MIA Update - February 14, 2020

[boardman]

MIA Update: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced three new identifications, and four burial update for service members who have been missing and unaccounted-for from WWII and the Korean War. Returning home for burial with full military honors are:

-- U.S. Army Pfc. James W. White, 21, was a member of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), also known as Merrill’s Marauders. After taking the airfield in Myitkyina, Burma, from the Japanese on May 17, 1944, White’s battalion was tasked with holding the airfield and taking part in the siege of Myitkyina. White was reported to have been killed during fighting on July 2, 1944. Interment services are pending. Read about White https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/News-Releases/PressReleaseArticleView/Article/2081293/soldier-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-white-j/.
-- U.S. Army Pvt. James J. Cansler, 21, was assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division. His unit was engaged in battle with German forces near Vossenack, Germany, in the Hürtgen Forest, when he was reported as missing in action. A year later, Army officials had received no evidence he had been captured or otherwise survived combat, and so released a presumptive finding of death. Interment services are pending. Read about Cansler https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/News-Releases/PressReleaseArticleView/Article/2081207/soldier-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-cansler-j/.
-- U.S. Navy Chief Fire Controlman Daniel F. Harris, 40, was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft on Dec. 7, 1941. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Harris. Interment services are pending. Read about Harris https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/News-Releases/PressReleaseArticleView/Article/2080607/uss-oklahoma-sailor-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-harris-d/.
-- U.S. Navy Seaman 1st Class Edward Wasielewski, 21, of Detroit, was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft on Dec. 7, 1941. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Wasielewski. Interment for Wasielewski will be Feb. 21, 2020, in San Diego. Read about Wasiclewski https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/News-Releases/PressReleaseArticleView/Article/1856392/uss-oklahoma-sailor-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-wasielewski-e/.
-- U.S. Navy Fire Controlman 1st Class Robert L. Corn, 24, of Baker City, Oregon, was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft on Dec. 7, 1941. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in Corn’s death and the deaths of 429 crewmen. Corn will be buried May 1, 2020, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Read about Corn https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/News-Releases/PressReleaseArticleView/Article/1935071/uss-oklahoma-sailor-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-corn-r/.
-- Marine Corps Reserve Pfc. Raymond Warren, 21, of Silverdale, Kansas, was a member of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, which landed against stiff Japanese resistance on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll of the Gilbert Islands, in an attempt to secure the island. Over several days of intense fighting at Tarawa, approximately 1,000 Marines and sailors were killed and more than 2,000 were wounded, while the Japanese were virtually annihilated. Warren died between the first and second day of battle, Nov. 20-21, 1943. Warren will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. The date has yet to be determined. Read about Warren https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/News-Releases/PressReleaseArticleView/Article/1937646/marine-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-warren-r/.
-- U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Thomas H. Cooper, 22, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was a member of Company A, 2nd Amphibious Tractor Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, which landed against stiff Japanese resistance on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll of the Gilbert Islands, in an attempt to secure the island. Over several days of intense fighting at Tarawa, approximately 1,000 Marines and sailors were killed and more than 2,000 were wounded, while the Japanese were virtually annihilated. Cooper died on the first day of the battle, Nov. 20, 1943. Cooper will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. The date has yet to be determined. Read about Cooper https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/News-Releases/PressReleaseArticleView/Article/2007456/marine-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-cooper-t/.