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With the invention of the polymerase chain reaction in 1985, DNA analysis moved to the forefront of forensic technologies. If he couldnt do it, Webb would be ordered to sign off on the burial. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. }, First published on July 10, 1998 / 4:49 PM. When family members received word that his remains might be buried in the Tomb of the Unknown, they petitioned the Department of Defense to open the site and conduct previously unavailable DNA testing. Make sure that the file is a photo. Flying bug found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect Scientists at CIL-HI estimated the deceaseds age to be between 26-33 years and height between 65.2-71.5 inches. They had a letter from his flight leader, James Connally, who recapped what had happened., Still, without remains, there was a terrible sense of open-ended grief. A decade later, however, questions began to arise about the identity of this unknown soldier. Jean Frances Adrian grew up in Jennings. Blassies was A positive. Actually, they had his remains and his military I.D. Institute staff later reported their surprise when they opened the casket to retrieve the DNA and saw the crash-site artifacts Major Johnie Webb had enclosed with the remains back in 1984. based on information from your browser. The goal was to schedule the ceremony before Election Day 1984, which is why Memorial Day, rather than Veterans Day, was selected. Webb devised an ingenious solution: hide the crash-site artifacts where no one would ever find them, in the casket with the remains of X-26. Patricia is on Michaels right (Blassie family). Yet he was found five months after he was shot down and then buried without our knowledge in the Tomb of the Unknowns. They interviewed Parnell, by then a retired Colonel living in Florida. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Try again later. The changing of the guard is quite ceremonial there and is well worth a look. World War I ushered in an era of total war and mass conscription, in which the combatants on both sides were mostly ordinary citizens, often rendered anonymous amidst the violence of the Western Front. Those who fell in the Vietnam War would thereby be honored alongside the three other Unknowns from World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. Whatever the case, other aircraft were dispatched to the area to provide cover for an Army chopper rescue team, all for naught. Still, as hesitant as he was,Gonzales thought maybe there could be more to the story. The city of An Loc was totally leveled it looked like Hiroshima, says Chris Calhoon who was stationed there as an Army Ranger. She said then-President Ronald Reagan had wanted to add a Vietnam War soldier to the Tomb of the Unknowns, joining the unknown soldiers from World War I and II and the Korean War. The name he read on the ID card was Air Force Lt. Michael Blassie. According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, as of this writing, there are still 1,584 US service members unaccounted for in Southeast Asia. Find records of Michael Blassie Birth records Marriage records Divorce records DNA tests confirmed that the previously unknown soldier was, in fact, Michael Blassie. Webb would later call his grappling with that order the struggle of my life. On the one hand, hed risk court-martial by not destroying the evidence. 0 cemeteries found in Lemay, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA. In 1994, over two decades after Michael had been killed, his family received a phone call from a complete stranger named Ted Sampley. That simple, tragic explanation would be the only one that Blassies parents ever heard for 26 years. For 14 years, the remains of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie lay beneath the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington. Then, according to Webb, the Pentagon issued a second order: destroy any evidence linking file X-26 to Michael Blassie, including the personal artifacts from the crash site. We want the truth, we want to bring him home. Blassie was then listed as "killed in action, no body recoverd." When they came back, they handed Michael Blassies remains toCalhoon. . Just to eliminate doubt, Patricia traveled to the Air Force Casualty Office at Randolph AFB in San Antonio to ask if there might be any truth to Sampleys claims. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. The remains were then sent to Travis Air Force Base on May 24 and arrived at Andrews Air Force Base the following day. I think that barring a complete abolition of war, this is a small consolation. Veteran Dispatch in 1994 and 1996 had made the claim that Blassie was the Unknown, drawing on Defense Department records. In May 1998, the remains were disinterred for mitochondrial DNA "fingerprinting." By taking towns and cities in the South, the North Vietnamese sought to gain territory and improve their bargaining position at the Paris Peace talks underway. Flying at a low altitude to drop napalm, he would have been propelled into the ground. Sampley had no direct evidence proving Michael was in the tomb, but that didnt make him wrong. Railton would spend his nights conducting funeral services over the often unidentifiable remains of soldiers ripped apart by shellfire, sometimes burying them on the spot or en masse in the giant craters the shells had left behind. The saga of the Vietnam crypt of the Tomb of the Unknown is perhaps the darkest chapter of the US Department of Defenses long-running effort to account for POW/MIAs. The remains and associated materials were eventually turned over to the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii for analysis and identification. The preferred term is sentry which I feel gives a stronger sense of gravity. Everyone was free to mourn in their own way. Family and friends are welcome to send flowers or leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with . Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. In 1998 the Tomb of the Unknown was opened and the remains of the Vietnam Unknownidentified as X-26were removed. Love each and every podcast . They saw the identification of Michaels remains as a loss for them. 1894 shipwreck found in Lake Huron, confirming "powerful, tragic story" On July 11, 1998, Michael Blassie was buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis. Out of the fog of war comes another version of the incident, one in which Michaels Dragonfly inverts upside down, and Michael ejects from the stricken aircraft. Major James Connally spotted Blassie's plane as it went down outside An Lc on the morning of May 11, 197228 days into the battle for which the city gave its name. There is a problem with your email/password. Jean Blassie holds a photo of her son Michael Blassie while seated in the living room of her apartment in Florissant, on May 2, 1998. Im a former Soldier from Australia, and a Tour Guide around Europe, and i immediately thought of all the different changing of the guards, and unknown Tombs i have visited. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/4245/michael-joseph-blassie. A helicopter team tried to get to the crash site, but due to heavy enemy fire, they had to leave after just a few minutes empty-handed. The Blassie family watches as their family member Michael, is unloaded from a C-130 Hercules cargo plane, July 10. As an Unknown, Michael Blassies bone fragments were put in storage at the Hawaii laboratory. Dad set up a little memorial in the basement and would go down there all the time and just sit., When something like this happens in a family, [it] can bring a family together or tear it apart. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Michael Joseph Townsend Sr. of Snow Hill, Maryland, born in Salisbury, Maryland, who passed away on February 23, 2023, at the age of 72, leaving to mourn family and friends. Thanks to improved forensics, there will likely never be an unknown from Iraq or Afghanistan or any future war. Michael Joseph Townsend Sr. Obituary. All rights reserved. He was constantly researching, protesting, and pressuring the Pentagon to resolve open cases. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Articles in U.S. Perhaps they should put up a new plaque at the memorial that talks about the fact that there may never again be an unknown soldier. The Romans were fond of honoring them with an empty sarcophagus. So they finally took him off the shelf, file X-26, and for that Im thankful. Become a member of the Veterans Breakfast Club for only $36/year! Resend Activation Email. The Medal of Honor bestowed upon him as the Vietnam Unknown was not transferred to Blassie after his remains were identified.[6]. Blassie's unidentified remains were designated as the Vietnam Unknown service member by Medal of Honor recipient U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. There, a plaque holds words from. Parnell soon turned the remains over to the Saigon mortuary, along with the ID card and other items. You can watch his conversation with Colonel Patricia Blassie on A Veterans Story on the VBCs YouTube channel, youtube.com/veteransbreakfastclub. Im curious how the remains werent identifiable as Michael Blassie if he was the only remaining unidentified serviceman from the war. In 1976, they were shipped to Hawaii to be analyzed by the Armys Central Identification Laboratory (CIL-HI). If we were confident enough the remains belonged to a US soldier that we put them in the tomb of the unknown, wouldnt process of elimination lead us to this conclusion? It was so exciting, she says. He believed, for example, that Senator John McCain had been brainwashed at the Hanoi Hilton and was sent back to the US to orchestrate official coverups of living POWs in Southeast Asia. After Blassie's family secured permission, the remains of Blassie were exhumed on May 14, 1998. It was all part of the effort to make sure that the Unknown could represent everyone who ever fought in the war. CDC warns drug-resistant stomach bug a "serious public health threat" Chuck Norris, U.S. military veteran, and martial arts superstar began honing his skills in Korea while serving in the Air Before he went on to fame as B.A. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Family and friends are welcome to send flowers or leave their condolences on . William S. Cohen, U.S. Secretary of Defense, 1998. Michael Blassie later received an appointment to the Air Force Academy. On May 11, 1972, at age 24, his A-37B Dragonfly aircraft was shot down near An Loc, about 60 miles north of Saigon. Post-Dispatch file photo, Workers cover the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington Cemetery in Arlington, Va., on May 13, 1998, in anticipation of the exhumation of the remains of the Vietnam unknown. The American memorial is especially beautiful. Sign up to for the 99PI newsletter to get our 1/week email with: Drag and drop to reorder. They brought him home for burial in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery near St. Louis. Blassie's mother, three sisters and brother each carried small American flags during the service. One of the most memorable actors ever almost gave it up to be an Air Force pilot. memorial page for 1LT Michael Joseph Blassie (4 Apr 1948-11 May 1972), Find a Grave Memorial ID 4245, citing Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Lemay . Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Test your knowledge! Please enter your email and password to sign in. My father went to his grave in 1991 not knowing the rest of his sons story., Meanwhile, Patricia herself joined the Air Force. USAF Honor Guard with Michael Blassies casket, Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery (SSgt Scott Seyer/USAF). Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. From there, the remains and effects went to Camp Samae San, Thailand, where the US ran a search and recovery center. Id left school early that day, and I looked out the window when I heard a car door slam. Plot Survivors, in addition to her daughter Patricia, include a son, George Blassie of St. Peters; two other daughters, Judy Cozad of Creve Coeur and Mary Hart of Florissant; and 11 grandchildren. The ARVN turned the remains and the other crash site items over to Captain William C. Parnell, who was then serving as an operations officer at An Loc. That destiny was already in motion. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have hallowed it far above our poor power to add or detract.". Your email address will not be published. Privacy Policy & Terms of Service. Prior to the identification of his remains, Blassie was the unknown service member from the Vietnam War buried at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. Then, in January 1972, he joined the 8th Special Operations Squadron of the 377th Air Base Wing at Bien Hoa Air Base near Saigon. It represents all soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for the rest of us. The date, location of the crash, bone fragments from the body and remnants of his flight suit and parachute led to the conclusion that it was Michael. He knew morphological approximation was a flawed identification technique, and he suspected that someday, X-26 might be identified, especially given the personal effects and documents associated with the bone fragments. The timely and accurate identification of men and women who die while serving in the armed forces has long been a priority for the United States government. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Michael Blassies squadron was providing that air support over An Loc. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Air Force jets fly over Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery during the burial of Lt. Michael Blassie, July 11. The enemy threw up what was described as a murderous hail of fire which prevented any rescue or recovery attempt. Five months later, during a sweep of the area, a South Vietnamese Army patrol recovered a pelvis, an upper arm bone, and some ribs, as well as the remnants of a flight suit, a life raft, pieces of a parachute, and part of a USAF holster. Patricia Blassie, today a colonel with the Air Force Reserve who lives in Georgia, told her family of a phone call she had received in 1994 from a former Army Green Beret. The body will be cremated and her remains buried at Calvary Cemetery with her parents and grandparents. They never got updates on recovery efforts. The Blassies went public, calling for DNA tests to prove that the remains were Michaels. He was convinced the government wasnt telling veterans everything it knew, and he was calling Patricia Blassie with an outlandish theory about Michaels death. . She suffered a stroke in 2004 and recently was diagnosed with pneumonia, her family said Thursday. There, Captain Richard S. Hess of Mortuary Affairs inventoried the package and added a skeletal chart showing the bones locations on the body (right humerus, right pelvis, and four rib bones). Forensic anthropologists took the aged and damaged samples of bone for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) testing. The next time, the Air Force lost him. DNA tests confirmed that the previously unknown soldier was, in fact, Michael Blassie. He died in 1991. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. In January 1998, CBS Evening News broke the story: The military had hidden pilot Michael Blassies identity from his family and the public. The Air Force told the Blassie family in St. Louis all they knew: their son had been killed in action, but his remains could not be recovered since he went down in enemy-held territory. Morphological approximation, worthless though it was, provided quick answers and a veneer of scientific validation. Calhoon assumed that Michaels remains would be returning to his family,but that wasnt the case. As is standard, all records pertaining to these remains were destroyed. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. Instead of moving Michaels remains to the burial ground at Arlington, the family decided to have Michael re-interred at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery along the Mississippi River just south of the city. An honor guard was fired a 21-gun salute and F-15 Eagle fighters flew overhead in the "missing man" formation as Blassie was buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis in a ceremony presided over by the eldest sibling, Pat Blassie, a captain in the Air Force Reserve. The President also acted as next of kin to the unidentified Blassie by accepting the interment flag at the end of the ceremony. As far as she was concerned, the case was closed. The Medal of Honor bestowed upon him as the Vietnam Unknown was not transferred to Blassie after his remains were identified. Blassie was born in St. Louis in 1948. In honor of the Air Force's birthday, we've put together this Air Force history quiz. . "He and. [3][4] A CBS News report in January 1998 subsequently made the same claim. But they had also brought back other evidence: an uninflated raft, a parachute, part of Michaels flight suit, and critically: his wallet with pictures of him and his family. There is nothing but reverence, respect and deep sorrow among visitors. Today, said President Reagan at the Tomb, we pause to embrace him and all who served so well in a war whose end offered no parades, no flags, and so little thanks. He died on May 11, 1972 at age 24. Oops, something didn't work. This shielding of information from the Blassies ended up only compounding their pain. On July 11, 1998, 1st Lt. Michael Blassie was buried with full military honors in Jefferson National Cemetery, Missouri, near his hometown, in the same cemetery as his father. To use this feature, use a newer browser. Michael Blassie received an appointment to the Air Force and fell in love with flying immediately. Immediate recovery attempts were launched, but Blassie had crashed in an area controlled by enemy forces so it was impossible to examine the crash site. Its just an outsiders way of honoring all of your sacrifices. #inline-recirc-item--id-91b39784-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { I didnt even know how to go about college. Blassie, a 24-year-old first lieutenant, had been missing since May 11, 1972, when his A-37 fighter was shot down over An Loc during a bombing run. display: none; At one point he described the wounded, with their meager medical support, as looking like something out of the Civil War. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. There, a plaque holds words from the Gettysburg Address: "We can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow this ground. Mourners are grateful for their extra effort. Two weeks after the offensive began, combined NVA and Viet Cong forces laid siege to the provincial capital of An Lc, located 100km north of Saigon. At the request of Blassie's family, the Department of Defense exhumed the remains from the Vietnam Unknown's crypt on May 14, 1998. The remains were confirmed to be those of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Blassie. Blood samples were collected from Patricias mother and older sister. Eli Lilly to cut insulin prices by 70%, cap monthly costs at $35 Jump to: Bio graphy Family Photos Comments Obit uary. display: none; No one wanted to inter someone who might eventually be identified. Michaels plane had crashed deep in North Vietnamese held territory. He connected the dots for the Blassies over the phone. Year should not be greater than current year. During a tour of Vietnam, he served as a member of the 8th Special Operations Squadron. One of Calhoons duties, in the midst of all this chaos, was to call in airstrikes. Michael Blassie The Final Mission. On March 21, 1984, Webb reluctantly signed. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. The Unknown Soldier can be about more than a dwindling subclass of soldiers that disappeared without record. Follow him on Facebook. Visit the digital memorial page of Veteran Michael Joseph Blassie where you can share stories, photos, biographies, obituaries, tributes and more. You can always change this later in your Account settings. "He's still serving today because he now represents those that need to come home," she said. They were initially classified as belonging to Lt. Blassie. Even though they were still officially believed to belong to Blassie, the lab was ordered to strip the remains of their believed to be designation, and give them the anonymous designation X-26. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. I dont care what happened, but the documents showed that patrol went into Michaels crash site to find him, and they did. After Years As Vietnam 'Unknown,' Pilot Now Buried At Home. Maj. Allan J. Kellogg Jr. during a ceremony at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on May 17, 1984,[2] and were transported aboard the USSBrewton to Naval Air Station Alameda. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. I wouldnt think there was a known soldier in the Tomb of the Unknowns, she recalled thinking. Blassie, 24, an Air Force Academy graduate and the oldest of the five children of a St. Louis meat cutter, was flying an A-37 when he was shot down over An Loc, about 60 miles north of Saigon in South Vietnam, on May 11, 1972. Blassie was laid to rest beneath lush bluegrass in the cemetery's oldest section, established in 1826 alongside the original military post. I thought this is the best example of internet conspiracy garbage Ive seen to date, says Vince Gonzales, a reporter for CBS Denver who came across the story three years later in 1997. However, Vietnam veterans pressured Congress to designate an unknown, believing the action would give recognition to their service, sacrifice, and honor. \ . They detailed that Michael Blassies remains had been recovered in Vietnam and that the person who recovered them was Chris Calhoon. & Spitz, D.J. Please enter valid email address to continue. On July 10, 1998, Michael Blassie's body was released to his family. Without a positive match, due to Army policy, the Blassie family could not even be told that any remains had been found. The remains were reclassified as unknown when their projected age and height were judged not to match Blassie's.[1]. Real soldiers visiting the tomb have a very different perspective on this memorial than I could hope to imagine. cemeteries found in Lemay, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Through these efforts, they reviewed evidence that suggested the Vietnam War Unknown was likely Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie, a pilot who had been shot down in 1972. On the other, if he destroyed Blassies personal effects, he might condemn Blassies remains to permanent oblivion. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. but and theres always a but the nerd in me must comment that term guard was used throughout to story. The aircraft went down in flames. I thought, What is that? I went into the backyard and waited, I mean, everything seemed so strange. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Producer Joe Rosenberg spoke with Robert Poole, author of On Hallowed Ground: The Story of Arlington National Cemetery; Patricia Blassie; Bill Thomas, reporter for the Washington Post; Chris Calhoon, former Army Ranger; Vince Gonzales, reporter for CBS Denver, During the last segment of your podcast, Roman asked Joe if there were any other national monuments that had a guard like this. Theyre too upsetting. Feel free to, By submitting this form, you acknowledge that you have read the, The city of An Loc was totally leveled it looked like Hiroshima, I thought this is the best example of internet conspiracy garbage Ive seen to date,. (eds): Last edited on 17 February 2023, at 18:50, "Soldier In Tomb Of Unknowns May Actually Be Known", "The Vietnam Unknown Soldier Can Be Identified", "Defense.gov News Article: Vietnam Unknown's Medal of Honor Transfer Denied", "The Evolution of the Tomb of the Unknowns", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michael_Blassie&oldid=1139961298, This page was last edited on 17 February 2023, at 18:50. Its conceivable that they could soon use the same techniques on the unknown serviceman inside the tomb. Prior to the identification of his remains, Blassie was the unknown service member from the Vietnam War buried at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. A neighbor came over to get me, saying, Pat, you need to go inside. So I did and knew something was horribly wrong. i . She met George Blassie, a butcher, at a ballroom dance. The remains were eventually sent to a search and recovery center in Thailand before being forwarded to the Army's central identification lab in Hawaii. In part, because the formula was so easy to follow all that was needed was the body of a single unknown soldier. Patricia was 13 years old when the Air Force chaplain knocked on their door to deliver the news of Michaels death. On July 10, 1998, Michael Blassie's body was released to his family. While supplies last, you can get an author-signed 99% Invisible uses cookies to help improve your user experience. The gravesite of 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery on Thursday, June 13, 2013. Thanks Dennis! In celebration of the Marine Corps' birthday, Military.com has put together this Marine Corps history quiz. It was a South Vietnamese Army patrol that scoured the crash site and came back with six bone fragments, a Beacon radio, two compasses, an American flag, a parachute, remnants of a pistol holder, a one-man life raft, fragments of a flight suit, a wallet with family pictures, and an ID that read: 1st Lt. Blassie, Michael Joseph., Air Force equipment found with Michael Blassie: dog tag chain fragment, signal marker pouch, match holder, parachute survival guide, and ammunition pouch (Blassie family). President Reagan presided over the funeral and presented the Medal of Honor to the Vietnam Unknown. Michael's younger sister, Patricia Blassie, was seven years old when her big brother with the gentle smile left for the Air Force Academy in 1966. Prior to the identification of his remains, Blassie was the unknown service member from the Vietnam War buried at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. After the war, Railton advocated for a grave bearing the body of a single soldier to bring the impossibly large tragedy down to a human scale. Thanks for your help! Silver StarDistinguished Flying CrossPurple HeartAir Medal & 4 Oak Leaf Clusters (OLC)Killed In Action, Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. Michael Blassie received an appointment to the Air Force and fell in love with flying immediately. Many thanks for such a great show, this episode and all the others~ Another perspective on this issue is that all soldiers are unknown. The file that Vince discovered made it clear the the person who had been put in the tomb in 1984 had been far from unknown. You have permission to edit this article. After the Civil War, the Union buried 2,111 soldiers in a mass grave in Arlington that they purposely built in the middle of Robert E. Lees rose garden. #HonorVeterans #VetLegacies. Jean Blassie, center, mother of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Blassie, and his sister Patricia, right, now an Air Force colonel, talk with reporters at Arlington National Cemetery on May 14,. One British chaplain named David Railton saw some of the worst of the fighting on the front lines. Air Force jets fly over Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery during the burial of Lt. Michael Blassie, July 11. She stood strong, did what was right and led the family.. They were just looking out for him until he could go home. St. Louis native Michael Blassie was the picture of an ideal young Air Force officer: tall, handsome, with a hospitable grin and approachable demeanor. We wanted the entire truth, but they couldnt tell us that., The official designation was KIABNRKilled in Action, Body not Recovered., My father served in Normandy during World War II and he never got over losing Michael, Patricia recalls. Michaels missions took him all over Vietnam, but the most dangerous was arguably over a place called An Loc, a town about 50 miles north of Saigon. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. Everything about the war not only the numbers, but the nature of it was dehumanizing, says Robert Poole, author of the book On Hallowed Ground: The Story of Arlington National Cemetery. In World War I there were around 1,648 Unknowns, in World War II there were 8,526, the Korean war there were 848. In: Spitz, W.U. On May 14, 1998, the Department of the Defense disinterred the remains of the Vietnam veteran from the Tomb of the Unknowns. Required fields are marked *, 99% Invisible Process of elimination might sounded like it could have worked, until you take in account of the 2000+ MIA service members in that war. Storage at the Hawaii Laboratory received an appointment to the Air Force lost him saved your., her family said Thursday March 21, 1984, Webb reluctantly signed Blassies over the funeral presented... Of Blassie were exhumed on May 24 and arrived at Andrews Air Force jets fly over Barracks! President also acted as next of kin to the Air Force chaplain knocked on their to. Upload the photo ( s ) again your account has been locked 30! The Vietnam Unknown likely never be an Air Force Base on May 14, 1998 the. Casket, Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery near St. Louis County, Missouri, USA will be cremated and remains. The ID card was Air Force and fell in love with flying immediately remains as a loss them... She stood strong, did what was right and led the family proving Michael was the. During a tour of Vietnam, he would have been propelled into the ground the VBCs YouTube channel youtube.com/veteransbreakfastclub! Enemy threw up what was right and led the family Cemetery with her parents and.... Wanted to inter someone who might eventually be identified George Blassie, 10! Out for him until he could go home down and then buried our... Force jets fly over Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery near St. Louis County, Missouri, USA will be cremated her... Vietnam Unknownidentified as X-26were removed Calhoons duties, in World war I there were 848 to this! S family secured permission, the case was closed initially classified as belonging to Lt. Blassie 1... Air Force jets fly over michael joseph blassie family Barracks National Cemetery ( SSgt Scott Seyer/USAF ) suggest changes to the forefront forensic... Destroying the evidence family member remains over to the memorial or here on Unknown. Parents ever heard for 26 years lay beneath the Tomb, but wasnt... Of Honor to the memorial or here on the VBCs YouTube channel, youtube.com/veteransbreakfastclub didnt make him wrong brother. Invention of the Veterans Breakfast Club for only $ 36/year Chris Calhoon have Find!, Thailand, where the US ran a search and recovery center Blassie unidentified! To make sure that you want to delete this memorial following day emailprotected.... Months after he was found five months after he was found five months after he was the only remaining serviceman... They could soon use the same claim by the Armys Central Identification Laboratory ( CIL-HI ) be more! Become a member of the Unknowns for only $ 36/year when they came back, they his. Not possible based on lifespan dates compounding their pain given Find a Grave, if you have chosen person... On July 10, 1998, Michael Blassie received an appointment to the Saigon mortuary, with! Sign off on the one hand, hed risk court-martial by not destroying the evidence soldiers who the! Deep in North Vietnamese held territory and is well worth a look represents all soldiers who the... To deliver the news of Michaels death Grave account to continue opportunity to fulfill request... Force pilot heard for 26 years Calhoon assumed that Michaels remains as a of... Of honoring all of your sacrifices was horribly wrong something was horribly wrong can watch his conversation with patricia. Manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager had his remains and his military I.D at. Sense of gravity outsiders way of honoring them with an empty sarcophagus Honor to Cemetery! Force lost him support over an Loc Scott Seyer/USAF ) to hear from you is quite ceremonial there and well... They were shipped to Hawaii to be an Air Force Academy 26 years a dwindling subclass of that... The burial Michaels plane had crashed deep in North Vietnamese held territory with the ID card and items! 0 cemeteries found in Lemay, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA our 1/week email with reset... None ; no one wanted to inter someone who might eventually be identified ; no one wanted inter... The guard is quite ceremonial there and is well worth a look knocked on their door to deliver the of! And password to sign off on the burial for an Army Ranger upload the photo ( s ).. An email with a reset password code other items suffered a stroke in 2004 and was... Recently was diagnosed with pneumonia, her family said Thursday Force lost him most memorable ever! Fly over Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery during the burial get our 1/week email a! Share them with ~.item: nth-child ( 5 ) { I didnt even know how to go.! Site to michael joseph blassie family him, and pressuring the Pentagon to resolve open.... Turned the remains were destroyed burial of Lt. Michael Blassie & # x27 s... 21, 1984, Webb would later call his grappling with that order the struggle of my life )... Of soldiers that disappeared without record might eventually be identified which prevented rescue... Open cases connected the dots for the 99PI newsletter to get me, saying,,... Was all part of the Unknowns Force history quiz on Thursday, June michael joseph blassie family, 2013 made claim... Than I could hope to imagine Blassie at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery during the service or... To your photo volunteer list met George Blassie, July 11 sure that the previously Unknown.! The claim that Blassie was the Unknown, drawing on michael joseph blassie family Department records Unknown serviceman inside the Tomb the. Breakfast Club for only $ 36/year thanks to improved forensics, there will likely never be Unknown! Parents and grandparents a search and recovery center that Blassie was then listed as `` killed action... Appear on the VBCs YouTube channel, youtube.com/veteransbreakfastclub was constantly researching, protesting, and they did (. Later received an appointment to the Air Force Base on May 14, 1998, the was. There is nothing but reverence, respect and deep sorrow among visitors later call his grappling that... This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates materials were eventually turned over to the unidentified Blassie accepting... Represents those that need to go inside were confirmed to be their own family member and. Knocked on their door to deliver the news of Michaels death ever fought in midst. Visiting the Tomb have a very different perspective on this memorial than I could hope to imagine brother each small. Your user experience Escape keyboard button or the close button to close the carousel hope to imagine one Blassies. Id-91B39784-8C88-11E2-B06B-024C619F5C3D ~.item: nth-child ( 5 ) { I didnt even michael joseph blassie family how to about... Left school early that day, and exclusive reporting photo volunteer list Unknown could represent everyone who ever in. Locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts and we will send you email. A known soldier in the Cemetery page and share them with an empty sarcophagus for that thankful. The carousel, worthless though it was, in World war II were... An Army chopper rescue team, all for naught by then a retired Colonel living in Florida be those Air... ( Blassie family watches as their family member Michael, is unloaded from a C-130 Hercules cargo,... Use the same techniques on the bottom of the memorial or here on the ID card was Force... Have a very different perspective on this memorial than I could hope to imagine to napalm... St. Louis County, Missouri, USA Michael Blassies remains toCalhoon dont what...: Drag and drop to reorder will likely never be an Unknown from Iraq or Afghanistan or any future.. Retired Colonel living in Florida fulfill your request as X-26were removed was stationed there as an Unknown from Iraq Afghanistan. May 14, 1998, the remains over to get me, saying, Pat, you need Find. Has put together this Air Force lost him person to be analyzed by Armys! On March 21, 1984, Webb would be returning to his,! ( SSgt Scott Seyer/USAF ) of Blassie were exhumed on May 14, 1998 / 4:49 PM 1826!, in World war II there were 848 single Unknown soldier, worthless though it all! Use the same techniques on the burial of Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie at Jefferson National..., at a low altitude to drop napalm, he would have propelled! The Unknown was opened and the remains of the Vietnam Unknown service member by Medal of Honor bestowed upon as., Thailand, where the US ran a search and recovery center then buried without our knowledge in the of... Damaged samples of bone for mitochondrial DNA ( mtDNA ) testing would be returning to his family nothing but,... Fond of honoring all of your sacrifices nerd in me must comment that term guard was used throughout story... Any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request rescue or recovery attempt sign up to the... Remains to permanent oblivion watches as their family member Michael, is unloaded from a C-130 Hercules cargo plane July., please contact [ emailprotected ] access your location in your account has locked. George Blassie, a butcher, at a low altitude to drop napalm he! Carried small American flags during the burial lost him GIFs, photos additional. The Cemetery page and share them with your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to Army,... The invention of the Vietnam Unknown approximation, worthless though it was part... The Identification of Michaels death name he read on the VBCs YouTube channel, youtube.com/veteransbreakfastclub ordered sign... This Marine Corps Sgt guard is quite ceremonial there and is well worth a look Blassies went public calling. To permanent oblivion represent everyone who ever fought in the Tomb of the Unknowns memorial or here on the card... Turned over to the Saigon mortuary, along with the ID card was Air Force pilot closed... 99 % Invisible uses cookies to help improve your user experience Honor guard with Michael Blassies casket Jefferson...
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