In Memoriam

[Grace]

Iraq

Fatalities By Country

Australia 2
Azerbaijan 1
Bulgaria 13
Czech Republic 1
Denmark 7
El Salvador 5
Estonia 2
Fiji 1
Georgia 5
Hungary 1
Italy 33
Kazakhstan 1
Latvia 3
Netherlands 2
Poland 23
Romania 3
Slovakia 4
South Korea 1
Spain 11
Thailand 2
Ukraine 18
United Kingdom 179
United States 4408

Total 4726

[Grace]

Korean War

Sailor Missing From Korean War Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

U.S. Navy Ensign Robert W. Langwell, of Columbus, Ind., will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery on July 12. On Oct. 1, 1950, Langwell was serving on the minesweeper USS Magpie when it sank after striking an enemy mine off the coast of Chuksan-ri, South Korea. Twelve crewmen were rescued, but Langwell was one of 20 men lost at sea.

In June 2008, personnel from the Republic of South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense Agency for Killed in Action Recovery and Identification (MAKRI) canvassed towns in South Korea in an effort to gather information regarding South Korean soldiers unaccounted-for from the Korean War. An elderly fisherman, interviewed in the village of Chuksan-ri, reported that he and other villagers had buried an American serviceman in 1950 when his body was caught in the man’s fishing net.

The MAKRI located the burial site on April 28, 2009, where they excavated human remains and military artifacts. The burial site was approximately three miles west of where the USS Magpie sank in 1950. The team turned the remains and artifacts over to U.S. Forces Korea, which sent them to Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command for analysis.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, JPAC scientists used dental comparisons in the identification of Langwell’s remains.

With Langwell’s accounting, 8,025 service members still remain missing from the Korean War.

[Grace]

27 June 2010

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Sgt. John M. Rogers, 26, of Scottsdale, Ariz., died June 27 at Forward Operating Base Blessing, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

[Grace]

26 June 2010

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Pfc. Bryant J. Haynes, 21, of Epps, La., died June 26 in Al Diwaniyah, Iraq, of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over. He was assigned to the 199th Support Battalion, Louisiana Army National Guard, Alexandria, La.

[Grace]

26 June 2010

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Spc. David A. Holmes, 34, of Tennille, Ga., died June 26 at Sayed Abad, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 810th Engineer Company, Swainsboro, Ga.

[Grace]

It was one year ago tonight when I started this topic. 75 pages, 744 posts later, we are no closer to the end of war.

Why do we think we can accomplish what many have tried before? Alexander the Great, the British and Russians - they could not win in Afghanistan.

So we keep sending our young men and women (and some not so young) to that God-forsaken country. For what - to come home in a flag-draped box?

We should be ashamed of ourselves.

[Killearn Kitties]

Why do we think we can accomplish what many have tried before? Alexander the Great, the British and Russians - they could not win in Afghanistan.

I'm with you, Grace. I don't know why we are there again either.

[Daisy and Delilah]

It was one year ago tonight when I started this topic. 75 pages, 744 posts later, we are no closer to the end of war.

Why do we think we can accomplish what many have tried before? Alexander the Great, the British and Russians - they could not win in Afghanistan.

So we keep sending our young men and women (and some not so young) to that God-forsaken country. For what - to come home in a flag-draped box?

We should be ashamed of ourselves.

I am in total agreement, Gretchen.

[cassiesmom]

Sailor Missing From Korean War Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

U.S. Navy Ensign Robert W. Langwell, of Columbus, Ind., will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery on July 12. On Oct. 1, 1950, Langwell was serving on the minesweeper USS Magpie when it sank after striking an enemy mine off the coast of Chuksan-ri, South Korea. Twelve crewmen were rescued, but Langwell was one of 20 men lost at sea.

In June 2008, personnel from the Republic of South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense Agency for Killed in Action Recovery and Identification (MAKRI) canvassed towns in South Korea in an effort to gather information regarding South Korean soldiers unaccounted-for from the Korean War. An elderly fisherman, interviewed in the village of Chuksan-ri, reported that he and other villagers had buried an American serviceman in 1950 when his body was caught in the man’s fishing net.

The MAKRI located the burial site on April 28, 2009, where they excavated human remains and military artifacts. The burial site was approximately three miles west of where the USS Magpie sank in 1950. The team turned the remains and artifacts over to U.S. Forces Korea, which sent them to Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command for analysis.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, JPAC scientists used dental comparisons in the identification of Langwell’s remains.

With Langwell’s accounting, 8,025 service members still remain missing from the Korean War.

Wow, over eight thousand people. That is very sad. How kind of the elderly man to share where this soldier was buried for so many years.

My dad was in the infantry in Korea. We watched the Memorial Day concert with Gary Sinise and Joe Mantegna on PBS and he was very teary through most of it. The only person he has talked at length with about what happened there (besides my mom) is my nephew. Whatever happened there made a big impression on him.

P.S., Grace, re: post #744, I agree with you one thousand percent.

[Grace]

27 June 2010

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

They died June 27 in Konar, Afghanistan of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with small arms fire. They were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

Killed were:

Staff Sgt. Eric B. Shaw, 31, of Exeter, Maine; and

Spc. David W. Thomas, 40, of St. Petersburg, Fla.