MIA Remains Recovered Since 1934

 

In 1932, after fourteen years of investigation, the Graves Registration Service of the Army Quartermaster Corps began to systematically close all files on those soldiers of the A.E.F. still listed as Missing in Action. By 1934, when control of the U.S. war cemeteries in France and Belgium was handed over to the American Battle Monuments Commission for continual care and upkeep, all cases that had been under active investigation in 1932 had been completed and those remaining were suspended of further investigation. Those for which an active search had ended without successful conclusion, had their names inscribed in honor on a Wall of the Missing in the cemetery most closely associated with the area of their disappearance. Since that time, remains have occasionally turned up on the battlefield, or new evidence presented which warranted further investigation concerning a buried Unknown. In those types of cases, when an investigation is successful and a set of remains are positively identified, the remains are given a named stone on their grave (be it in Europe of upon repatriation to the States) and a small, brass rosette is placed next to the name on the correct Wall.

Listed here are the 26 names rosetted since investigations were closed in 1934. Dates of recovery listed here for the most recent recoveries are the dates of discovery of the remains. In the event that a hard date of recovery is not known, that information will be added as it comes in.

 

Which cemetery’s Wall of the Missing – name and unit – date of death – where buried – when recovered.

Aisne-Marne American Cemetery with rosettes:

• CONWAY John E.: Private 26th Infantry Regiment 1st Division, ND, KIA 7/21/18 (burial place: Meuse- Argonne American Cemetery) Recovered post 1934

• LUPO Francis: Private 18th Infantry Regiment 1st Division, OH, KIA 7/21/18 (burial place: Arlington National Cemetery) Recovered 2003

• PEARSON L C: Private First Class 16th Infantry Regiment 1st Division, IA, KIA 7/22/18 (burial place: Kentucky USA) Recovered 1937

• SWANSON Otto B.: Private 28th Infantry Regiment 1st Division, IL, KIA 7/21/18 (burial place: Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery) Recovered post 1934

• TAYLOR James: Sergeant 26th Infantry Regiment 1st Division, MA, KIA 7/19/18 (burial place: Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery) Recovered post 1934

• KINDERVATTER Louis B.: Sergeant 26th Infantry Regiment 1st Division, NY, KIA 7/18/18 (burial place: Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery) Recovered post 1934

Oise-Aisne American Cemetery with rosettes:

• ACKERMAN Isadore: Private 306th Infantry regiment 77th Division, NY, KIA 9/9/18 (burial place: Oise-Aisne American Cemetery) Recovered post 1934

• REINKENS Alfonso: Private First Class 126th Infantry Regiment 32nd Division, WA, KIA 9/2/18 (burial place: Oise-Aisne American Cemetery) Recovered post 1934

• RICHMOND Earl O: Private First Class 128th Infantry Regiment 32nd Division, WI, KIA 9/1/18 (burial place: Aisne-Marne American Cemetery) Recovered post 1934

• WILLIE Frank: Private 125th Infantry Regiment 32nd Division, MI, KIA 8/29/18 (burial place: Oise-Aisne American Cemetery) Recovered post 1934

Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery with rosettes:

• BLAIR, Lonnie C: Private 1st MG Battalion 1st Division, GA, KIA 10/4/18 (burial place: Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery) Recovered post 1934

• DORFER Joseph A: Private 4th Infantry Regiment 3rd Division, NY, KIA 10/3/18 (burial place: Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery) Recovered post 1934

• MCDONALD Francis A: Private 165th Infantry Regiment 42nd Division, MA, KIA 10/23/18 (burial place: Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery) Recovered post 1934

• PARISE Vincenzo Private 320th Infantry Regiment 80th Division, PE, KIA 10/11/18 (burial place: Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery) Recovered post 1934

St. Mihiel American Cemetery with rosettes:

• COSTELLO, Thomas D: Private 60th Infantry, 5th Division, CT, KIA 9/16/18 (burial place: Arlington National Cemetery, USA) Recovered September, 2006

• WEIKEL, Henry A: Private 60th Infantry, 5th Division, PA, KIA 9/16/18 (burial place: Pennsylvania, USA) Recovered September, 2006

• WILLIG, Carl A: Private 60th Infantry, 5th Division, PA, KIA 9/16/18 (burial place: Pennsylvania, USA) Recovered September, 2006

• WILLIS, George M: Sergeant 60th Infantry, 5th Division, WA, KIA 9/16/18 (burial place: St. Mihiel American Cemetery) Recovered September, 2006

• HUMPHREY, George: 1st Sergeant 5th USMC, 2nd Division, NY, KIA 9/15/18 (burial place: Arlington National Cemetery) Recovered 2009

• HEIL, Howard H: Private 6th USMC, 2nd Division, PA, KIA 9/15/18 (burial place: Saint Mihiel American Cemetery) Recovered January, 1972

• MISCH, Louis R: Private First Class 56th Infantry, 7th Division, IL, KIA 10/5/18 (burial place: Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery) Recovered post 1934

• BIRDSONG, Ransom R: Private 102nd Infantry, 26th Division, MO, KIA 9/29/18 (burial place: Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery) Recovered post 1934

• TEFFT, Everett: Private First Class 301st Engineers, 76th Division, RI, KIA 10/9/18 (burial place: Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery) Recovered post 1934

• WELCH, James E. Jr: Captain 327th Infantry, 82nd Division, MA, KIA 9/14/18 (burial place: Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery) Recovered post 1934

Somme American Cemetery with rosettes:

• RANLET, Dalton: Private Co. B, 11th Engineers, NY, KIA 11/30/17 (burial place: Somme American Cemetery) Recovered August, 1955

Suresnes American Cemetery with rosettes:

• There are no known post-1934 recoveries listed at this time.