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    Remains of World War II Soldier, Scottsville, Michigan, native, to be buried in Miami

    FORT KNOX, KY, UNITED STATES

    04.10.2024

    Story by Fonda Bock 

    U.S. Army Human Resources Command

    Remains of World War II Soldier, Scottsville, Michigan, native, to be buried in Miami

    FORT KNOX, Ky. – The remains of U.S. Army Cpl. Frank V. Benak, a Soldier killed during World War II, will be interred April 13 at Vista Memorial Gardens, Miami Lakes, Florida. Vista Funeral Home will perform graveside services preceding the interment.

    A native of Scottsville, Michigan, Benak was assigned to Cannon Company, 128th Infantry Regiment, 32nd Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action Dec. 5, 1942, at age 24, while on combat patrol near Buna Creek, after his unit attacked enemy defensive positions in present day northern Papua New Guinea.

    Benak was accounted for by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency Feb. 2, 2024, after his remains were exhumed from the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Philippines, in January 2017 for laboratory analysis.

    The Past Conflict Repatriations Branch, under the Army Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operations Division, Army Human Resources Command, Fort Knox, Kentucky, plays a key role in the process of locating family members of Soldiers from WWII, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

    The process begins with locating the family member most closely related to the missing servicemember, known as the Primary Next of Kin, followed by a request for family reference samples or DNA, which are used as a main source in identifying remains.

    Once a servicemember has been identified by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner, the PCRB notifies and briefs the family about the results of historical, forensic and DNA reports, benefits and the mortuary process, to include burial with full military honors.

    For additional information about Cpl. Benak, go to: https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/News-Releases/PressReleaseArticleView/Article/3723614/soldier-accounted-for-from-wwii-benak-f/

    Media interested in covering and/or obtaining more information about the funeral and interment should contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490 and/or Vista Funeral Home, 305-330-1496.
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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 04.10.2024
    Date Posted: 04.10.2024 07:52
    Story ID: 468209
    Location: FORT KNOX, KY, US

    Web Views: 38
    Downloads: 0

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