted-for.

Enoura 

Maru

National Memorial Cemetery of the 

Pacific (NMCP) staff disinter World 

War II caskets before a disinterment 

ceremony at the NMCP, Honolulu, 

Hawaii, June 12, 2023. (U.S. Air Force 

photo by Staff Sgt. Ariel Owings)

Kuroshio 

Maru

A photograph taken by an aircraft from the USS Hornet captured the devastating attack on the Enoura Maru on January 

9, 1945. The ship was anchored at the harbor of Takao in Formosa, now known as Kaohsiung in Taiwan. The Enoura Maru 

was sharing its mooring buoy with the Japanese tanker Kuroshio Maru, making it a prime target for the attack. As a result 

of the assault, a bomb hit the forward hold of the Enoura Maru, leading to the tragic loss of approximately 300 POWs on 

board. This event marks a somber moment during World War II, shedding light on the harsh realities POWs faced during 

their transport to Japan. 14 14 15
Above: Dr. Jennie Jin, laboratory manager, briefed U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea (ROK), Philip Goldberg, in front of the 

storyboard of Service Members identified from the Battle of Tarawa during his visit to the laboratory on Jan. 19, 2023. Ambassador Goldberg's 

visit was part of his attendance at the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command's Chiefs of Mission Conference in Hawaii, where he learned about DPAA's 

robust partnership with its ROK counterpart. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jonathan McElderry)

Below: Dr. John Byrd, Scientific Analysis Director, briefed Ambassadors Marc Knapper and Peter Haymond, U.S. Ambassadors to Vietnam 

and Laos, respectively, in the laboratory display room on Jan. 19, 2023. The ambassadors commented on the significant contributions the 

POW/MIA mission makes to bilateral relationships in both countries. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Cole Yardley)

U.S. AMBASSADORS VISIT DPAA LABORATORY IN HAWAII

DPAA AND KUWAIT NAVY JOINT EFFORT PARTNER CARRIES OUT INVESTIGATION IN 

THE PHILIPPINES

From left to right: U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Theodore Fioto, an augmentee on the DPAA team, examines evidence at a screening station 

during a recovery in Houaphanh Province, Laos, on Jan. 21, 2023. U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael Chilcote, team sergeant, and local workers 

wet screen soil during the same mission. U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Jake Bryan, an explosive ordnance disposal technician, and U.S. Army 

Sgt. Avonte Payne, an augmentee, excavate an archaeological unit during the mission on Jan. 19, 2023.

RECOVERY MISSION IN LAOS 

Christopher Topales, a UIC mountaineer from The University of Illinois 

at Chicago's Center for the Recovery and Identification of the Missing 

(UIC-CRIM), a DPAA partner, examines potential aircraft wreckage with 

villagers in Pugo, Philippines on Jan. 29, 2023. The aim of the 

investigations is to locate the remains of missing Service Members from 

World War II-era aircraft crashes in the Philippines. (Courtesy photo by 

James Meierehoff, UIC)

Matthew DeFelice, DPAA Underwater Scientific Recovery Expert 

(SRE), U.S. Navy CDR Jaren Patterson, DPAA Underwater Planner, 

and two colonels from the Kuwait Naval Forces convene at 

Mohammed Al-Ahmed Naval Base on Jan. 8, 2023. They are 

reviewing investigation maps for an upcoming underwater mission

with the objective of locating missing U.S. Service Members from 

Operation DESERT STORM. (Courtesy)

January

16 17
CASE REVIEW & ASSESSMENT

CASE INITIATION MISSION PLANNING

DATA INTEGRATION

CASE PROGRESSION

FIELD OPERATIONS

EVIDENCE ANALYSIS

R E S E A R C H R E C O V E R I D E N T I F Y

Every American unaccounted for from past 

conflicts is assigned an individual case. 

Compiled within each case are the 

person's military records, historical 

archives, any preliminary research, and 

information from families.

Once a case is deemed viable, teams 

formulate a mission plan. This involves 

determining the appropriate investigative 

and recovery strategies, allocating 

resources, and assembling the required 

personnel, equipment, and expertise for the 

mission. Mission planning includes 

logistical arrangements and coordination 

with relevant stakeholders.

Following the recovery of any material or 

osseous evidence, the DPAA's two forensic 

laboratories conduct various analyses utilizing 

scientific methods such as anthropological, 

odontological (dental), histological (tissue), 

isotopic (chemical), genetic (DNA sampling), 

and radiographic analyses. Multiple lines of 

evidence undergo assessment before an 

identification is established.

Data is integrated along every step of the 

process from research to identification. 

DPAA experts synthesize and interpret 

data from archival records, maps and other 

contemporary sources to gain a 

comprehensive understanding of each 

casualty loss, to plan for safe and 

productive field activities, and conduct 

scientific analysis of evidence received in 

our laboratory. DPAA data is an important 

tool for making meaningful connections 

across our complex problem set and is 

instrumental in facilitating the 

identification process. 

Trained teams of experts conduct field 

operations, which can involve 

investigations, site surveys, or 

archaeological excavations. The 

multidisciplinary teams can be composed of 

researchers, archaeologists, linguists, 

medics, explosive ordnance technicians, life 

science investigators, mountaineers, divers, 

communications personnel, and 

photographers. They follow established 

procedures and protocols to optimize their 

mission objectives.

Researchers conduct a comprehensive review 

and assessment of the case to gather all 

available information, including historical 

records, archival data, eyewitness accounts, and 

military reports. This step helps determine the 

case's viability and the potential for 

investigation, recovery, and identification.

18 19
20 21

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. David Talmage, a pararescueman augmenting the DPAA team, digs a test pit with Thai Government forest rangers 

during an investigation mission in Lampang, Thailand, on Feb. 11, 2023. Conducted at a World War II-era aircraft crash site, this mission set the 

conditions for a future recovery mission. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. John Miller) 

A repatriation ceremony was held at the Ministry of National Defense Agency for Killed in Action Recovery Identification (MAKRI) headquarters 

in Seoul on Feb. 23, 2023. During this ceremony, Kelly McKeague, DPAA Director, accepted the remains on behalf of the United States. This 

ceremony is part of the ongoing efforts to account for more the more than 7,400 American Service Members still missing from the Korean War. 

(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Corey Idleburg)

February

20

Blake Ayala, a scientific 

recovery expert, records 

data during a recovery 

mission of a Baron 52 

aircraft crash site in 

Salavan Province, Laos, 

on Feb. 12, 2023. The 

depth of the excavation 

illustrates the complexity 

of the operation. (U.S. 

Marine Corps photo by 

Sgt. Morgan L. R. 

Burgess)

RECOVERY 

OPERATIONS 

IN LAOS

21

TEAM CONDUCTS INVESTIGATION IN THE KINGDOM OF THAILAND U.S.-REPUBLIC OF KOREA REPATRIATION CEREMONY
22 23

Gregory Hayes (right), a DPAA External Relations Specialist, discusses the DPAA mission with Edward Viveiros (center) and Robert 

Marino (left), members of Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Rhode Island chapter, who were attending the DAV and DAV 

Auxiliary National Convention in Atlantic City on Aug. 7, 2023. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class 

Annaliss Candelaria)

OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENTS

U.S. Marine Corps Col. Matt Brannen, DPAA Deputy Director of 

Operations, and Tim Disher, Director of International Programs at 

the U.S. Naval Academy, discuss partnerships during a visit to 

the Annapolis, Maryland, campus on Aug. 16, 2023. (DPAA photo 

by Sun Vega)

Stephanie Hartley, DPAA Forensic Anthropologist, explains field 

recovery techniques during the Career Day Event at Aliamanu Middle 

School in Honolulu, Hawaii on Feb. 10, 2023. (U.S. Army photo by 

Sgt. Edward Randolph) 

Fern Sumpter Winbush, DPAA Principal Deputy Director and Franklin 

Damann, Deputy Lab Director, emphasize the importance of DPAA's 

mission in an on-camera interview with local media near Offutt Air 

Force Base, Nebraska. This collaborative initiative serves to deepen 

comprehension of DPAA's mission significance and bolster 

transparency. The agency's public affairs team diligently disseminates 

DPAA's narrative across diverse media channels, striving to engage 

the broader American public and communities within operational 

countries. This concerted approach amplifies DPAA's message, 

ensuring wider reach and resonance.

Kelly McKeague, DPAA Director, was interviewed by Kim 

Henderson of World Magazine for a podcast episode during 

the Dallas Family Member Update. Henderson, a reporter 

and a family member of a missing Vietnam Service Member, 

leveraged her personal experience with the loss of her 

cousin, Danny Entrican, to narrate the story of DPAA and the 

families of the missing through a written story and podcast. 

(DPAA photo by Ashley M. Wright)

Dr. Debra Zinni, Deputy Director of DPAA 

Hawaii Laboratory, presents at a "DPAA 

Then and Now" panel discussion at the 

Central Florida Tech Grove, a technology 

innovation center in Orlando, Feb. 24, 

2023. (DPAA photo by Sun Vega)

Members of the DPAA 

Scientific Analysis and 

Human Capital teams 

engage with attendees at 

the 75th Conference for the 

American Academy of 

Forensic Sciences in Orlando, 

Feb. 13-17, 2023. Agency 

scientists lead workshops, 

make presentations of their 

work, and further their 

professional development. 

The human resources 

personnel leverage the 

conference as a recruiting 

opportunity for potential 

volunteers, interns, and 

employees. (DPAA photo by 

Ashley M. Wright)

[Note - Displayed bones are 

replicas used for training 

purposes.]

GETTING OUT THE MESSAGE
24 25

March

A ceremony held at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. on March 29, 2023, commemorated National Vietnam War Veterans 

Day. During the ceremony, U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Anthony Worsley, DPAA Senior Enlisted Advisor, presented a Vietnam War Commemoration pin 

to Ronnie BoisClaire, the Gold Star Son of U.S. Navy Petty Officer Ronald BoisClaire, in honor of his and his family's sacrifice. (U.S. Army photo 

by Sgt. Ashleigh Maxwell)

VFW COMMANDER HELPS RECOVERY EFFORTS

UNDERWATER PARTNERS IN SAIPAN

MEDICAL PREPAREDNESS IN LAOS NATIONAL VIETNAM WAR VETERANS DAY CEREMONY

Divers from East Carolina University and Task Force Dagger Special Operations Foundation, a non-profit utilizing rehabilitative adaptive events 

for Wounded Warriors, conducted an underwater investigation of a World War II crash site in Saipan on March 15, 2023.

(Courtesy photo East Carolina University)

A DPAA recovery team practices a medical evacuation at an excavation site during a mission in Laos, March 3, 2023. With a mountain site 

preventing a helicopter landing, the team is responsible for transporting injured personnel to the bottom of the mountain for medical airlift. 

(Courtesy photo East Carolina University)

Mr. Timothy Borland, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Commander in Chief, places potential evidence into a bucket at a wet screening station 

in Nghệ An Province, Vietnam, during a field visit on March 29, 2023. During his visit, he witnessed the efforts to recover the remains of U.S. 

Service Members unaccounted for during the Vietnam War. The VFW historically sends its national leaders to Southeast Asia to meet with host 

nation officials, participate in DPAA field missions, and engage with DPAA recovery team members. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman 

Cole Yardley)
Operation Homecoming guest speaker Johnie Webb 

shares his experiences with attendees during DPAA's 

50th-anniversary remembrance ceremony held on Joint 

Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, March 28, 2023. 

(U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. David Owsianka)

A ceremony was held on March 28, 

2023, at the Defense POW/MIA 

Accounting Agency at Joint Base 

Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, to 

commemorate the 50th anniversary 

of Operation Homecoming. This 

operation, which took place from 

Feb. 12 to April 1, 1973, marked the 

return of 591 POWs to U.S. soil for 

the first time since their captivity 

during the Vietnam War.

U.S. Marine Corps Col. Matt Brannen, 

DPAA Deputy Director of Operations, 

emotionally reflected on the event, stating, “My 

dad was a Vietnam War veteran — it really is 

very emotional and an honor to be a part of 

[the ceremony]. The POWs' indomitable spirit, 

courage, sacrifice, and the hardships they 

endured serve as an example for us to follow.”

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Johnie Webb, 

former DPAA Deputy Director for Outreach and 

Communications and a Vietnam veteran 

himself, shared his personal experiences from 

the Vietnam War as a guest speaker during 

the ceremony. He said, “It’s an extraordinary 

thing to remember. I think this is most 

appropriate and especially to have it here at 

DPAA where we’re still trying to carry on the 

work to bring all those men back home that 

didn’t come back.”

Gold Star Daughter Natalie Rauch, daughter 

of U.S. Air Force Col. Warren Anderson, 

unaccounted for from the Vietnam War, 

emphasized the importance of remembering 

and honoring those who served. She said, 

“[The anniversary] puts the POW/MIA mission 

back on the — not necessarily on the front 

page, but in a way on the front page because 

people don’t know this. Even some active duty 

don’t know this mission goes on.”

Since the end of the war, more than 1,000 

missing Service Members have been 

accounted for and received a burial with full 

military honors in the United States. Rauch 

underscored the significance of remembering 

the 591 POWs returned 50 years ago and how 

it serves as an educational moment for 

younger Service Members about the sacrifices 

made by those before them.

26

U.S. Air Force Col. Ryan Garlow, left, 60th Air Mobility Wing vice commander, and Maj. Vitaliy Benz, 

21st Airlift Squadron C-17 Globemaster III pilot, fly the aircraft from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, 

Hawaii, to Travis Air Force Base, California, March 29, 2023. The flight was part of the commemoration 

of the 50th anniversary of Operation Homecoming. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Traci Keller) 

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman 

Nicolas Peterson (right) and 

Senior Airman Alexander 

Sauerwein, both crew chiefs 

from the 860th Aircraft 

Maintenance Squadron, hang a 

POW/MIA flag aboard a C-17 

Globemaster III at Travis Air 

Force Base, California, on 

March 24, 2023. (U.S. Air 

Force photo by Master Sgt. 

Traci Keller)

27

DOD RECOGNIZES 

OPERATION 

HOMECOMING 50TH 

DPAA ALSO REMEMBERS THOSE 

STILL UNACCOUNTED

Newly freed POWs express joy as they fly home from Hanoi after years of captivity. Operation Homecoming, conducted between February and April 1973, ensured their safe return and aimed to prioritize their health and comfort during the journey.
April

A recovery team consisting of DPAA personnel and military short-term individual augmentees fill sandbags during an excavation mission in Gordisa, 

Hungary, April 26, 2023. The sandbags were used to stabilize the site where a U.S. Army Air Forces aircraft crashed during World War II. U.S. Service 

Members assigned and attached to the DPAA participated in filling sandbags during a recovery operation in Gordisa, Hungary, April 26, 2023. (U.S. 

Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Zachary T. Beatty)

28

Barbara Canavan, daughter of U.S. Navy CDR Frederick Schrader, receives a flag from U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Paula Dunn at the National Memorial 

Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), Honolulu, Hawaii, April 13, 2023. Schrader, an F6F-5 Hellcat pilot, was shot down in October 1944 over Formosa 

(now Taiwan) and interred as an Unknown at the NMCP until identified by DPAA in 2022. The teddy bear Barbara is holding was a gift from her father 

before he left for the war; she was 2 years old at the time. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. David Owsianka)

U.S. NAVY COMMANDER FREDERICK SCHRADER INTERRED

Personnel from DPAA's 

Detachment 2 and the 

Vietnam Office for Seeking 

Missing Persons pay tribute 

to the seven Americans and 

nine Vietnamese who 

perished in a helicopter 

crash in Vietnam's Quang 

Binh Province on April 7, 

2001. Situated within the 

detachment's compound, the 

monument serves as a 

memorial to those who 

sacrificed for this noble 

mission. (Courtesy photos)

MI-17 CRASH 

REMEMBRANCE

CEREMONY

29

U.S. AND SOUTH KOREA PRESIDENTS MEET GOLD STAR FAMILY

RECOVERY OPERATIONS IN HUNGARY

President Joe Biden, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, and South Korean First Lady Kim Keon Hee held a 

private meeting with Judy Wade at the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., on April 25, 2023. Earlier that day, both presidents 

announced the accounting of U.S. Army Cpl. Luther Story, a Medal of Honor recipient and Wade's uncle, from the Korean War. U.S. Army photo 

by Henry Villarama) 
A team of divers from the Naval Sea Systems 

Command (NAVSEA) Navy Experimental 

Diving Unit (NEDU) recently supported a 

Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) mission 

near Papua New Guinea to recover remains of Service 

Members lost in World War II.

The NEDU team, consisting of around 15 divers from 

NEDU’s Saturation Detachment (NSD), joined forces 

with two Navy divers from the Undersea Rescue 

Command to aid DPAA in the recovery efforts. Their 

mission focused on the wreckage of a B-24 bomber 

named "Heaven Can Wait," with the aim of making a 

comprehensive accounting of 11 U.S. Army Air Forces 

Service Members who were lost on March 11, 1944, 

during a WWII bombing run.

Planning for this mission began in 2018 when NEDU 

discussed its saturation diving capabilities with DPAA. 

This conversation initiated the mission, and NEDU 

worked with DPAA planners to develop a detailed plan.

Despite several challenges, including delays caused by 

the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricane Michael, the 

mission preparations continued. The actual operation 

took place in February 2023, with NEDU deploying its 

Saturation Fly-away Dive System (SATFADS) to 

Singapore from Florida. SATFADS allows for saturation 

diving down to the equivalent of 1,000 feet of seawater 

for up to 30 days, providing unique capabilities for 

deep-sea missions.

The divers underwent extensive training, including 

equipment familiarization, maintenance, watch 

supervision, simulated dives, and underwater 

work with hydraulic cutting tools, rigging gear, and 

dredging equipment.

During the mission, NSD divers used cutting-edge 

techniques and equipment to conduct underwater 

crane and lifting operations and complex hydraulic 

cutting operations of the aircraft wreckage on the 

sea floor. The operation set several records, 

including being the longest working saturation 

mission in the last two decades, totaling 37 diving 

days, over 367 hours of working "bottom time," 

and 102 diver excursions.

Despite these technical achievements, the divers 

remained focused on their role in supporting 

DPAA's mission to provide closure to the families 

of missing personnel. They saw their mission as a 

tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice 

and expressed a deep sense of honor in 

contributing to this mission.

The NEDU mission concluded with two 

repatriation ceremonies, one in Papua New 

Guinea and another in Singapore, where possible 

remains found during the mission were returned. 

The recovered material evidence will undergo 

analysis at DPAA labs, opening doors to recover 

unaccounted-for Service Members from 

previously challenging underwater locations.

Overall, this mission demonstrated the 

effectiveness of saturation diving in recovering 

evidence from unprecedented depths and has 

paved the way for future missions targeting 

previously considered unrecoverable locations 

due to water depth.

30 31
May

The Hercules (lower left) is a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) equipped with cameras, sensors, and survey instruments. It was launched 

from the back deck of E/V Nautilus (lower right) and operated by scientists and engineers (top) of Ocean Exploration Trust, a DPAA partner. 

The ROV conducted a survey of the World War II-era crash site of an A-20 Havoc off the coast of O'ahu, Hawaii, on May 11, 2023. (Courtesy 

photos Ocean Exploration Trust)

JOURNEY OF THE ROV HERCULES

Dr. Tim McMahon, the Director of DNA Operations for the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System (AFMES), explains the process of DNA extraction 

to a group of cadets at the Vietnam War Commemoration Welcome Home Celebration on the National Mall, Washington, D.C., May 11, 2023. 

Honoring veterans who returned from the war and those who did not, the event was part of the multi-year 50th-anniversary commemoration of the end 

of the Vietnam War. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Ashleigh Maxwell) 

VIETNAM WAR COMMEMORATION WELCOME HOME EVENT

32

Soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) conduct military funeral honors with funeral escort for U.S. Army Air Forces Staff 

Sgt. Roy Carney at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, on May 17, 2023. Carney was killed in action during Operation TIDAL 

WAVE, which was the August 1, 1943 bombing of synthetic oil refineries around Ploesti, Romania. After the recovery and subsequent 

identification process, his remains were interred at Arlington National Cemetery following his identification on Aug. 17, 2022. (U.S. Army photo 

by Elizabeth Fraser) 

MILITARY FINAL HONORS FOR U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES STAFF SGT. ROY CARNEY

UNDERWATER UNDERTAKING

U.S. Army Sgt. Taner Trujillo, an augmentee diver with the U.S. Army 7th Engineer Dive Detachment, prepares to descend during recovery 

operations off the coast of Nha Trang, Vietnam, on May 25, 2023. The recovery mission employed various dive and underwater archaeological 

techniques. Service Members from the 7th Dive Detachment and the U.S. Coast Guard Regional Dive Locker West, under the guidance of a 

DPAA underwater archaeologist, conducted operations throughout the 75-day mission. They were in search of six missing crewmen from a 1971 

U.S. Army CH-47 helicopter crash. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Morgan L. R. Burgess)

33
O

n Memorial Day, our nation pays tribute 

to Americans who made the supreme 

sacrifice in combat by giving their lives. 

The agency provided speakers for Memorial 

Day commemorations at 26 National 

Cemeteries and four other events across the 

nation to ensure the 81,000 unaccounted for 

Americans are not forgotten.

Arkansas: Fayetteville, Fort Smith

California: Arvin, Santa Nella, Riverside

Colorado: Colorado Springs, Denver

Connecticut: Lebanon

Florida: Tallahassee

Illinois: Elwood, Lake Forest, Springfield

Maryland: Rockville

Massachusetts: Bourne

Michigan: Augusta

Nebraska: Omaha

New Mexico: Santa Fe

New York: Calverton, Farmingdale

North Carolina: New Bern

Oklahoma: Fort Sill, Fort Gibson

Oregon: Roseburg

Pennsylvania: Bridgeville

South Carolina: Beaufort

Tennessee: Mountain Home, Nashville

Virginia: Leesburg

Wisconsin: Milwaukee

Memorial Day 2023: 

Connecting DPAA’s Mission

Memorial Day engagements

Dr. Debra Zinni, DPAA Deputy Lab Director, spoke at a Memorial Day 

event held at the Massachusetts National Cemetery Complex in Bourne, 

Mass., on May 28, 2023. (Courtesy photo)

34

Brian Pearl, plans and policy director, speaks 

at the Tallahassee National Cemetery in 

Tallahassee, Florida, on May 29, 2023.

Fern Sumpter 

Winbush, DPAA 

Principal Deputy 

Director, presents a 

token to Cpl. Luther 

H. Story's niece, Judy 

Wade, during his 

military honors burial 

at Andersonville 

National Cemetery, 

Georgia, on May 29, 

2023.(Photo by U.S. 

Army Sgt. Woodlyne 

Escarne)

Jeremy Mathieu (second from left), 2022 Michigan State 

Society Children of the American Revolution (MSCAR) 

President, was inspired by a DPAA lab visit and for his 

MSCAR project, raised nearly $12,000 for DPAA’s 

mission. He presented Josh Fennell (3rd from left), 

Europe-Mediterranean Historian, the check on May 27, 

2023, at Pine Grove Park War Memorial, Mich. Josh 

spoke the next day at nearby Fort Custer National 

Cemetery.(Courtesy Photo)

U.S. Marine Captain Jordan Underwood, 

Executive Officer of the Indo-Pacific 

Directorate, spoke at the Fort Sill National 

Cemetery commemoration in Oklahoma, 

on May 29, 2023. (Courtesy Photo)

35
36 37

June

From left, U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Ashley Gomez, Short Term Individual Augmentee; U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Thao Bui, DPAA linguist; and 

Blake Ayala, DPAA Scientific Recovery Expert, dig in an excavation unit during a recovery mission in Quang Binh Province, Vietnam, June 9, 

2023. Throughout the mission, local Vietnamese workers supported the DPAA team by screening soil, resupplying fuel, and moving tools and 

equipment around the site. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jonathan McElderry) 

Lesley Chesson, the Isotope Program Manager at DPAA, provided insights to officials from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare 

(MHLW) on employing stable isotopes in forensic analysis to refine potential geographic origins of individuals, on June 8, 2023. Additionally, 

during their visit to DPAA's Hawaii Laboratory, the MHLW officials gathered samples from remains linked to the Battle of Tarawa, which were 

integrated into the laboratory's holdings and potentially of Japanese descent. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. David Owsianka)

JAPANESE OFFICIALS VISIT LABORATORY 

The Honorable Christine Wormuth, Secretary of the Army, and retired U.S. Air Force Col. Michael Brazelton, a former Vietnam War POW, unveil 

the 2023 National POW/MIA Recognition Day poster at a ceremony in the Pentagon's POW/MIA Corridor, Arlington, Virginia, on June 22, 2023. 

Designed by DPAA photographers U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Corey Idleburg and U.S. Navy Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Annaliss 

Candelaria, the poster is striking and is mailed worldwide to commemorate the day recognizing the sacrifices of former POWs and current MIAs, 

as well as their families. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Ashleigh Maxwell)

COMMEMORATING VIETNAMESE MILESTONES

VIETNAM RECOVERY MISSION

DOD UNVEILS ANNUAL POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY POSTER

This year marked two key Vietnamese anniversaries – the 50th establishing the Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP) and the 

35th of sustained joint field activities searching for and recovering Americans unaccounted for from the Vietnam War. At the June 8, 2023, gala 

in Hanoi, Vietnam, Kelly McKeague, DPAA Director and Marc Knapper, U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, joined Vietnamese Government officials, 

including several former Vietnamese Ambassadors to the U.S., to commemorate the milestones. (Courtesy photo)
38

on the 80th anniversary of Operation Husky, a DPAA team returns to the 

crash site with a singular mission: locate the missing crew members.

O

n July 10th, 1943, the Allied Powers 

readied over 3,000 ships, 150,000 

troops, and 4,000 aircraft for a major 

invasion of Sicily, then under Axis Powers 

control. This assault aimed to remove Italian 

dictator Benito Mussolini and begin liberating 

Italy from fascism, was known as Operation 

HUSKY.

Fighter and bomber groups 

had a dual mission: to 

disrupt the enemy and 

protect the southern 

invasion forces. 

One American 

bomber, 

manned by 

six Airmen, 

failed to 

return to its 

Tunisian airfield. It crashed north of Sciacca 

while targeting the "Phantom" airport, with no 

survivors.

Operation HUSKY aircrew, along with around 

29,000 American, British, and Canadian allies, 

paid the ultimate price for Sicily's Operation 

HUSKY. Although the Italian conflict continued, 

this marked a significant victory. However, a 

month later, the focus shifted to accounting for 

those lost in action, a crucial aspect of 

achieving victory.

One crew 

member's 

remains were 

buried by locals in 

a Sicilian civilian 

cemetery in 

September 1943 and 

found, thanks to the 

American Graves Registration 

Service (AGRS). But recovering the 

other five crew members proved 

challenging in the aftermath of the crash, and 

these Airmen remained missing in Sicily as the 

war raged on.

Recovering the missing crew members proved 

challenging, as only fragments of the crash 

remained two months later. These five soldiers 

remained in Sicily as the war raged on.

Now, on the 80th anniversary of Operation 

HUSKY, a DPAA team returns to the crash site 

with a singular mission: locate the missing crew 

members. This effort is part of DPAA's broader 

initiative to find and identify the approximately 

29,000 Service Members still unaccounted for 

from World War II.

Dr. Clive Vella, a DPAA Scientific Recovery 

Expert (SRE) and Forensic Archeologist, 

explained, "In 2017, researchers revisited the 

site and recommended excavation. In 2023, 

we're back to excavate the remaining area."

The recovery team spent six days preparing the 

site and began a 50-day excavation. They 

meticulously searched for evidence related to 

the bomber crash and focused on material 

evidence, life support equipment, and any 

potential remains of the missing crew.

U.S. Army Capt. Kyle Meariman, DPAA team 

leader, highlighted the dedication of the 

diverse team, including medics, 

explosive ordnance disposal technicians, 

and linguists, all working long hours to 

achieve their excavation goal.

As the team persevered in their search 

for the last missing crew members, they 

remained acutely aware of the 

significance of Operation HUSKY and 

their work's implications. Dr. Vella noted 

the scale of World War II and the 

importance of finding answers for families 

whose loved ones are still missing from the war.

For the team, recovering evidence is a powerful 

motivator, especially during challenging days 

under the scorching sun. Dr. Vella shared, "The 

work we do pales in comparison to the 

sacrifices made. On tough days, I remind 

myself of that moment when we can bring a 

possible case home, offering hope to families. 

We're here because others sacrificed for our 

nation, a fact that never escapes me."

39

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Erik Merrill, DPAA Life Support 

Investigator, and U.S. Air Force Capt. Rob Perryman, a 

Physician Assistant augmenting the DPAA team, screen 

soil at the crash site, June 28, 2023.

Dr. Clive Vella, a DPAA Scientific Recovery Expert (SRE), examines a 

piece of aircraft wreckage during the recovery mission, June 28, 2023.

38 39
40 41

July

Kelly McKeague, DPAA Director, provides a briefing to the Honorable Shin Beom-chul, Vice Minister of Defense for the Republic of Korea (ROK), 

regarding DPAA's mission and collaboration with its ROK counterpart at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on July 24, 2023. Accompanying the Director 

was U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Martine Kidd, Director of Logistics United Nations Command, seen to the right of the Director in the photo. (U.S. Air Force 

photo by Staff Sgt. David Owsianka)

Fern Sumpter Winbush, DPAA 

Principal Deputy Director, 

addresses members of the 

Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) 

during the 124th VFW National 

Convention at the Phoenix 

Convention Center, Phoenix, 

Arizona, on July 25, 2023. Sumpter 

Winbush provided updates to VFW 

members regarding the current 

status and progress made by DPAA 

this year. DPAA's primary mission is 

to provide the fullest possible 

accounting of missing personnel to 

their families and the nation. (U.S. 

Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ariel 

Owings)

Archaeology student Baillie Brandt, Volunteer Hannah Hughes and Archaeology students Joseph Edwards, Tanner Bell, Isaac Kern, Bryce 

Thomas, Haley Purifoy, and Croatian Archaeologist Natasa Cvitanovic (left to right) excavate at the crash site of a World War II-era bomber in 

Croatia, July 23, 2023. From July 17 through August 15, 2023, Cedarhawk Enterprises, LLC, partner of DPAA, conducted excavations in an 

effort to find U.S. aircrew lost over Croatia during World War II. (Courtesy photo by Rick Weathermon)

A group of transfer cases containing osseous material sit on a C-17 Globemaster III cargo bay at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, July 30, 

2023. The possible human remains were recovered from DPAA field missions in Europe and were Unknowns disinterred from American Battle 

Monuments Commission cemeteries in Europe. After the Honorable Carry ceremony, scientists at the Offutt Laboratory accessioned the remains 

and began extensive forensic analyses. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Blake Gonzales)

AGENCY PARTICIPATES 

IN THE 124TH 

VFW NATIONAL 

CONVENTION

RECOVERY FIELDWORK

HONORABLE CARRY CEREMONY HELD AT OFFUTT

ROK VICE MINISTER OF DEFENSE VISIT
Story by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jonathan McElderry

DPAA AND ROK CONDUCT REPATRIATION CEREMONY IN 

HONOR OF THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMISTICE

O

n July 25, 2023, the Defense 

POW/MIA Accounting Agency 

(DPAA) held a repatriation 

ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, 

Hawaii, to transfer remains and commemorate 

the 70th anniversary of the Armistice between 

the U.S. and the Republic of Korea (ROK). 

According to Shin Beom Chul, Vice Minister of 

National Defense, representing South Korea, 

"The Republic of Korea government and the 

Ministry of National Defense shall never forget 

and forever be indebted to our fallen veterans 

who sacrificed their lives for the freedom, 

peace and prosperity we enjoy today. We will 

make sure to faithfully return our seven heroes 

to the Republic of Korea with highest courtesy."

Over 200 sets of remains of ROK Service 

Members were obtained from various sources 

and analyzed in DPAA’s 

laboratory. These remains were 

repatriated through the United 

Nations Command to the ROK in 

ceremonies held in 2012, 2016, 

2018, 2020, and 2021. In this 

particular ceremony, seven sets of 

remains were repatriated, one of 

which was positively identified.

ROK Navy Senior Petty Officer 

Ho Jong Choi, the nephew of the 

identified individual, Pfc. Im Rak 

Choi, attended the ceremony and 

escorted his uncle’s remains 

home. U.S. Navy Adm. John C. 

Aquilino, commander of U.S. 

Indo-Pacific Command, stated, 

"Pfc. Choi and the other six ROK 

Soldiers’ conviction to give the 

ultimate sacrifice symbolizes our 

ironclad ROK-US Alliance.”

Kelly McKeague, DPAA director, 

emphasized the importance of the continued 

partnership between DPAA and the Ministry of 

National Defense Agency for KIA (Killed in 

Action) Recovery and Identification (MAKRI), 

saying, "The inordinate 

sacrifices made in the Korean 

War were not in vain when 

one considers the peace, 

security, stability, and 

prosperity that blesses South 

Korea and its citizens today. 

For the tens of thousands who 

sacrificed their lives in defense 

of liberty and remain missing, 

the United States and the 

Republic of Korea value and 

prioritize the search, recovery, 

and repatriation of our 

countrymen. We cannot, we 

must not, forget the supreme 

sacrifice made by our 

compatriots nor the answers 

and closure owed to their 

families."

The seven ROK flag-draped 

transfer cases containing the 

remains were placed on a 

ROK aircraft and returned to South Korea. The 

President of South Korea received the remains 

in South Korea on the 70th Anniversary of the 

Armistice between the U.S. and ROK.

A Brother's Tribute to Service and Sacrifice

In a heartfelt letter, Choi Yong expresses profound gratitude to his older brother, 

Pfc. Im Rak, for selflessly serving their country during the war. Im Rak's ultimate 

sacrifice contributed to their nation's freedom and prosperity. At the Seoul Air 

Base ceremony, Choi Yong read aloud this letter when his own son, Senior Petty 

Officer Ho Jong Choi, proudly returned to South Korea with his brother's remains. 

ROK President Yoon Suk Yeol and senior military officials fittingly honored the 

arrival of PFC Choi and the other six sets of remains on July 27, 2023. This date 

marked the 70th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice and the beginning of 

the U.S.-ROK Alliance.

42 43
44 45

DPAA SUPPORTS MAUI 

WILDFIRE RESPONSE

PARTNER PERFORMS RECOVERY FIELDWORK IN POLAND

MAKRI TOURS DNA LAB

August 

In response to Hawaii's plea for aid, the DPAA dispatched personnel to assist in recovery and identification efforts following the destructive 

wildfires on Maui. Anthropologists, odontologists, an X-ray technician, and mortuary affairs Soldiers were deployed to Lahaina, offering their 

specialized expertise to the Maui Police Chief and Maui Medical Examiner. The team’s invaluable contributions were commended not only by 

local officials but also by the Secretary of Defense.

Team members from Alta Archaeological Consulting (ALTA), a DPAA partner, screen sediment excavated from a unit at the site of a World War 

II-era bomber crash in Poland on July 20, 2023. From July 17 through Aug. 9, 2023, ALTA conducted excavations to locate U.S. aircrew lost over 

Poland during World War II. (Photo courtesy of ALTA)

Senior members of the Republic of Korea's Ministry of National Defense Agency for Killed in Action Recovery Identification (MAKRI) visited the 

Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory on Aug. 15, 2023, at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware The group received a laboratory tour from Dr. 

Tim McMahon (middle), Director of DNA Operations, in addition to meeting with DPAA officials about furthering the partnership and joint 

activities between the two agencies. (Courtesy Photo)
46 47

O

ver 500 families of U.S. Service 

Members missing in action during the 

Korean War and the Cold War 

recently gathered in Arlington, Virginia. They 

were seeking updates on their loved ones from 

the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency 

(DPAA), which has been briefing families 

annually for 30 years. Each family receives an 

individual case summary on their missing loved 

one’s status and is encouraged to provide DNA 

samples to aid identification.

The agency faces challenges due to the lack of 

access to North Korea for remains searches 

since 2005. North Korea had turned over some 

remains five years ago, but this cooperation 

ceased.

Attendees shared their personal stories. For 

example, one visitor, Knox, visited North Korea 

in 2001, where a North Korean soldier pointed 

to her father’s crash site. She recalled a 

poignant moment when a crane flew alongside 

her departing plane, a symbol of eternal life.

Another attendee, Eugene Fulmore, nephew of 

Army Cpl. Bannie Harrison Jr., mentioned his 

uncle’s sacrifice as an inspiration for his own 

military service in Vietnam.

Cynthea Grisham lost her father, Air Force 

Capt. David H. Grisham, in 1950, and John 

Zimmerlee’s father, Air Force Capt. John Henry 

Zimmerlee Jr., disappeared in 1952. Both 

remain missing, prompting ongoing searches 

for closure.

Kelly McKeague, DPAA director, noted that 

7,491 Service Members are unaccounted for 

from the Korean War, with 666 identified. 

Around 5,300 are believed to be in North 

Korea. Some remains turn out to be of 

Chinese, South Korean, or North Korean 

soldiers. While North Korea shows little interest 

in repatriating its soldiers’ remains, China and 

South Korea have been more cooperative.

The agency recently returned the remains of a 

South Korean soldier, hosting a repatriation 

ceremony attended by the South Korean 

president and the soldier’s nephew, a chief 

petty officer in the South Korean Navy.

South Korea invites U.S. families of Korean 

War MIAs to visit, expressing gratitude for U.S. 

Service Members’ contributions to their nation’s 

democratic prosperity.

McKeague emphasized that the agency’s 

mission extends beyond the Korean War, 

encompassing wars like World War II and 

Operation Iraqi Freedom in 45 nations. 

Connecting with and communicating with 

families of the missing remains a crucial part of 

their mission.

DOD Editor/Writer

By David Vergun

Families of War 

Missing Are 

Still Hopeful

O

n Thanksgiving Day in 1967, the 

Mayercik family gathered in New 

Jersey, surrounded by the aroma of a 

hearty meal and the joy of familial bonds. 

Amidst the festivities, a solemn knock disrupted 

their celebration, heralding two uniformed men 

with life-altering news.

Maj. Ronald Mayercik, a navigator aboard an 

RF-4C Phantom II during the Vietnam War in 

1967, disappeared along with the aircraft's pilot, 

Col. Brendan Foley, during a nighttime 

reconnaissance mission over North Vietnam. 

Despite an extensive aerial search and rescue 

operation, neither wreckage nor crew was ever 

found, and Mayercik remains unaccounted for 

to this day.

Traci Wood, Mayercik's niece, lamented the 

absence of closure, stating, "There's no grave 

to go visit. There's no 'what happened to him?' 

or 'what did he go through?'" For 56 years, 

Mayercik's family has clung to hope, waiting for 

his return.

Since the early 2000s, they have turned 

to the Department of Defense for 

answers. Attending DoD events, such as 

the Vietnam War Annual Government 

Briefings (AGB), their family received 

updates and information on the search 

efforts to bring Mayercik home. In June 

2023, Woods joined over 150 other family 

members at the briefing held at the 

historic Mayflower Hotel in downtown 

Washington D.C.

These meetings involve senior 

government officials, researchers, 

scientists, and other experts working on 

the personnel accounting mission of past 

conflict. The gatherings feature formal 

presentations, Q&A sessions, and 

individual case discussions between DoD 

officials and family members.

Wood expressed her enduring hope, 

saying, "He deserves to come back here 

and be buried on U.S. soil with his 

family." William (Buddy) Newell, the research 

analyst assigned to Mayercik's case, shares her 

commitment. He vows to persist until Mayercik 

is found and identified.

Since 1994, American and Vietnamese 

personnel have jointly conducted 27 

investigations and 18 excavations in missions 

seeking any remains of Col. Foley and Maj. 

Mayercik. Except for an identification tag for 

Maj. Mayercik and life, service, and support 

material evidence recovered on previous 

missions, both Airmen remain unaccounted for.

The Mayercik family remains resolute in 

attending the Vietnam War AGB until he is 

accounted for. This year marks the 35th 

anniversary of sustained joint U.S.-Vietnam 

field activities in the search for and recovery of 

the remains of Americans missing from the 

Vietnam War. In the fiscal year, the DoD 

conducted 15 investigations and 9 recoveries, 

accessioned 200 evidence items, and 

accounted for four Service Members.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Ronald Mayercik

Story by: U.S. Army Sgt. Ashleigh Maxwell
48 49

September

A recovery team composed of DPAA civilian and military members, and augmentees from other military units excavate a crash site near Wistedt, 

Germany, on September 12, 2023. The team was searching for biological and material evidence associated with the crew of a U.S. Army Air 

Forces B-24H shot down in April 1944. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Jack A. E. Rigsby)

Kelly McKeague, DPAA Director, and Lê Thanh Tùng, Vietnamese Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP) delivered opening remarks at 

the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C., during the annual technical talks between DPAA and VNOSMP on Sept. 13, 2023. These 

discussions serve as a platform for representatives from both agencies to address joint field operations for the upcoming year, policy and 

operational initiatives, and methods to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of missions in accounting for U.S. personnel still missing from 

the Vietnam War. (DoD photo by Sun L. Vega)

In early September, personnel from DPAA's Detachment 2 in Hanoi and the VNOSMP conducted the first-ever survey using aerial drone 

capabilities in Vietnam. The drones utilized high power photography, videography, and LiDAR sensors. This historic survey came about after 

several years of coordination and is another way the Agency uses innovation to improve its field work. (Courtesy photo)

The Honorable Sasha Baker, the Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and the Department of Defense senior official overseeing DPAA, visited 

the Hawaii team and laboratory at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on September 13, 2023. During her visit, Baker recognized a diverse group of 

civilian and military personnel for their contributions to DPAA's global mission and support provided during the Maui recovery efforts following the 

wildfires. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ariel Owings)

SEARCH FOR USAAF CREW IN GERMANY

DPAA HOSTS ANNUAL TECHNICAL TALKS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

ACTING USD(P) VISITS DPAA'S HAWAII TEAM

FIRST USE OF DRONE TO SUPPORT JOINT ACTIVITIES
T

he DPAA hosted a National POW/MIA 

Recognition Day ceremony at the 

National Memorial Cemetery of the 

Pacific (NMCP), Honolulu, Hawaii, on Sept. 

15, 2023.

National POW/MIA Recognition Day began in 

1979. Every year since, the President of the 

United States issues a proclamation 

commemorating the day on the third Friday of 

September. This year’s ceremony saw more 

than 300 attendees, including Service 

Members and civilians from across the island, 

gathering to honor the sacrifices of former 

American prisoners of war and those who are 

still missing in action.

After the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific 

Band played the national and state anthems 

of Hawaii, Joseph Dunbar, DPAA Logistics 

Management and Budget Analyst, delivered a 

proclamation signed by Governor Josh 

Green, commemorating National POW/MIA 

Recognition Day.

“As we gather on these hallowed grounds 

here at the beautiful Punchbowl, we 

demonstrate heartfelt appreciation to those 

who sacrificed greatly for our nation, our 

ideals, and to protect our allies,” said Fern 

Sumpter Winbush, DPAA Principal Deputy 

Director. “We also take this moment to ensure 

that this generation and the generations to 

come remember the consequences of war, 

the individual stories of those who never 

returned, and to show appreciation to every 

former POW who endured horrific 

Fern Sumpter Winbush, DPAA Principal Deputy Director, gives remarks during the National 

POW/MIA Recognition Day Ceremony hosted by the DPAA at the National Memorial Cemetery of 

the Pacific, Honolulu, Sept. 15, 2023. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd 

Class Annaliss Candelaria) Since 1999, the Department 

of Defense has annually 

produced a poster in 

commemoration of National 

POW/MIA Recognition Day. 

The imagery and message of 

the 2023 poster are striking.

NATIONAL POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY

Story by: U.S. Navy Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Annaliss Candelaria

On Sept. 15, 2023, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks and retired Air Force Col. Michael Brazelton, a former Vietnam War prisoner of war, attended the 

2023 National POW/MIA Recognition Day Ceremony at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class 

Alexander Kubitza)

50

circumstances while in captivity. We must never 

take for granted what they who came before us 

did.”

Sumpter Winbush also highlighted the 

significance of DPAA 

and its continuing 

promise.

“Since the end of the 

Vietnam War, DPAA 

and its predecessors 

have managed the 

recovery, 

identification, and 

return of thousands of 

our missing 

Americans to their families who have actively 

sought answers,” said Sumpter Winbush. “We 

have been our nation’s promise keepers, not 

only to those we continue to search for but for 

those who are serving today, that should you go 

missing and do not return, we will come for you.”

Following her speech, Sumpter Winbush 

introduced the keynote speaker, Allen Hoe, a 

Vietnam veteran, Gold Star father, and veterans 

advocate. Hoe conveyed 

to the crowd that no 

matter what, no one is 

truly gone as long as 

they are held in our 

memories.

“I will never stop caring 

for those who wear our 

nation's uniform in my 

defense,” said Hoe. “At 

the rising of the sun and 

its going down, we will remember them. At the 

beginning of the year, and when it ends, we will 

remember them. As long as we live, they too will 

live. They are a part of us. We will remember 

them. We will not forget. Thank you.”

Honor guardsmen march in formation during the 2023 National POW/MIA 

Recognition Day Ceremony at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Sept. 15, 2023. 

(U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Kubitza) 

DPAA Det-1 held POW/MIA Recognition Day in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Attendees included members of 

Cambodia's POW/MIA Committee and foreign attaches from various embassies.
FAMILY MEETINGS SCHEDULE: 

NOVEMBER 2023 – AUGUST 2024

Mark your calendars for upcoming

family meetings:

November 4: Atlanta, Georgia (Virtual)

February 24: Phoenix, Arizona

March 23: Kansas City, Missouri

May 18: Billings, Montana

June 27-28: Arlington, Virginia

(Vietnam War Annual Government Briefings)

August 15-16: Arlington, Virginia

 (Korean/Cold War Annual Government Briefings)

*Please be aware that the four Regional Family 

Member Updates may be subject to change due to 

evolving circumstances. Please monitor the DPAA 

website for up-to-date information. We greatly 

Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency 2023 Year In Review

appreciate your understanding and flexibility.

A soldier from The Old Guard 

salutes fallen comrades 

Accounted For in FY 2023, 

depicted in a moving composite 

graphic with DPAA's accounted 

individuals, symbolizing our 

ongoing commitment to 

honoring their memory.