Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Family Member Guide

A resource for family members of U.S. personnel unaccounted for from the 

Vietnam War, Korean War, Cold War, World War II, and other designated conflicts 
THE DEFENSE POW/MIA 

ACCOUNTING AGENCY

is priviledged to provide this guide 

as a resource for family members 

of missing DoD personnel. This 

booklet contains information 

about topics important to you 

regarding the government’s work 

to account for your missing 

loved one. 

DPAA’S 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.

DPAA’S MISSION 

Provide the fullest possible accounting 

for missing personnel to their families 

and the nation.
As it stands today, there are 

more than 72,000 missing 

from World War II, more than 

7,500 from the Korean War, 126 

missing from the Cold War and 

more than 1,500 missing from the 

Vietnam War. We estimate almost 

39,000 are recoverable, with the 

others being mostly deep, at sea 

losses.

DPAA is dedicated to the fullest 

possible accounting of the missing, 

and when possible, bringing their 

remains home. 

We are equally dedicated to 

providing a voice to their stories 

of service and sacrifice, and 

sharing that information with 

you, their families, and the 

nation. 

This guide strives to provide 

you with insights and a 

better understanding of 

DPAA’s commitment and 

resolve. 

Although we are currently 

communicating with 18,000 

active family members, we 

continue to explore innovative 

ways to reach new families. 

Your help is essential; please help 

to spread the word!
TABLE OF CONTENTS

SERVICE CASUALTY OFFICE RESPONSIBILITIES | 6

HOW TO CONTACT YOUR SERVICE CASUALTY OFFICE | 7

STAYING INFORMED | 8

FAMILY MEMBER UPDATE BRIEFINGS | 8

ANNUAL MEETINGS | 9

ASSISTANCE TO ATTEND ANNUAL GOVERNMENT MEETINGS | 10

REGISTER TO ATTEND A FAMILY MEMBER UPDATE | 10

TOUR A LABORATORY FACILITY | 10

VISITING A LOSS INCIDENT SITE | 11

WHO ARE UNACCOUNTED-FOR? | 12

10 U.S. CODE SECTION 1509 | 12

BEGINNING THE SEARCH FOR A MISSING INDIVIDUAL | 13

ANALYTICAL CASE CATEGORIES | 14

PARTNER NATION ACCESS APPROVAL | 15

AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS COMMISSION | 15

FIELD OPERATIONS | 16

INVESTIGATION | 16

RECOVERY | 17

 WHAT FACTORS MAY AFFECT RECOVERY & IDENTIFICATION OF REMAINS? | 17

 WHY DOES IT TAKE SO LONG TO PLAN AND CONDUCT A RECOVERY? | 18

WHO IS AN “UNKNOWN”? | 19

WHY WEREN’T UNKNOWNS IDENTIFIED? | 19

WHY REMAINS MAY BE UNIDENTIFIABLE? | 19

4 
DISINTERRING UNKNOWNS | 19

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DISINTERMENT POLICY TODAY | 22

DISINTERMENT THRESHOLDS | 20

WHAT IS THE DISINTERMENT PROCESS? | 21

VIETNAM WAR UNKNOWNS | 21

KOREAN WAR UNKNOWNS | 22

WORLD WAR II UNKNOWNS | 23

OTHER FEDERAL PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS | 24

U.S. RUSSIA JOINT COMMISSION ON POW/MIAS | 24

DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY| 25

ARMED FORCES MEDICAL EXAMINER SYSTEM | 25

DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID (DNA) BREAKTHROUGHS | 26

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP? | 27

DNA QUICK REFERENCE | 28

LOCATING RECORDS | 30

PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION (PII)

 AND FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA) | 31

THE MCCAIN BILL | 31

IDENTIFICATION REPORT | 32

BURIAL ARRANGEMENTS | 33

PARTNERSHIPS WITH A GROWING 

PRIVATE SECTOR NETWORK | 33

 NON-FEDERAL ENTITY CONTACTS YOU | 33 

ARCHIVE FACILITY LISTING AND CONTACT INFOMATION | 34

5
SERVICE CASUALTY OFFICE RESPONSIBILITIES

Each branch of the military maintains Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Offices to 

help family members with any questions or needs relating to the status of their 

missing loved one. The State Department and Central Intelligence Agency 

perform casualty affairs functions for civilian personnel from their respective 

organizations. If family members have questions or need assistance, your loved 

one’s branch of service has a representative to serve as your primary point of 

contact with the Department of Defense (DoD). These offices serve four major 

functions:

1. Your Primary Interface With The DoD

Your service casualty office (SCO) 

maintains a database of family members 

and their complete contact information. 

SCOs are the single point of contact for 

you registering as a family member for 

your loved one’s case. Representatives 

can provide you both current information 

about your case and copies of records. 

The SCOs may not be able to answer 

all questions related to search, recovery, 

and identification, but they do obtain the 

information you seek through working 

with DPAA and other DoD partners.

2. Conduct Identification Report Briefings

If your loved one is accounted for, your 

respective SCO representative will contact 

you to present the DPAA identification 

report. This report contains a review of 

your case, and explains the evidence used 

to account for your loved one.

3. Gather Family Reference Samples

One of our greatest challenges is locating 

family members whose DNA can be 

compared with the remains of missing 

DoD personnel to determine a match or 

provide an exclusion. The SCOs conduct 

research, often working with professional 

forensic genealogists, to locate family 

members of the missing. This enables the 

DoD’s DNA laboratory to develop a DNA 

reference database to be used during 

forensic analysis. 

4. Provide Mortuary Services

When an identification has been made, 

the SCO will contact the Primary Next 

of Kin (PNOK) to make arrangements for 

reuniting your family with your loved one, 

and help the PNOK arrange for a military 

honors funeral and burial. The SCO can 

advise who the PNOK is for your loved 

one.

6
U.S. Army

Department of the Army

Attn Past Conflicts AHRC-PDC-R 

1600 Spearhead Div. Ave, Dept. 

450 

Fort Knox, KY 40122-5405

Tel: 1 (800) 892-2490

U.S. Navy

Navy Personnel Command Casualty 

Assistance Division (PERS-13)

5720 Integrity Drive

Millington, TN 38055-0000

Tel: 1 (800) 443-9298

U.S. Air Force

Headquarters Air Force Personnel 

Center/Missing Persons Branch

550 C Street West

JBSA-Randolph, TX 78150-4716

Tel: 1 (800) 531-5501

Air Force Mortuary Affairs 

Operations

116 Purple Heart Drive

Dover AFB, DE 19902

Tel: 1 (800) 531-5803

U.S. Marine Corps

Headquarters U. S. Marine Corps 

Manpower and Reserve Affairs 

(MFPC) Personal and Family 

Readiness Division 

2008 Elliot Road

Quantico, MCB 22134-5103

Tel: 1 (866) 210-3421, Ext 1

7

HOW TO CONTACT YOUR SERVICE CASUALTY OFFICE

Central Intelligence 

Agency

CIA Casualty

Room 4A40, DD4

Washinggton, DC 20505

Tel: 1 (703) 874-4270

U.S. Coast Guard

Personnel Services Division

Casualty Matters

US Coast Guard Stop 7200

2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave SE

Washington, DC 20593-7200

Tel: 1 (202) 795-6637

U.S. Department of State

Dept. Of State/CA/OCS/ACS/EAP

SA 17, 10th Floor

Washington, DC 20007

Tel: 1 (202) 485-6125
8

STAYING INFORMED

The U.S. Government has conducted

family-oriented update programs 

since 1995, reaching thousands of 

family members for face-to-face 

discussions about DPAA’s work to 

account for missing DoD personnel. 

These events are designed to keep 

family members informed of DPAA’s 

worldwide mission and to discuss 

in detail the available information 

about their particular cases. Speakers 

at these events include senior 

government officials and subject 

matter experts who perform the 

wide range of duties associated 

with the POW/ MIA mission. During 

the meetings, there are formal 

presentations, question and answer 

sessions, and one-on-one discussions 

between government officials and 

family members. The two forms of 

events are: regional family member 

updates and annual meetings.

A family reviews the information provided about 

their loved one’s loss while attending the DPAA 

Family Member Update in Green Bay, Wis. (Photo 

by Sgt. Eric M. LaClair/U.S. Marine Corps)

members. Government officials do 

meet one-on-one with family members 

to discuss historical information about 

the loss incident, recovery efforts 

immediately after the conflict, and the 

current status of their loved one’s case. 

On average, 150-300 family members 

and 30 government officials attend 

each meeting. 

Visit www.dpaa.mil or contact

your Service Casualty Office to find

out when DPAA will host an event in your area.

As many as seven times a year, DoD 

officials meet with family members 

of unaccounted for personnel who 

live within a 350-mile radius of a 

chosen major metropolitan area. 

These meetings are designed to 

make access more available for family 

FAMILY MEMBER UPDATE 

BRIEFINGS
9

Each year, the Vietnam War, and 

Korea and Cold War families meet 

in the Washington, D.C. area, which 

makes it possible for U.S. Government 

officials to brief them. Family members 

of unaccounted-for DoD personnel 

from the Vietnam War era usually 

receive their briefings in June, in 

conjunction with the Annual Meeting 

of the National League of POW/MIA 

Families. The Annual Government 

Briefings for families of unaccountedfor DoD personnel from the Korean 

and Cold Wars is hosted by DPAA 

and is typically held in late summer. 

At these annual meetings, family 

members have the opportunity to 

meet with numerous civilian and 

military specialists whose expertises 

include: foreign government 

negotiations, formulation of national 

policy, remains recovery and 

identification, DNA science, archival 

research, and investigation analysis.

DoD representatives speak to nearly 280 family members during the Family Member Update in Los 

Angeles, Calif. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Erik Cardenas/U.S. Air Force)

ANNUAL MEETINGS
Dr. Laurel Freas, DPAA anthropologist, consoles 

Amy House, wife of the late U.S. Marine Corps 

Capt. John A. House II, after a chain of custody 

ceremony held at DPAA on Joint Base Pearl HarborHickam, Hawaii. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. 

Leah Ferrante)

ASSISTANCE TO ATTEND 

ANNUAL GOVERNMENT 

MEETINGS

The SCOs are authorized to provide 

travel assistance for family members 

to attend the respective Vietnam 

War and Korea-Cold War annual 

briefings. The program, also known as 

“Coincidental Assistance” or “COIN 

Assist” covers the cost of roundtrip 

airline tickets for two family members 

for each unaccounted-for individual, 

for the purpose of attending the 

annual briefings. Families should 

contact their SCO to see if they 

qualify. COIN Assist applies only to the 

annual meetings in the Washington, 

D.C. area, and is not available for 

regional Family Member Updates.

REGISTER TO ATTEND A FAMILY 

MEMBER MEETING

Visit www.dpaa.mil or contact your 

SCO for dates and locations of 

upcoming Family Member Updates 

and annual meeting schedules, and 

how to register.

DPAA’s headquarters in Arlington, 

Virginia has oversight of offices and 

laboratories at Joint Base Pearl 

Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii; Offutt AFB, 

Nebraska; and Wright Patterson 

AFB, Ohio. Family members wishing 

TOUR A LABORATORY FACILITY

10

to visit one of DPAA’s laboratory 

facilities should contact their SCO 

to coordinate their visit with DPAA’s 

Outreach & Communications 

Directorate. If you do not have 

base access, DPAA personnel will 

coordinate access with the security 

forces that guard the military base. 

DPAA also maintains detachments 

in Southeast Asia and Europe that 

provide coordination and logistics 

support, among other things, 

during investigation and recovery 

operations. Visits to our detachments 

are dependent upon availability 

of personnel at each office. Since 

detachment personnel are exclusively 

focused on supporting teams in 

the field, visit requests must be 

coordinated well in advance and 

cannot be guaranteed.
11

DPAA is keenly aware of family 

member and private citizen interest 

in the past conflict personnel 

accounting mission and of their desire 

to be present during fieldwork to 

search for DoD personnel missing 

from designated past conflicts. 

However, visitors at field operations 

during an on-going investigation 

or excavation, regardless of how 

well-intentioned, potentially place 

themselves at physical risk, can 

jeopardize operations or partner 

nation permissions, compromise 

scientific integrity of the work, and 

slow resolution of the case. DPAA 

strives to avoid conferring preferential 

treatment to any individual or group, 

so will not provide sponsorship, 

government intervention, or 

diplomatic resources for family 

members who want to visit a site.

DPAA discourages any persons or 

entities not involved in the DPAAled operation to visit loss sites, but 

should such persons arrive at a DPAAsponsored investigation or excavation 

site or other field operation, they will 

be made aware of the risks of their 

continued presence to the successful 

completion of the mission. The U.S. 

Government is not liable for the 

actions of non-official personnel at 

the site and is not responsible in any 

way for their safety, transportation, 

lodging, guides, medical treatment, 

or any other services or expenses 

incurred in reaching or visiting the 

site.

U.S. Marine Corps Staff 

Sgt. Ethan Shrader, 

DPAA Explosive 

Ordinance Disposal 

technician, searches for 

unexploded ordnance 

and possible signs of 

life support during a 

survey mission in Lao 

People’s Democratic 

Republic. (U.S. Army 

photo by Staff Sgt. 

Jamarius Fortson)

VISITING A LOSS INCIDENT SITE
12

Unaccounted for U.S. personnel are 

those who went missing during a 

designated conflict and who have 

not yet been accounted for.

 A

U.S. military personnel, civilian employees 

of the DoD components, and civilian 

employees of contractors to the DoD 

components.

 B 

Civilian employees and contractors of 

other U.S. Government departments and 

agencies (e.g., Air America employees 

under contract to the Central Intelligence 

Agency during the Indochina War)

 C

Employees of humanitarian agencies 

accredited to the Military Services (e.g., 

the American Red Cross and the United 

Service Organizations).

D

Members of civilian organizations credited 

with active military service by the Secretary 

of Defense pursuant to Public Law 95–202 

such as the Merchant Marine during World 

War II and the American Volunteer Group 

(Flying Tigers).

E

U.S. citizens and other persons as directed 

by the Secretary of Defense.

Unless directed by the Secretary of 

Defense, DPAA does not pursue 

other operational losses including 

training accidents and aircraft losses 

outside combatant theaters. DPAA 

also does not recover those officially 

buried at sea. 

10 U.S. Code Section 1509

• World War II during the period 

beginning on December 7, 1941, and 

ending on December 31, 1946

• Cold War during the period 

beginning on September 2, 1945, and 

ending on August 21, 1991.

• Korean War during the period 

beginning on June 27, 1950, and 

ending on January 31, 1955.

• The Indochina War (also known 

as the Vietnam War) era during the 

period beginning on July 8, 1959, and 

ending on May 15, 1975.

• The Persian Gulf War during the 

period beginning on August 2, 1990, 

and ending on February 28, 1991.

• Such other conflicts in which 

members of the armed forces served 

as the Secretary of Defense may 

designate.

Section 1509 provides that the 

designated conflicts are:

 

WHO ARE UNACCOUNTED-FOR?
13

Dr. Camillia Rodgers, DPAA historian, uses the DPAA 

library at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, to 

gather historical information. (U.S. Navy photo by 

MC2 Seth Coulter)

A critical first step for all unaccounted 

for cases is to gather and organize 

historical records and information. 

Archival research allows DPAA 

personnel to determine the official 

post-conflict status of an individual 

or group of individuals, and better 

understand any circumstances 

surrounding secondary burials or 

other subsequent movement of 

remains that could affect DPAA’s 

search for remains. DPAA evaluates 

records from multiple sources, 

including several U.S. national 

archives facilities, various online 

repositories and sources, and foreign 

archives, in search of important 

records about the fate of missing 

personnel. Although historical 

research can help DPAA determine 

If DPAA has an electronic copy of 

your loved one’s record, we can 

share it with you through your 

SCO free of charge. You can also 

access your loved one’s military 

personnel file from the National 

Personnel Records Center 

(NPRC) in St. Louis, Mo. The 

NPRC maintains the file of every 

military member who has served 

in the US military. Visit their 

website at https://www. archives.

gov/ for more information.

whether a field investigation is 

warranted, sometimes environmental 

or human activity factors may lead to 

the conclusion that there is little to 

no possibility physical remains would 

be found during field work. For cases 

where no field activity is possible, 

DPAA will monitor new information or 

evidence for its potential to produce 

new leads or point to other activities 

that might help advance the case. 

BEGINNING THE SEARCH FOR A MISSING INDIVIDUAL

Copies of Records
`

14

Over the history of the past conflict personnel accounting effort, numerous 

terms have been used to describe the status of unaccounted-for personnel. 

In 2015, DPAA established four analytical categories and reviews the available 

information for unaccounted-for personnel, then determines a category for 

each one. This case categorization helps DPAA to better communicate with 

families and other stakeholders and to optimize resource allocation. Analytical 

categories are not permanent and can change based upon re-analysis or receipt 

of new leads or information.

ANALYTICAL CASE CATEGORIES

 Active Pursuit 

Cases for which there exists sufficient information to compel research, 

investigation, disinterment, or recovery operations in the field. These cases are 

the priority for operational planning and allocation of resources.

 Deferred 

Cases for which there are no new or viable leads, or access to the site is restricted. 

 Non-Recoverable

Cases for which there is a low potential for recovery, such as when an individual’s 

remains are lost at sea (but not buried at sea), or lost due to fire, including 

cremation or an explosion. This assessment is based on historical research, 

scientific analysis, and the limits of current technology. To classify a case as nonrecoverable does not mean that the case is closed. Should new information be 

discovered that indicates it may be possible to recover the remains, the case 

will be re-categorized.

 Under Review 

Cases actively undergoing review for categorization as Active Pursuit, Deferred, 

or Non-Recoverable. When circumstances and/or new evidence are presented 

that cause a previously categorized case to be re-evaluated, the case will be 

categorized as Under Review until a new category determination can be made.

These categories are:
15

A Vietnamese official uses a shovel to aid in recovery 

efforts in Quang Tri Province, Vietnam. (U.S. Marine 

Corps photo by Cpl. Julian Temblador)

Rain falls on graves of unknown service members 

buried in the Manila American Cemetery and 

Memorial in the Philippines. DPAA conducts 

disinterments in an effort to identify Unknowns lost 

during past conflicts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff 

Sgt. Leah Ferrante)

DPAA’s mission is a global one. DPAA 

maintains contact with both U.S. 

and local government officials in 46 

countries who support, coordinate, 

and facilitate DPAA conducting any

field work in their country. In some 

cases, although field work is warranted 

for a case, DPAA may be unable to 

send personnel to a foreign country 

because of access restrictions. 

However, the Agency maintains 

contact with counterparts or partners 

recognized by the host nation to 

garner access as situations permit. 

PARTNER NATION ACCESS 

APPROVAL

Established by Congress in 1923, the 

ABMC commemorates the service, 

achievements, and sacrifice of U.S. armed 

forces. More than 218,000 Americans are 

buried or memorialized overseas by the 

ABMC. If you are a direct next-of-kin of 

those buried or memorialized at ABMC 

sites, you can order a lithograph of a 

headstone or Tablet Of The Missing. Visit 

their website at https://www.abmc.gov

American Battle Monuments 

Commission (ABMC)
16

FIELD OPERATIONS

Although not possible with all losses, 

the field investigation effort helps 

validate sites with recovery potential 

to proceed to the excavation 

phase. An investigation can uncover 

valuable new information that could 

only be obtained through on-site 

visit and/or local interviews. It aims 

to provide either a determination 

to a recovery mission or definitive 

information that sheds light on a 

new conclusion for the case. The 

outcome of the latter might be that 

further research is needed, or a 

confirmation that the post-conflict 

finding of non-recoverability should 

be upheld.

Master Sgt. Ji Young Chang, an investigator with the Ministry of National Defense’s Killed in Action Recovery 

and Identification (MAKRI), briefs DPAA and MAKRI personnel as part of an investigation mission near the 

Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea. DPAA was conducting an investigation into possible 

locations of U.S. service members lost during the Korean War. (Photo by Marine Cpl. Jack A. E. Rigsby)

INVESTIGATION
17

DPAA team members set up a screening station in the early morning during a recovery mission near 

Bebra, Germany. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Luke Kitterman)

An excavation may be planned

when all available information 

indicates remains are possibly located 

at a particular site. The goal of a field 

recovery is to find physical evidence 

that results in an identification of an 

unaccounted-for DoD member, not 

to determine the cause of a crash or 

conduct salvage of military wreckage. 

Reports created during the field 

recovery process will become part of 

the final identification packet DPAA 

prepares for the family. Any personal 

effects that can be attributed to 

a specific service member will 

be returned to the designated 

family member through the SCO. 

Laboratory analysis of recovered 

evidence associated with a casualty 

or crash site can take anywhere from 

several months to a few years.

RECOVERY

Several factors may affect the possibility 

or timeline of locating remains and 

making an identification. Sites can be 

degraded or lost due to urbanization, 

environmental, regulatory, or political 

factors beyond the control of DPAA. 

If remains are highly fragmentary, 

it may not be possible to make any 

determinations, even with the most 

advanced DNA technology. When DNA 

analysis is possible, there may not be 

sufficient DNA references on file for 

remains comparisons. Every case must 

be evaluated and analyzed based on 

its own merit with the goal of achieving 

identification.

What Other Factors 

May Affect Recovery 

& Identification of 

Remains
18

Many factors affect how recovery 

sites are prioritized and scheduled. 

Weather, partner-nation access 

approval, terrain challenges, site 

characteristics, and various logistical 

and operational concerns affect the 

planning and staging of recoveries. 

DPAA conducts technical negotiations 

and talks with representatives of 

partner nation governments in 

order to ensure productive and 

safe operations in-country for DoD 

personnel.

During these interactions, DPAA 

also discusses scheduling of field 

operations, obtains information 

from the host government as to any 

permitting or other requirements, 

and coordinates logistics such as how 

to move a team within the country. 

DPAA typically asks for support from 

national, provincial, or local officials.

WHY DOES IT TAKE SO LONG TO PLAN & CONDUCT A RECOVERY?

A mission may last from approximately 

30-65 days, with teams working 8-10 

hours daily to remove soil from the 

recovery site, run soil through screens 

to uncover evidence, recover and 

package evidence for transport to a 

DPAA lab, and document the entire 

process. A recovery site ranges in 

size from an individual burial site 

to a football field. It may take more 

than one mission to complete an 

excavation, since the recovery teams 

only have a set time period in which 

to work. Sometimes the recovery team 

finds nothing at a site, despite DPAA’s 

best analytical and investigative efforts.

There are many explanations as to 

why remains might not be found at a 

recovery site. The remains could have 

been buried elsewhere by individuals 

who witnessed the incident, they may 

have degraded due to environmental 

conditions, or they may have 

been recovered in the postwar period by U.S. search 

and recovery personnel who 

could not identify them. 

In this last instance, those 

remains are buried today as 

“Unknowns.”

DPAA performs excavation operations 

in Vietnam in search of three missing 

U.S. service members lost during the 

Vietnam War (U.S. Marine Corps photo 

by Sgt. Jacqueline Clifford)
19

WHO ARE “UNKNOWNS?”

Remains recovered in the immediate 

post-war period but not identified 

were buried under headstones marked 

“Unknown” in ABMC cemeteries 

overseas or in U.S. cemeteries managed 

by the Department of the Army or the 

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 

National Cemetery Administration. These 

remains may be comprised of a single 

individual or of many individuals who died 

in similar circumstances and were buried 

together in a group.

DISINTERRING UNKNOWNS

DPAA is actively working to identify 

unknown remains from the Korean War 

and World War II, currently interred in 

cemeteries administered by the VA in 

the United States and ABMC around 

the world.

WHY WEREN’T UNKNOWNS 

IDENTIFIED?

There are a number of reasons why 

remains were not identified when they 

were originally recovered. After both 

World War II and the Korean War, 

graves registration personnel from the 

U.S. Army conducted sweeping efforts 

to recover and identify the dead 

from those wars. They utilized the 

best methods of the time, employing 

professional investigators, morticians, 

dentists, and anthropologists to aid 

their efforts, and deploying scientific 

techniques that were state-of-the-art 

for the time period. 

However, the remains of several 

thousand recovered casualties could 

not be identified. Sometimes the 

remains recovered were too sparse 

or fragmented for the techniques 

employed. In other instances, the 

available records were too limited to 

suggest an association of the remains 

with a missing service member. Finally, 

when groups of men died and were 

buried together, whether as a result of 

mass casualties incurred on a battlefield, 

the sudden sinking of a ship, or from a 

common burial of prisoners of war, their 

circumstances of death and burial were 

too complicated to be untangled by the 

analysis at the time. 

Today, advances in forensic sciences 

(such as the use of DNA, odontological 

analysis, and cranial or skeletal 

superimposition), along with an 

improved ability to compile and 

compare more detailed and complete 

historical records, make it possible 

for DPAA to reassess unidentified 

remains buried as Unknowns, and, 

where merited by research, to propose 

the remains be disinterred from their 

current burial locations in order to 

conduct new forensic analyses, which 

may lead to their identification.
20

ABMC staff and DPAA personnel disinter a casket at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in Manila, 

Philippines. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Kathrine Dodd)

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DISINTERMENT POLICY TODAY

Although DPAA’s primary focus 

has traditionally been on field 

operations, DoD continues to compile 

information in an attempt to identify 

those buried as Unknowns. Since 

the mid-1980s, when evidence was 

sufficient to justify a disinterment, 

DoD would authorize an exhumation 

for potential identification. Recently, 

advances in cutting-edge forensic and 

analytical techniques are improving 

DPAA’s ability to identify and 

account for Unknowns. In May 2016, 

DoD established policy to govern 

disinterment of Unknowns for the 

purpose of identification. The policy 

requires that the Assistant Secretary of 

Defense for Manpower and Reserve 

Affairs (ASD (M&RA)) determine 

whether a DPAA request proposed 

for disinterment meets the DoDmandated thresholds.

• For cases with commingled remains 

interred as a group,

DPAA must have DNA or other 

medicalmeans of identification for 

at least 60% of the DoD personnel 

associated with the case.

• For cases of individual unknown 

remains, the medical means of 

identification for at least 50% of the 

associated DoD personnel must be 

on-hand.

Disinterment Thresholds
21

The Soldiers of 1st Battalion, 3rd United States 

Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), perform an 

Army Full Honor Funeral for Sgt. Wilson Meckley in 

Section 60, Arlington National Cemetery, Va. (U.S. 

Army photo by Sgt. Cody W. Torkelson)

WHAT IS THE DISINTERMENT PROCESS? 

DPAA does not have the authority to 

independently undertake disinterments, 

but works with other federal agencies 

to obtain authorization. After the 

historical and forensic analyses are 

complete, DPAA requests approval to 

disinter. This request is then reviewed 

by a number of offices including the 

relevant SCO, Armed Forces Medical 

Examiner System-Armed Forces DNA 

Identification Laboratory (AFMESAFDIL), and VA or ABMC. If these offices 

concur with DPAA’s request, a packet 

then goes to the ASD(M&RA) for final 

decision. If the request is approved, 

DPAA coordinates with the cemetery to 

schedule and conduct the disinterment 

of the Unknown(s).

VIETNAM WAR UNKNOWN

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

at Arlington National Cemetery is

dedicated to DoD personnel whose

remains were not identifiable or who

were not recovered.

The Vietnam War Tomb of the

Unknown Soldier is currently empty.

The remains of Air Force First

Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie had

been interred in the Tomb’s crypt in

1986, then disinterred in 1998, when it

was determined that newly developed

science and DNA technology could

be used to identify him. DPAA has

many remains from the Vietnam War,

continues to identify and account for

them, and there are no plans to inter

any Vietnam War remains in the crypt

as Unknown.
22

DPAA service 

members participate 

in a disinterment 

ceremony held at 

the NMCP, Honolulu, 

Hawaii. DPAA has been 

disinterring remains of 

Korean War Unknowns 

in a phased plan. (U.S. 

Air Force photo by Staff 

Sgt. Leah Ferrante)

KOREAN WAR UNKNOWNS

After the Korean War, 866 sets of 

remains that could not be identified 

were buried as Unknowns at the 

National Memorial Cemetery of 

the Pacific (NMCP), also known as 

the “Punchbowl,” in Honolulu. In 

1999, two Korean War Unknowns 

were disinterred from this group for 

purposes of scientific analysis and 

testing. During this effort, it was 

discovered that when remains were 

processed in the 1950s, they were 

treated with a powder that degraded 

their DNA in a way that prevented 

successful identification by DNA

analysis. 

By 2009, DPAA scientists had 

developed a chest radiograph 

technique that offered a new avenue 

for identification. Clavicles (collar 

bone) superimposition, is another 

line of evidence that assists in 

making identifications. Scientists 

are able to use antemortem 

(before death) chest X-rays from 

the serviceman’s induction into 

military service to match the 

clavicles of Unknowns. 

In 2016, DoD DNA scientists 

developed a revolutionary method 

for sequencing damaged DNA, 

and continue to refine the research 

and methods with which to 

overcome the challenges posed 

by the damaged DNA from these 

Korean War Unknowns. 
23

A member of the U.S. Army Honor Guard, 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) paces in front of the 

Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kristina 

Truluck)

WORLD WAR II UNKNOWNS

In the case of World War II, advanced 

historical research and forensic 

analyses, including DNA, are important 

tools in DPAA’s effort to identify 

Unknowns from this war. These cases 

vary widely. Some involve mass casualty 

incidents, such as the losses that 

occurred during the attack on Pearl 

Harbor on December 7, 1941, and 

others involve a very small number of 

remains from a single aircraft or ground 

vehicle whose occupants could not be 

identified with technology available 

in the 1950s. Close collaboration 

between historical researchers and 

forensic analysts is critical to making an 

identification from poor records and,

often, fragmentary remains. Several

large-scale disinterment projects are 

underway and more are planned for the 

future.
24

OTHER FEDERAL PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS

U.S. RUSSIA JOINT COMMISSION ON POW/MIAS

The U.S.-Russia Joint Commission on 

POW/MIAs (USRJC) was established 

on March 26, 1992, by Presidents 

George H.W. Bush and Boris Yeltsin, 

as a forum through which both 

nations seek information to aid in 

determining the fates of service 

personnel who are missing as a 

result of past conflicts from World 

War II forward. Activities of the 

USRJC since 1992 have fostered 

support of DPAA’s humanitarian 

efforts, and have increased DPAA’s 

access to documents housed in 

former Soviet archives, and to locate 

and interview Russian veterans who 

participated in conflicts from which 

U.S. personnel remain unaccounted 

for. The U.S. Side of the USRJC is led 

by a Chairman designated by the 

President. The Commissioners for the 

U.S. Side include two U.S. Senators 

and two U.S. Representatives, as 

well as representatives from DoD, 

the Department of State, the 

National Archives and Records 

Administration, and the Defense 

Intelligence Agency. Through its Joint 

Commission Support Division (JCSD), 

DPAA provides administrative and 

analytic support to the U.S. side of 

the USRJC, including the conduct of 

research in Russia on unaccounted-for 

U.S. personnel. JCSD also assists the 

government of Russia with efforts to 

account for its missing.

The USRJC on POW/MIAs Working 

Group met in Moscow on December 

12, 2019 to conduct Technical Talks 

regarding POW/MIA cases from the 

Cold War and Korean War. DPAA 

supports the USRJC through the 

JCSD.
25

DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY

The Defense Intelligence Agency 

(DIA) maintains a program dedicated 

solely to Vietnam War accounting, 

designated as “Stony Beach.” This 

team of experts provides direct 

support to DPAA by conducting 

interviews in Vietnam, Laos, 

Cambodia, and Thailand. One of the 

Stony Beach team’s priorities is to 

investigate both “last known alive” 

cases and first-hand “live sighting” 

reports. 

ARMED FORCES MEDICAL 

EXAMINER SYSTEM

The Armed Forces Medical 

Examiner System’s (AFMES) DoD 

DNA Operations Section provides 

the DoD and other federal 

agencies with DNA mission support 

through the Armed Forces DNA 

Identification Laboratory (AFDIL). 

Established in 1991, AFDIL is tasked 

with current and past conflicts 

human remains DNA testing used 

in the identification of fallen service 

members. AFDIL’s present day 

accounting and past accounting 

sections provide the DoD with 

human identification DNA testing 

support in the areas of personnel 

accounting, national security, 

law enforcement, humanitarian 

missions, and defense.

A DIA Stony Beach team member, conducts a 

presentation for family members of Vietnam War 

unaccounted-for servicemen during the National 

League of POW/MIA Families Annual Meeting in 

Washington, D.C. (DPAA Staff photo) 

AFMES-AFDIL processes DNA 

reference samples for DPAA. Based on 

the relationship of the family member to 

the missing, they may analyze a specific 

DNA type from one or more of these:

• Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)

• Y-Chromosome (Y-STR)

• Nuclear/Autosomal (au-STR)
26

DEOXIRIBONUCLEIC ACID (DNA) 

BREAKTHROUGHS

DNA FAMILY REFERENCE 

SAMPLES 

A family member of an unaccounted 

for person may submit DNA for 

use in comparison for identification 

purposes if the family member 

shares a maternal or paternal 

relationship with the unaccounted for 

person. AFMES-AFDIL uses nuclear 

(Y-STR and au-STR) and mtDNA for 

identifications. Nuclear DNA is found 

in almost every human cell, is passed 

down from mother and father, and 

is unique to an individual. Parents, 

grandparents, children, and grand 

children are the best references for 

nuclear DNA. For mtDNA which is 

passed down through the mother and 

is the most resistant to environmental 

factors, siblings and relatives with 

the same maternal lineage share 

this DNA. Past conflict accounting 

relies on DNA comparisons using 

a database of Family Reference 

Samples (FRS). If there are no viable 

FRS for your loved one, artifacts from 

the missing service member such as 

hairbrushes, baby teeth, or watches 

may provide suitable DNA reference 

material. Please coordinate with your 

SCO to determine suitability and 

submission. Except for baby teeth, all 

items will be promptly

In its multi-year effort to identify 

Korean War unknown remains which 

had been chemically treated in the 

1950s, AFMES-AFDIL developed 

Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). 

This technology provides the ability 

to obtain very small fragments of 

viable DNA at ultra-high coverage, 

which was not feasible with 

previous DNA processing methods. 

Additionally, they developed a 

method that can help to distinguish 

individuals with common mtDNA 

sequences.

AFMES-AFDIL DNA analysts place samples into 

cartridges before loading it into the NGS instrument. 

(U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nicole Leidholm)
27

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?

The best way you can help with the 

identification of unaccounted-for 

DoD personnel from past conflicts 

is to provide a FRS. Photographs of 

unaccounted-for personnel can also aid 

in the identification process. If you have 

one, preferrably showing a smile and a 

forehead, a copy should be provided 

to your SCO. 

returned after processing.

The collection and actual laboratory 

processing of each FRS takes little 

time, but once the laboratory work 

is complete, an extensive review of 

the data is completed before the 

actual written report is finalized. If 

the family submits an artifact such 

as a personal item of clothing, an 

envelope, or a lock of hair, these 

types of samples will take longer 

to process than a cheek swab or a 

blood reference. Lena Gunn (left), AFMES-AFDIL DNA analyst, swabs the 

cheek of Damien Rispoli, nephew of missing Army Air 

Force Sgt Vincent Rispoli. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff 

Sgt. Nicole Leidholm)

John Bower holds 

up a photo of his 

loved one, U.S. 

Navy Lt. Cmdr. John 

Bower, as part of 

a remembrance 

ceremony during an 

FMU in San Antonio, 

Texas. (U.S. Navy 

photo by Mass 

Communication 

Specialist 1st Class 

Amara Timberlake)

Visit DPAA’s website at 

www.dpaa.mil to view Service 

Member Profiles that honor the 

brave individuals who served and 

sacrificed for our country, as well as 

how to help us locate photographs 

that we can add to your loved 

one’s page to help tell their story. 
28

Mitochondria

Nucleus

XY XX

DAD CHILD MOM

NUCLEAR DNA FAST FACTS:

1) Law enforcement can use nuclear DNA to either 

convict or acquit, 2) It breaks down rapidly if exposed to 

warm, wet environments, and 3) The male Y chromosome 

is a generationally stable marker across paternal 

relationships.

MITOCHONDRIAL DNA FAST FACTS:

1) Past conflict accounting relies on DNA comparisons 

using a database of FRS, 2) There are thousands of 

mitochondrion within every cell, and 3) Preservation of 

mtDNA is highly affected by its environment, however, 

the high amounts of mtDNA within each person makes it 

easier to extract over significant periods of elapsed time.

1 pair

for sex

(XY, XX)

22 pairs for

everything else

50%

50%

TYPES found in cells

Nuclear DNA

Matching

Matching

23 pairs Mitochondrial DNA

Cheek swabs are used 

to collect DNA material 

for testing.

Nuclear DNA is found in 

almost every human cell, 

and is unique to an 

individual.

Mitochondrial DNA is 

passed down through 

the mother, and is the 

most resistant to 

environmental factors.

Siblings and relatives 

with the same maternal 

lineage share this DNA.

of chromosomes. 

One pair from 

mom, the other 

from dad.

There are repeating 

patterns inherited from 

both parents. The 

combination of these 

patterns are unique to 

each person but can be 

traced to a parent. 

Instead of looking for repeating 

patterns, as in nuclear DNA analysis, the 

composition of the BASE (building block) 

amounts within a region is analyzed. Although this 

analysis cannot produce an exact DNA match, it can be 

used to determine a likely maternal relationship.

Red (3)

Green (2)

Purple (2)

Blue (3)

DNA in Personnel 

Identification

DNA QUICK REFERENCE 
29

Paternal (Y-DNA)

Maternal

Nuclear

Grandfather Grandmother

Father

Missing

Uncle Uncle Aunt

Cousin Brother Sister Cousin Cousin

Nephew Son Niece

Mother

Nuclear DNA Relationship

Contact Service 

Casualty Office 

(SCO)

HOW TO DONATE

YOUR FAMILY REFERENCE SAMPLE

YOUR DNA PRIVACY

AM I ELIGIBLE?

1

SCO Sends 2 Donor Kit

Mail Completed 

Kit to AFDIL Using 3Shipping Container

If you share a maternal or 

paternal relationship with 

the unaccounted-for service 

member then you are 

eligible.

OTHER WAYS 

TO HELP

If you are a Non-eligible 

family member, you can help 

by submitting service 

member artifacts, such as: 

hairbrushes, baby teeth, and 

service covers/hats from 

service member. These 

artifacts may help maintain 

the required DNA reference 

material. All items will be 

promptly returned after 

processing.

Donor provides 

3 cheek swabs 

for DNA sample

Armed Forces DNA 

Identification Laboratory

Consent 

forms

Return shipping 

container

Fathers, mothers, brothers, 

and sisters.

Contact Information...

http://www.dpaa.mil/Families

/ContactInformation.aspx

Y-DNA (Paternal) Relationship

Grandfathers, fathers, brothers, 

sons, uncles, nephews, and male 

cousins.

DNA is not tested 

for diseases or 

genetic disorders

DNA and personal 

information is assigned 

to a secure case file

DNA is not sent to the 

criminal National DNA 

Index System (NDIS)

Mitochondrial (Maternal) DNA 

Relationship

Grandmothers, mothers, brothers, 

sisters, aunts, uncles, and female 

cousins.

AFDIL

USEFUL LINKS click to find out more

COMPARISON evidence analysis

AFDIL runs analyses to find 

possible matches, using 

the genetic information 

obtained from FRS.

PNOKs are contacted by their 

respective SCO when an 

identification is made.

In most cases, should DPAA 

recover a service member’s 

remains, DPAA scientists will cut a 

small bone sample and send it to 

the AFDIL for testing and analysis.

AFDIL

PNOKs are contacted by their 

respective SCO when an 

identification is made.
30

Family members are often, 

understandably, interested in 

knowing as much as possible 

about the entire history of their 

loved one’s military service. 

Researchers within DPAA have 

a much narrower focus and are 

focused on locating information 

that illuminates the circumstances 

of a missing individual’s loss, initial 

and subsequent burial information, 

and the history of past attempts 

to recover and/or identify those 

remains. DPAA will freely share 

all the documents collected and 

analysis produced as a result of 

that research. However, when asked 

research questions that extend to an 

individual’s broader military service, 

DPAA can only offer some suggested 

on-line resources for family members 

wishing to conduct this type of 

research. 

While the National Personnel 

Records Center (NRPC) is where 

military service records are filed 

and stored, the National Archives 

and Records Administration (NARA) 

is the primary U.S. Government 

repository for general and specific 

information about a military unit’s 

actions and history. NARA is not 

resourced to do the research for you, 

but will assist you in getting started. 

To assist researchers in conducting 

POW/MIA research at its facilities, 

NARA has published several 

Reference Information Papers on 

POW and MIA personnel from World 

War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam 

War, and the Cold War. You can 

obtain these directly from NARA for 

a nominal fee. 

Other potential domestic repositories 

that may contain information related 

to a loss incident, an individual, or 

an individual’s military unit include 

the Military Service’s History Offices 

and Museums, and local university 

and public libraries. Page 34 of this 

guide provides a list of these and 

other archive facility contacts that 

may be helpful as you pursue more 

information about your loved one. 

LOCATING RECORDS

Networking with other family 

members whose loved ones were 

lost in the same incident or area is 

a valuable way to locate additional 

information that may not be in the 

official case files. 
31

Personally Identifiable Information 

(PII) is any information pertaining to 

living persons that can be used to 

distinguish or trace an individual’s 

identity. PII can be on paper or 

electronic records stored within 

databases or other applications on 

computers, laptops, and personal 

electronic devices. Examples of 

PII are addresses, social security 

numbers or similar information.

DPAA receives requests for 

information and updates on missing 

service members throughout the 

year from third party researchers, 

MIA enthusiasts, reporters, former 

comrades, childhood friends, 

veterans groups, documentarians, 

congressional offices, POW/MIA 

bracelet wearers, etc. In most cases, 

DPAA provides a brief update to the 

requestor letting the requestor know 

if the servicemember is missing or 

accounted for. 

The Freedom of Information 

Act (FOIA) is a federal law 

authorizing public access to nonexempt information possessed by 

government agencies. When private 

citizens who are not family members 

want records or information, they 

are required to file their request 

in accordance with the FOIA and 

specify the breadth and nature of 

their request, and in some cases, 

pay a fee for the information. On the 

other hand, family members in search 

of records are not required to use 

the FOIA process, but are instead 

directed to their SCO who can 

request records and provide them to 

the family member free of charge.

The McCain Bill applies to 

the Korean and Vietnam 

Wars, and allows families to 

document in writing their 

decision to restrict access to 

information about treatment, 

condition, or location of their 

loved one. Other information 

may be restricted by law 

or classification level, and 

will only be provided in a 

redacted format so PII and 

classified information are 

not provided. Each request 

is evaluated to ensure 

compliance with relevant laws 

and regulations.

The McCain Bill

PERSONALLY IDENTIFYABLE INFORMATION (PII) 

& FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA)
32

After an individual is identified, the 

DPAA Science Director provides 

the relevant SCO a summary report 

containing a synopsis of the findings 

and conclusions that support the 

individual scientific identification 

or group remains determination. 

This report is the basis for notifying 

the PNOK, other immediate family 

members, and the person designated 

pursuant to Section 655 of Title 10, 

U.S.C., that an individual has been 

individually identified or included in a 

group remains determination.

An identification book is also 

developed, which includes the 

DPAA Science Director’s findings 

and conclusions, alongside scientific 

reports and analytical reports of 

non-scientific evidence that support 

the identification of the remains. 

Supporting documentation such 

as the historical report, recovery 

DPAA and base personnel participate in an Honorable Carry Ceremony 

at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. of a World War II set of remains prior to 

accession to the DPAA laboratory. (DoD photo by Bill Dasher)

operation report (including maps), 

photographs of recovery operations, 

photographs of remains, personal 

effects and physical evidence, anteand postmortem medical and dental 

records, skeletal charts, and analytical 

reports may also be included. 

The SCO is responsible for contacting 

the PNOK to arrange a meeting 

in which the SCO will present the 

identification book on behalf of DPAA. 

After the family has been briefed on 

the identification, DPAA completes 

the personnel accounting process by 

officially removing that person from 

the official rolls of the unaccounted 

for, and makes an official public 

announcement that the individual has 

been identified and accounted for.

IDENTIFICATION REPORT

Memorial Service 

When Remains Have 

Not Been Returned

If you would like to 

discuss the eligibility 

to hold a memorial 

service for your loved 

one, if he or she 

cannot be accounted 

for, contact your 

SCO to inquire about 

available opions.
33

BURIAL ARRANGEMENTS

DPAA is not involved in mortuary or 

burial arrangements for accounted for 

personnel. The SCO is the point of 

contact for all matters related to these 

affairs. They will explain to the PNOK 

the entitlements provided and assist 

with the entire process. The SCO also 

arranges military burial honors at the 

time of interment and provides the 

Gold Star Pin and interment flags for 

authorized relatives.

DPAA cannot prevent or restrict 

private citizens from reaching out to 

you or working on your loved one’s 

case, but will provide you feedback on 

any information you ask be reviewed. 

DPAA will never ask you for money 

or donations in return for help or 

information about your loved one, 

but if you are contacted by a group 

or individual you are uncertain about, 

contact your SCO before you send any 

fees or donations.

NON-FEDERAL ENTITY 

CONTACTS YOU

RESPONSIBLE PARTNERSHIPS 

WITH A GROWING PRIVATE 

SECTOR NETWORK

The availability of historical data on 

the internet has resulted in greater 

general awareness of the past conflict 

accounting mission, and has resulted 

in an increase of private sector 

research and recovtery activities over 

the past several years.Although DPAA 

continually emphasizes its desire 

that the private sector not directly 

disturb sites without full coordination, 

DPAA recognizes the need to harness 

the capacity and capabilities the 

private sector can bring to locating 

and recovering the missing. DPAA’s 

Partnerships and Innovations 

Directorate vigorously works to 

expand DPAA’s effectiveness through 

a network of formal and informal 

partnerships. These partnerships 

have resulted in successful research 

and field operations that lead to 

identifications. DPAA anticipates more 

partnerships in the future, and will 

continue to provide familiarization and 

oversight over all partners.

Divers display the POW/MIA flag over the wreckage 

of the Tulsamerican, a B-24 Liberator which crashed 

into the Adriatic Sea during WWII. The recovery, 

and DPAA’s partners in the effort, were highlighted 

in the PBS science program “NOVA: Last B-24” 

(National Park Service photo by Brett Seymour)
34

Archive Facility Contacts

National Personnel

Records Center

St. Louis, MO 63132-5100

(314) 801-0800

National Archives and

Records Administration

College Park, MD 20740-6001

(301) 837-3510

John F. Kennedy

Presidential Library

Boston, MA 02125-3398

(617) 514-1600

Air Force Historical

Research Agency

Maxwell Air Force Base, AL 36112-6678

(334) 953-5834

Library of Congress

Washington, DC 20540

(202) 707-5000

Harry S. Truman

Presidential Library

Independence, MO 64050-1789

(816) 268-8200

Dwight D. Eisenhower 

Presidential Library

Abilene, KS 67410-2900

(877) 746-4453

Washington National

Records Center

4205 Suitland Road Suitland, MD 20409

(301) 778-1600

Lyndon B. Johnson

Presidential Library

Austin, TX 78705

(512) 721-0200

Nixon Presidential Materials Staff 

National Archives at College 

Park

College Park, MD 20740-6001

(301) 837-3290
35

Gerald R. Ford

Presidential Library

Ann Arbor, MI 49504-5353

(734) 205-0555

Jimmy Carter

Presidential Library

Atlanta, GA 30307-3942

(404) 865-7100

U.S. Army Center of Military 

History

102 Fourth Avenue, BLDG 35

Fort Lesley J. McNair, DC 20319-5060

Ronald Reagan

Presidential Library

Simi Valley, CA 93065-0666

(805) 577-4000

George H. Bush

Presidential Library

College Station, TX 77842-0410

(979) 691-4000

U.S. Army Military History 

Institute Reference Branch

Carlisle, PA 17013-5008

(717) 245-4483/3012

Navy History and Heritage 

Command

Washington Navy Yard, DC 20374-5060

(202) 433.7880

National Museum of the Marine 

Corps

Triangle, VA 22172

Toll Free: 1.877.635.1775
@DoDPAA

Product of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

2300 Defense Pentagon

Washington D.C., 20301-2300

For more information and media content, visit us on 

our social media or at:

www.dpaa.mil and

www.dvidshub.net/unit/DPAA