US MIA database now online

[Abicht]

DPMO just released its searchable WWII US MIA database.

http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/WWII_MIA/INDEX.HTM[url]

This listing is complete and was complied by various people at/for DPMO including myself when I was attched to them as a US Army Reserve Officer a few years back.

[Simon H]

A sobering list. Of interest I've randomly put in the name Sito and noticed this entry;

SITO, ALPHONSE M 33728517 ARMY PFC *

Sito was listed as missing during the battle for Losheimergraben as part of the 394th Infantry Regt. His remains were located and he was laid to rest in 1989(?)

I am wondering whether this database is founded on the 1947-49 lists of whether this entry is just an oversight.

Best Wishes,
Simon

[Simon H]

No it's not the only one.
Cahow Robert T - he's also listed as MIA.
He was killed on December 13th near Oschenkopf in the Hürtgenwald. You can read the story of his death and subsequent recovery here;

http://www.lerenfort.fsnet.co.uk/page9.html

I think it's important that these lists are as accurate as possible, not always possible. But it's also important to be able to display that some of these brave souls have finally been laid to rest in peace and to also give thanks for the teams that have recovered them.

[Abicht]

Ah, interesting indeed. We (then they when I left) took great pains to try and prevent this from happening. A good number of names were removed once it was understood they were recovered, it appears from your data that a few were missed. I hope you would be willing to email DPMO with this information to correct the list. Out of 74,000 plus names there are unfourtunety going to be a few slips.

Most of the data came from NARA and the lists held by the DoD.

Thank you for the posts.

[Simon H]

Hello Abicht,

You were part of a very noble work, and I thank you for your part in getting it under way. It is a mammoth task and as you say there are going to be a few errors.
The NARA lists are going to be way out of date now.

I will contact the DPMO with what I can tell them.

It is a very worthwhile task and even after so very long the fallen ought to be recovered if at all possible. I am also sure that many of the unknowns buried in France, Belgium could also be identified if time was taken to go through the notes taken at the time of their recovery.

(When unknowns were recovered notes were made of the place they were found, any personal possessions etc). At the time this information may not have been enough to identify them positively but with dna testing and closer examination of After Action Reports and eye witnesses these MIAs - might be named).

Gone slightly off original thread but hope this might prove of interest as well.

Kind Regards
Simon.

[Simon H]

Robert Cahow story at the new link:

www.lerenfort.fsnet.co.uk/page6N.htm