MIA Update - August 18, 2017

[boardman]

MIA Update: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency has announced burial updates and identifications of remains of 17 American servicemen who had been missing in action from World War II and the Korean War. Returning home for burial with full military honors are:
-- Marine Corps Pfc. George B. Murray, 20, of Oceano, Calif., will be buried Aug. 18, in Arroyo Grande, Calif. Murray was assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. Murray’s unit landed on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll on Nov. 20, 1943, against stiff Japanese resistance. Murray was killed on the first day of the battle, Nov. 20, 1943. Read about Murray http://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/News-Releases/Article/1275831/marine-killed-in-world-war-ii-accounted-for-murray/.
-- Navy Gunner's Mate 1st Class George Herbert was assigned to the USS Oklahoma, which was moored off Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when Japanese aircraft attacked his ship on Dec. 7, 1941. Herbert was one of 429 crewmen killed in the attack. Interment services are pending. Read about Herbert http://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/1280988/uss-oklahoma-sailor-killed-during-world-war-ii-accounted-for-herbert/.
-- Navy Pharmacist's Mate 1st Class John H. Schoonover was assigned to the USS Oklahoma, which was moored off Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when Japanese aircraft attacked his ship on Dec. 7, 1941. Schoonover was one of 429 crewmen killed in the attack. Interment services are pending. Read about Schoonover http://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/1280992/uss-oklahoma-sailor-killed-during-world-war-ii-accounted-for-schoonover/.
-- Army Technician 4th Grade Pete M. Counter was assigned to Company C, 126th Infantry Regiment, 32nd Infantry Division. On Dec. 5, 1942, his unit was engaged in an intense battle with Japanese forces in the vicinity of Soputa-Sanananda Track in the Australian Territory of Papua (present-day Papua New Guinea). Counter was killed during the battle and reportedly buried in an isolated grave north of Soputa. Interment services are pending. Read about Counter http://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/1277597/soldier-killed-during-world-war-ii-accounted-for-counter/.
-- Army Air Forces Tech. Sgt. Earl P. Gorman was a member of the 718th Bombardment Squadron, 449th Bombardment Group, based in Grottaglie, Italy. On April 23, 1944, Gorman was serving as the radio operator for a B-24 aircraft on a bombing mission against targets near Schwechat, Austria. While enroute over Yugoslavia, they were attacked by German planes. Struck during the attack and critically wounded, Gorman was put into a parachute by his crewmates and bailed out of the plane, before they bailed out themselves. All of the crewmembers except Gorman survived. Interment services are pending. Read about Gorman http://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/1280234/airman-missing-from-world-war-ii-accounted-for-gorman/.
-- Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Frank A. Fazekas was assigned to the 22nd Fighter Squadron, 36th Fighter Group. On May 27, 1944, Fazekas was returning from a mission over northern France when his P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft came under enemy fire, causing him to crash in a field north of the French village of Buysscheure. His remains were not recovered and the Army reported him deceased on May 27, 1944. Interment services are pending. Read about Fazekas http://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/1280225/airman-killed-during-world-war-ii-accounted-for-fazekas/.
-- Navy Reserve Aviation Radioman 2nd Class Albert P. Rybarczyk was a member of the Navy Torpedo Squadron Eighteen (VT-18), USS Intrepid. On Sept. 8, 1944, during a bombing mission against Japanese positions on Babelthuap Island, Palau, their 2,000-pound bomb hit an ammunition dump. The resulting explosion tore the tail from the aircraft, causing it to crash off-shore. Rybarczyk was reported missing in action. Interment services are pending. Read about Rybarczyk http://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/1280244/sailor-killed-during-world-war-ii-accounted-for-rybarczyk/.
-- Navy Reserve Aviation Ordnanceman 2nd Class Ora H. Sharninghouse was a member of the Navy Torpedo Squadron Eighteen (VT-18), USS Intrepid. On Sept. 8, 1944, during a bombing mission against Japanese positions on Babelthuap Island, Palau, their 2,000-pound bomb hit an ammunition dump. The resulting explosion tore the tail from the aircraft, causing it to crash off-shore. Sharninghouse was reported missing in action. Interment services are pending. Read about Sharninghouse http://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/1280252/sailor-killed-during-world-war-ii-accounted-for-sharninghouse/.
-- Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Clarence E. Allen was a P-47 pilot assigned to the 395th Fighter Squadron, 368th Fighter Group. In mid-October 1944, Allen’s aircraft was the lead element in a dive-bombing mission near Aachen, Germany. After being engaged by enemy aircraft in dogfights in the vicinity of Dusseldorf, all aircraft except Allen’s returned to base. It was reported that a P-47 was witnessed crashing in the vicinity of the air battle and, based on this information, Allen was declared missing in action on Oct. 12, 1944. Interment services are pending. Read about Allen http://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/1275848/airman-missing-from-world-war-ii-accounted-for-allen/.
-- Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Stanley F. Stegnerski was a P-51D pilot flying out of Royal Air Force Base 244 at East Wretham, Norfolk, England. On Nov. 21, 1944, Stegnerski was flying a bomber escort mission when the American aircraft were attacked by German fighters over Merseberg, Germany. Stegnerski’s group closed in on a group of 20 German fighters and opened fire. He was last seen by his wingman as they prepared to attack the German Focke-Wulf fighters. Interment services are pending. Read about Stegnerski http://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/1280996/airman-killed-during-world-war-ii-accounted-for-stegnerski/.
-- Army Pvt. Rudolph Johnson was a member of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 365th Infantry Regiment, 92nd Infantry Division –– the only African-American combat infantry division in Europe. In February 1945, during Operation Fourth Term, Johnson’s regiment fought for days against strong German counterattacks to secure positions along the Lama di Sotto ridge, part of the Gothic Line in northern Italy. Johnson was reported missing in action as of Feb. 6, 1945. His status was changed to killed in action on Feb, 21. 1945. Interment services are pending. Read about Johnson http://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/1279313/soldier-killed-during-world-war-ii-accounted-for-johnson-r/.
-- Army Pfc. Walter W. Green was a member of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. In November 1950, his unit was involved in combat actions against the Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces in the vicinity of Unsan, North Korea. Green was reported missing in action as of Nov. 2, 1950 when he could not be accounted for by his unit. Interment services are pending. Read about Green http://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/1280202/soldier-captured-in-the-korean-war-accounted-for-green/.
-- Army Master Sgt. Finley J. Davis was a member of Company D, 2nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division. In late 1950, his unit was fighting off persistent Chinese attacks in the Ch’ongch’on River area in northwest North Korea. On Nov. 25, 1950, Chinese forces initiated an offensive along the 8th Army front, forcing all 8th Army units to withdraw on November 29. Davis’ battalion, assigned to provide security for the division, was attacked again by the Chinese and Davis was reported missing in action as of Dec. 1, 1950. Interment services are pending. Read about Davis http://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/1280223/soldier-captured-during-the-korean-war-accounted-for-davis-f/.
-- Army Pfc. James P. Shaw was a member of Company G, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. In December 1950, enemy forces invaded the regiment’s positions and forced them to withdraw in North Korea, hampered by icy roads, heavy equipment, and constant enemy pressure. Shaw was reported missing following an engagement which lasted through the night on Dec. 3, 1950. Interment services are pending. Read about Shaw http://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/1279334/soldier-captured-during-korean-war-accounted-for-shaw/.
-- Army Sgt. Philip J. Iyotte was a member of Company E, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, assigned under 8th Army. From Jan. 25-Feb. 1, 1951, Iyotte’s unit participated in Operation Thunderbolt, a reconnaissance mission stretching 30 miles from 8th Army’s front to the south bank of the Han River. Iyotte could not be accounted for after the operation and was declared missing in action as of Feb. 9, 1951. It was later determined that he was captured by Chinese forces and moved to Camp 1 and Changsong, where he later died. Interment services are pending. Read about Iyotte http://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/1279069/soldier-captured-during-the-korean-war-accounted-for-iyotte/.
-- Army Cpl. Ernest L.R. Heilman was a member of Battery B, 15th Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division. Heilman was declared missing in action when his unit was breaking a roadblock in the vicinity of Hoengsong, South Korea, on Feb. 13, 1951. Interment services are pending. Read about Heilman http://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/1279377/soldier-captured-during-korean-war-accounted-for-heilman/.
-- Army Sgt. Gerald J. Mueller was a member of Battery D, 82nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion (Automatic Weapons,) 2nd Infantry Division. The unit, part of Support Force 21, was providing artillery fire support for South Korean forces on Feb. 11, 1951, when Chinese forces launched a massive counter-offensive, driving the support force to withdraw. After fighting their way south through ambushes and roadblocks to Wonju, Mueller could not be accounted for and was declared missing in action as of Feb. 13, 1951. Interment services are pending. Read about Mueller http://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/1277011/soldier-captured-during-the-korean-war-accounted-for-mueller/.