Photo By Tech. Sgt. David Owsianka | Sébastien Leroullier, Terrassement Assainissement excavator operator, prepares to...... read more read more
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In the early hours of June 6, 1944, a multitude of C-47 Skytrain airplanes took off from various bases in southern England to the Cotentin Peninsula of France, carrying more than 13,000 paratroopers as part of the airborne D-Day operations during World War II. As the C-47 aircraft delivered military personnel behind enemy lines, many of the planes were shot down by the opposing forces.
Now, almost 80 years later, a team of 25 personnel with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) conducted a recovery mission in search of missing personnel within the Normandy region of France in April and May of 2024. They were in search of three missing Airmen whose C-47 Skytrain was presumably shot down by German anti-aircraft fire on that day.
One team member, Kristen Baker, DPAA scientific recovery expert (SRE), has a unique tie to this operation. Her grandfather, U.S. Army Tech. Sgt. Buell Adams, served as a medic and participated in military operations in the European theater during WWII. As the Allied forces pushed their way into southern France during Operation Dragoon, Adams provided medical support to personnel as they made their way north into France and then east, pushing German forces back into Germany during the Battle of the Bulge.
“My grandfather’s service and experiences in WWII were very influential to my upbringing, and his stories and perspectives on life shaped who I am today,” Baker said. “Being in the same places where he fought and might have traveled helps keep his memories alive for me.”
As she reflects on her role in the recovery mission, Baker's connection to her grandfather's wartime experiences takes on deeper significance, threading her personal journey into the broader mission of honoring the sacrifices of past generations.
“While I can’t say that it provides personal closure being on recovery missions, it’s very rewarding to be a part of resolving those losses from my grandfather’s war,” she added. “To help finish part of their fight and bring home the missing, helps keep the legacy of that generation alive.”
U.S. Army Sgt. Nathan Jones, DPAA recovery noncommissioned officer, has been on multiple missions, each one causing him to wonder and reflect.
“Serving on this mission has been a very unique opportunity for me to do something important for past members of the military and their families who are still waiting for closure,” said Jones. “For the aircrew members who haven’t made it home yet, the war is still going on for them. I feel it will not be over until they make it back to the United States and to their families.”
As the team arrived on site, the archaeologist set up an excavation grid system to conduct controlled systematic recovery operations. From there, standard 4x4-meter units are carefully excavated one at a time to effectively search for any remaining possible osseous material, aircraft wreckage, and possible life support equipment through soil screening operations. As members sifted through the soil, they placed any possible evidence aside for the life support investigator (LSI) and SRE to examine to help with future searching operations.
“A significant amount of historical research and investigation went into the background research for the mission, and months went into planning this recovery prior to coming on the site,” said Baker. “Doing this is part of our nation’s promise to return these service members home as they paid the ultimate sacrifice, and we are also hoping to provide answers and hopefully some sense of closure to their family members.”
A variety of personnel with unique specialty jobs came together to help ensure the success of this mission; some of the occupations that are serving along the LSI and SRE are explosive ordnance disposal technicians, medical personnel, a supply noncommissioned officer, and a forensic photographer. A group of short-term individual augmentees also supported the operation as recovery team members where they assisted in a multitude of ways, such as excavation and screening sediments.
This group of personnel came together to use a variety of tools, methods, and systems throughout the recovery mission. This helped to maximize time and space on-site to ensure the success of operations.
“Conducting this mission to search for the three missing personnel is very special because of the significance of what these men sought to do on that day and paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country,” said Capt. Brian Foxworth, DPAA team leader. “It was great to see so many different people from all walks of life come together and work off of each other’s strengths to hopefully account for those who are missing and provide closure to their families.”
As the team completed their mission, all the possible osseous material that could be probative is transferred to DPAA’s laboratory at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, for further analysis and identification by forensic anthropologists.
“All evidentiary items are closely inspected, and if they could be probative, are collected and recorded throughout the recovery mission prior to being transferred to the lab in Offutt for osteological analysis,” Baker said. “The length of the identification process will depend on the quantity and quality of the possible osseous material we recover from the site.”
There are approximately 72,000 missing personnel from World War II, and of that number, there are approximately 1,438 unaccounted-for presently in France. Staff of DPAA and their partners will continue with their investigation and recovery efforts in search of missing until all of them are brought home.
“All of the missions that we conduct are noble and honorable, but knowing the outcome of the D-Day invasion and the impact it had on the war makes this mission really special as we searched for our fallen service members,” Foxworth said. “Helping others overcome the hardship of finding closure after losing a loved one is what we are here to do, and it’s something that we hold dear to our hearts.”
| Date Taken: | 05.28.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 05.29.2024 14:32 |
| Story ID: | 472333 |
| Location: | FR |
| Web Views: | 150 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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