Photo By Staff Sgt. Deven Schultz | Dr. Timothy McMahon, Department of Defense DNA Operations Director, explains the...... read more read more
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. - For the first time ever, a past accounting identification was presented to a family at the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System’s Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL). Throughout the year, AFDIL supports roughly 200 identifications of servicemembers from past and current conflicts. Very rarely are families afforded the unique opportunity to see the lab for themselves.
“This is exciting because, usually, we only see families at Family Member Updates,” says Dr. Tim McMahon, Director, Department of Defense (DoD) DNA Operations, “so the chance to invite Sergeant Frank J. Seiferheld’s primary next-of-kin to our facility was one we really looked forward to.”
In January 1945, a B-17 from the 348th Bomber Squadron, 99th Bomber Group, Heavy Bomber Crew left formation to return to Italy due to engine trouble. The plane is assumed to have crashed into the Adriatic Sea between Italy and the Balkans. All ten crew members including Sgt. Seiferheld were declared missing. Over the next six months, five of the missing aircrew washed ashore and were identified. In May of 1945, the remains of an unknown American were recovered in the waters of Italy and were buried as an unknown. According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) historians, roughly 30 warplanes crashed in this area during World War Two, creating a unique challenge for their Forensic Anthropologists and Historians. Based on recovery locations, circumstantial evidence, the information collected, and analyzation by the historians, they lowered the number of potential servicemembers associated with these unknown remains to seven.
That’s where AFDIL’s Family Reference Sample or FRS section comes in.
“Familial DNA references are collected through two primary methods; genealogical searches and regional family member updates,” explains Dr. McMahon. “These DNA samples are entered into the FRS database to be used to associate unknown remains with a known reference. AFDIL’s past accounting casework scientists use various extraction and forensic DNA testing methods to develop a DNA profile from the unknown remains. That DNA profile is then searched against the FRS database.”
Once the identification is confirmed, AFDIL will provide the DPAA with a DNA comparison report that is used to identify the missing service members. After an identification is made, the DoD services’ casualty offices will notify the families that their missing service member has been identified. Sgt. Seiferheld’s family was first notified by a U.S. Army service casualty office representative where it was determined, due to their proximity, they would travel to Dover Air Force Base for the official identification briefing.
“We couldn’t accomplish what we do without the help of all our partners across the world. We face challenges head-on, together, and do our best to make sure the fallen make their way back home,” McMahon said. “This mission is one of a kind, we bring closure to some of those who truly need it most.”
| Date Taken: | 03.11.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 03.25.2024 12:05 |
| Story ID: | 466960 |
| Location: | DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, DELAWARE, US |
| Web Views: | 317 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Identification Presented at AFDIL, by SSgt Deven Schultz, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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