MIA Update - August 16, 2021

[boardman]

MIA Update: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced one burial update and five new identifications for service members who have been missing and unaccounted-for from World War II:

-- Naval Reserve Seaman 1st Class James C. Williams, 20, of Portland, 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 the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Williams. He will be buried on Sept. 10, 2021, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. Read about Williams https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2172536/uss-oklahoma-sailor-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-williams-j/.
-- Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Henry D. Mitchell, 22, was assigned to the 48th Fighter Squadron, 14th Fighter Group, 15th Air Force in the European Theater. On July 8, 1944, he was piloting a P-38 Lightning fighter on a mission outside of Vienna, Austria. His squadron encountered enemy aircraft as it was returning from the target. Mitchell indicated he was alright following the combat, but was never heard from or seen again. With no evidence that Mitchell had survived his disappearance, a presumptive finding of death was issued on July 9, 1945. Interment services are pending. Read about Mitchell https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2722274/pilot-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-mitchell-h/.
-- Army Sgt. Larry S. Wassil, 33, was assigned to Company K, 3rd Battalion, 13th Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division. On Dec. 28, 1944, his unit was part of the Hürtgen Forest offensive, near Hürtgen, Germany. Wassil was leading a three-man reconnaissance team scouting enemy positions when they started taking enemy machine gun fire and were forced to scatter. When the gunfire stopped, Wassil could not be found. A presumptive finding of death was issued on Dec. 29, 1945. Interment services are pending. Read about Wassil https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2725495/soldier-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-wassil-l/.
-- Navy Gunner’s Mate 3rd Class Herman Schmidt, 28, 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 Schmidt. Interment services are pending. Read about Schmidt https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2725504/uss-oklahoma-sailor-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-schmidt-h/.
-- Marine Pfc. Charles R. Taylor, 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 Taylor. Interment services are pending. Read about Taylor https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2727135/uss-oklahoma-marine-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-taylor-c/.
-- Navy Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Harold F. Carney, 23, 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 Carney. Interment services are pending. Read about Carney https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2728880/uss-oklahoma-sailor-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-carney-h/.