MIA Update - September 7, 2021

[boardman]

MIA Update: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced seven burial updates and six new identifications for service members who have been missing and unaccounted-for from World War II and Korea. Returning home for burial with full military honors are:

-- Navy Steward’s Mate 2nd Class Jesus F. Garcia, 21, of Agana, Guam, 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 Garcia. He will be buried on Oct. 6, 2021, in San Diego. Read about Garcia https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2087836/uss-oklahoma-sailor-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-garcia-j/.
-- Navy Fireman 1st Class Walter S. Belt, Jr., 25, of Cleveland, Kansas, 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 Belt. He will be buried on Oct. 9, 2021, in Ellsworth, Kansas. Read about Belt https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2663101/uss-oklahoma-sailor-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-belt-w/.
-- Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Ernest N. Vienneau, 25, of Millinocket, Maine, was a pilot assigned to the 340th Bombardment Squadron, 97th Bombardment Group, 15th Air Force, based out of Amendola, Italy. On Nov. 6, 1944, the B-17 Flying Fortress bomber on which he was serving as co-pilot came under heavy anti-aircraft fire while on a mission over Maribor, Yugoslavia, in present-day Slovenia. During the barrage, a piece of flak penetrated the cockpit and struck Vienneau in the head, mortally wounding him. He will be buried on Oct. 9, 2021, in his hometown. Read about Vienneau https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2578211/pilot-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-vienneau-e/.
-- Navy Seaman 2nd Class Arthur R. Thinnes, 17, of Milwaukee, 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 Thinnes. He will be buried on Oct. 15, 2021, in his hometown. Read about Thinnes https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2683381/uss-oklahoma-sailor-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-thinnes-a/.
-- Navy Radioman 3rd Class Charles A. Montgomery, 21, of Folcroft, Pennsylvania, 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 Montgomery. He will be buried in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania. The date has yet to be determined. Read about Montgomery https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2566872/uss-oklahoma-sailor-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-montgomery-c/.
-- Army Cpl. Charles E. Hiltibran, 19, of Cable, Ohio, was a member of Headquarters Company, 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. Hiltibran will be buried in Urbana, Ohio. The date has yet to be determined. Read about Hiltibran https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2160039/soldier-accounted-for-from-korean-war-hiltibran-c/.
-- Army Pvt. Stephen C. Mason, 21, of Jersey City, New Jersey was assigned to Headquarters Co., 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. He was reported missing in action during Operation Market Garden after his patrol failed to return from a mission to the enemy lines near Beek, Netherlands on Nov. 3, 1944. His body was unable to be recovered. He will be buried in North Arlington, New Jersey. The date has yet to be determined. Read about Mason https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2703540/soldier-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-mason-s/.
-- Army Sgt. Bernard J. Sweeney, Jr., 22, of Waterbury, Connecticut, was assigned to Company I, 330th Infantry Regiment, 83rd Infantry Division. His unit had been engaged in battle with German forces near Strass, Germany, in the Hürtgen Forest, when he was reported missing in action on Dec. 16, 1944. His body was not recovered. Interment services are pending. Read about Sweeney https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2663635/soldier-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-sweeney-b/.
-- Navy Seaman 1st Class Joseph C. Rouse, 23, Rouse 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 Rouse. Interment services are pending. Read about Rouse https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2756920/uss-oklahoma-sailor-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-rouse-j/.
-- Army Air Forces Sgt. Francis W. Wiemerslage, 20, was assigned to the 549th Bombardment Squadron, 385th Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force, serving in Germany. He was the ball turret gunner on a B-17G Flying Fortress bomber during a mission over Dresden, on March 2, 1945. Enemy fighters attacked the bomber between Berlin and Leipzig, and the plane was shot down. Two of the nine crew members survived the incident, while the rest, including Wiermerslage, were killed. Interment services are pending. Read about Wiemerslage https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2759363/airman-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-wiemerslage-f/.
-- Navy Seaman 2nd Class John G. Bock, Jr., 18, 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 Bock. Interment services are pending. Read about Bock https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2761525/uss-oklahoma-sailor-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-bock-j/.
-- Marine Corps Cpl. Andrew Pellerito, 22, was a member of Company K, 3rd 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. 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. Pellerito was killed on the first day of the battle, Nov. 20, 1943. Interment services are pending. Read about Pellerito https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2762635/marine-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-pellerito-a/.
-- Navy Hospital Apprentice 1st Class Keefe R. Connolly, 19, 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 Connolly. Interment services are pending. Read about Connolly https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2762666/uss-oklahoma-sailor-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-connolly-k/.