MIA Update - August 9, 2021

[boardman]

MIA Update: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced two burial updates and 11 new identifications for service members who have been missing and unaccounted-for from World War II and Korea:


-- Army Pvt. Charles Andrews, 25, of Rochester, New York, was assigned to Company K, 3rd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division. His unit was engaged in battle with German forces near Brandenburg, Germany, in the Hürtgen Forest, when he was declared missing in action on Dec. 4, 1944. Andrews could not be recovered because of the ongoing fighting, and his status was changed to killed in action on Jan. 29, 1945. He will be buried on Aug. 28, 2021, in his hometown. Read about Andrews https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2181350/soldier-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-andrews-c/.
-- Navy Fireman 2nd Class William K. Shafer, 20, of Alhambra, California, 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 Shafer. He will be buried on Oct. 14, 2021, in Marana, Arizona. Read about Shafer https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2602893/uss-oklahoma-sailor-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-shafer-w/.
-- Army Cpl. Dale W. Wright, 19, of Flint, Michigan, was a member of Company C, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on Dec. 2, 1950, when his unit was attacked by enemy forces near the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea. Following the battle, his remains could not be recovered. Interment services are pending. Read about Wright https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2165672/soldier-accounted-for-from-korean-war-wright-d/.
-- Marine Corps Sgt. Fred Farris, 19, of Hillsboro, Texas, was a member of Company I, 3rd Battalion, 2nd 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. Farris died on the first day of battle, Nov. 20, 1943. Interment services are pending. Read about Farris https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2154316/marine-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-farris-f/.
-- Marine Corps Reserve Pfc. Harold W. Hayden, 19, of Norwood, Ohio, was a member of Company A, 1st Battalion, 6th 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. Hayden died on the third day of battle, Nov. 22, 1943. Interment services are pending. Read about Hayden https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2165622/marine-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-hayden-h/.
-- Marine Corps Pfc. Royal L. Waltz, 20, of Cambria, California, was a member of Company A, 1st Battalion, 18th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 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. Waltz died between the first and second day of the battle, Nov. 20-21,1943. Interment services are pending. Read about Waltz https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2074089/marine-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-waltz-r/.
-- Army Sgt. William E. Cavender, 20, of Leslie, Michigan, was a member of Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on Nov. 28, 1950, when his unit was attacked by enemy forces near the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea. Following the battle, his remains could not be recovered. Interment services are pending. Read about Cavender https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2192973/soldier-accounted-for-from-korean-war-cavender-w/.
-- Army Staff Sgt. Gerald R. Helms, 29, was assigned to Company E, 325th Glider Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. In 1944, he was reported missing in action near Katerbosch, Netherlands, during Operation Market Garden after he failed to return from a lone scouting mission. His body was never found by his unit, and there was no evidence he had ever been captured. A presumptive finding of death was issued Oct. 3, 1945. Interment services are pending. Read about Helms https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2714492/soldier-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-helms-g/.
-- Army Pvt. Emmet W. Schwartz, 24, was assigned to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division. His unit was part of an effort to capture Obermauch, Germany, near the town of Hürtgen, when he was reported killed in action by an artillery blast on Dec. 27, 1944. His body was unable to be recovered. Interment services are pending. Read about Schwartz https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2714505/soldier-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-schwartz-e/.
-- Marine Corps Pfc. Glenn F. White, 19, was a member of Company A, 1st Battalion, 6th 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. White died on the third day of battle, Nov. 22, 1943. Interment services are pending. Read about White https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2683815/marine-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-white-g/.
-- Army Air Forces Tech. Sgt. Frank A. Norris, 23, of Quinlan, Texas, was a pilot assigned to the 345th Bombardment Squadron, 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force. On Aug. 1, 1943, the B-24 Liberator aircraft on which Norris was serving crashed as a result of enemy anti-aircraft fire during Operation Tidal Wave, north of Bucharest, Romania. His remains were not identified following the war. Interment services are pending. Read about Norris https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2479662/airman-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-norris-f/.
-- Army Air Forces Capt. Nando A. Cavalieri, 24, was assigned to 324th Bombardment Squadron, 91st Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force in the European Theater. On Feb. 3, 1945, the B-17G Flying Fortress bomber on which he was serving was flying a mission over Berlin when it was struck by enemy anti-aircraft fire. It was one of 21 bombers to be lost during the mission. Interment services are pending. Read about Cavalieri https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2716072/airman-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-cavalieri-n/.
-- Navy Seaman 1st Class Biacio Casola, 26, 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 Casola. Interment services are pending. Read about Casola https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2717101/uss-oklahoma-sailor-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-casola-b/.