Failed to delete memorial. 1894 shipwreck found in Lake Huron, confirming "powerful, tragic story" The Armed Forces have adopted the latest advances in fingerprint and dental identification, and forensic anthropology and radiology. St. Louis native Michael Blassie was the picture of an ideal young Air Force officer: tall, handsome, with a hospitable grin and approachable demeanor. Unidentified remains from that war had been analyzed over a decade and a half. Forensic anthropologists took the aged and damaged samples of bone for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) testing. Patricia is on Michaels right (Blassie family). Five months after the shoot down an Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) patrol inspected the crash site and retrieved partial skeletal remains, an ID card, dog tags, a wallet containing a family picture, part of a flight suit, and the remnant of a pistol holster. To many Vietnam veterans, Patricia explains, it was pretty upsetting to have the Vietnam Unknown disinterred. That they all made the ultimate sacrifice for me. I dont care what happened, but the documents showed that patrol went into Michaels crash site to find him, and they did. DNA tests confirmed that the previously unknown soldier was, in fact, Michael Blassie. Air Force jets fly over Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery during the burial of Lt. Michael Blassie, July 11. Remains identification bordered on guesswork. American serviceman who remained behind were stretched thin. During a tour of Vietnam, he served as a member of the 8th Special Operations Squadron. He was made one., Whenever Patricias mother received criticism for requesting Michaels removal from the Tomb of the Unknown, she would simply shrug and say, Hes not your son.. After hours of discussion, Jean Blassie looked at her children and said, For 26 years, we have been told that Michael was never found, according to an article in Checkpoints magazine. You grow apart sometimes during this kind of tragedy. 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. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. Sorry! Blassie, said Ted, I believe your son is in the Tomb of the Unknown.. And you didnt mention the shoes the specially designed shoes the sentries wear are pretty cool. For decades, the United States has honored its wartime dead by designating for burial at Arlington National Cemetery an unknown soldier, one whose anonymous tomb represents all the dead comrades and honors all their deeds. But for whatever reason, the first bad decision was not telling the family. But his tactics were confrontational and often involved outrageous claims and conspiracy theories. In the early 1990s, Blassie's family received word that his remains might be buried in the Tomb of the Unknown. In 1994, over two decades after Michael had been killed, his family received a phone call from a complete stranger named Ted Sampley. Id left school early that day, and I looked out the window when I heard a car door slam. The report triggered a speedy response from the Department of Defense which, after its own investigation, ordered the Tomb to be opened and the Vietnam Unknowns remains to undergo DNA testing at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed It can represent all soldiers. When it came to tracking MIAs, Sampley was shrewd and tireless. On May 28, 1984, a Third Army Old Guard horse-drawn caisson moved slowly along Constitution Avenue. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Pressure began to mount in Washington to place a service member from Vietnam in the tomb of the unknowns, but by 1980 the Blassie remains were the only ones left that hadnt been conclusively identified. Visible Proofs: Forensic Views of the Body. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Sign up to get the most recent local obituaries delivered to your inbox. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. That destiny was already in motion. 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. The accompanying shells found their mark. But instead of giving closure, the remains endured one of the most baffling episodes of misidentification in military history. 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. Interestingly, the soldiers identities *were* known and the Danes made an effort to give each soldier his last rites. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Michaels plane had crashed deep in North Vietnamese held territory. Required fields are marked *, 99% Invisible Mourners included military personnel, veterans and civilians. DNA samples were taken from Michaels mother Jean and his sister Judy and tested against the remains. Flying bug found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect They never got updates on recovery efforts. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? They said Michael had been killed. Privacy Policy & Terms of Service. Also pictured is sister Judy Cozad (left). From top left to bottom right: dog tag chain fragment, signal marker pouch, match holder, parachute survival guide, and ammunition pouch. DNA tests determined that the remains in the tomb were those of Blassie. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? She and her four children met to try to figure out what to do. In 1984, on Memorial Day, Blassie's remains - four ribs, pelvis and the upper part of an arm - were buried in the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington. 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight. "This has meant so much to us. Try again later. Plot Over a quarter million people lined the route to Arlington National Cemetery. The recruiters said if I joined the Air Force, Id travel, get excellent training,and an education. Blassie was declared missing in action and presumed dead. Its conceivable that they could soon use the same techniques on the unknown serviceman inside the tomb. Jean Frances Blassie died 15 years later, on Tuesday (June 11, 2013), at Mercy Hospital St. Louis in Creve Coeur. #inline-recirc-item--id-91b39784-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { In World War I there were around 1,648 Unknowns, in World War II there were 8,526, the Korean war there were 848. Placing a Medal of Honor on X-26s flag-draped casket, the President concluded, Thank you, dear son, and may God cradle you in his loving arms.. So were dozens of Michaels old friends, classmates, and comrades in arms, along with thousands of others, including Vietnam veterans, who came to commemorate the return of a lost brother. He served as a Tactical Aircraft Pilot and was assigned to the 8TH SPECIAL OPS SQDN, 377TH AIR BASE WING, 7TH AF. A system error has occurred. 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. Whatever was known about the remains of the Vietnam Unknown had never been revealed. In 1998 the Tomb of the Unknown was . This is a carousel with slides. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. In 1976, they were shipped to Hawaii to be analyzed by the Armys Central Identification Laboratory (CIL-HI). After petitioning the United States Government for permission, his family had his body exhumed. That was enough for Captain Patricia Blassie. 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. Dubbed the super-tweet it was designed to fly low over its target. DNA identification had yet to advance to its current state when Blassie's remains were repatriated, and he lay in the Tomb of the Unknowns up to 1998, with visitors paying respects but unaware of his identity. In Michaels case, just this once, their mission was completed. Because mtDNA is passed along the maternal line, scientists compared the Unknown Soldier's DNA against two samples submitted by First Lieutenant Blassie's mother and sister and found a match. (AP Photo/James A. Finley), Lt. Michael J. Blassie is shown in this undated 1971 file photo made during flight training. 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. 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. After Blassie's family secured permission . Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Michael Blassie (4245)? The US Air Force responded with aerial counterattacks. All rights reserved. As far as she was concerned, the case was closed. But the military didnt tell anyone, officials later explained, because they said they couldnt be certain that it was he. That's where he fell in love with flying, Pat Blassie said. Major Johnie Webb was the officer in charge of the Armys Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii. At the request of Blassie's family, the Department of Defense exhumed the remains from the Vietnam Unknown's crypt on May 14, 1998. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Verify and try again. On May 14, 1998, the remains were exhumed and tested, revealing the "unknown" soldier to be Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie. Everyone was free to mourn in their own way. 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. The nature of combat in Vietnam and advances in forensic medicine had made it difficult for officials to bury a Vietnam unknown. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. 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