Flying bug found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect I know about Ted Sampleys past, he told her, but I believe its true.. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? They were returned them home for a military burial. Silver StarDistinguished Flying CrossPurple HeartAir Medal & 4 Oak Leaf Clusters (OLC)Killed In Action, Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. \ . Now that DNA samples are taken from everyone who joins the U.S. Armed Forces, there may never be another American "unknown soldier.". On July 11, 1998, U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Blassie finally came home to St. Louis. The DNA testing resulted in a perfect match with the Blassies. In May 1998, the remains were disinterred for mitochondrial DNA "fingerprinting." His remains were finally brought home aboard a C-130 cargo plane Friday in a solemn service befitting a pilot killed in the line of duty in Vietnam. Failed to delete memorial. There is a problem with your email/password. Please reset your password. Follow him on Facebook. The guard was sent back and a different guard took over. The six fragments in file X-26 were the exception. Family and friends are welcome to send flowers or leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with . His 138th combat mission ended near An Loc, South Vietnam, when the wing was blasted off his plane by enemy fire. But perhaps Im speaking out of turn. The Medal of Honor bestowed upon him as the Vietnam Unknown was not transferred to Blassie after his remains were identified.[6]. Hey there beautiful nerd! We wanted to know the rest of the story. The remains would eventually arrive at the Armys Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii, but not before thewallet which was critical in linking the remains to Blassie went missing. Today: Cloudy with a chance of sprinkles or flurries. Forensic anthropologists took the aged and damaged samples of bone for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) testing. Some evidence suggests that the remains ceremonially laid to rest by President Reagan 14 years ago belong to 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie, a decorated flier still officially listed as missing in . Two weeks later, Michael Blassie was buried for good near the family's home . The remains in the tomb are not even technically referred to as an unknown soldier. No one knows which service theyre from, so instead of soldier or sailor or marine, theyre simply referred to as the Unknown. In fact, anything that narrows the scope of who this person could be including where exactly they were found is purposely withheld from the public in order to make sure that they represent every possible service member. #inline-recirc-item--id-91b39784-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { The nature of combat in Vietnam and advances in forensic medicine had made it difficult for officials to bury a Vietnam unknown. On July 10, 1998, Michael Blassie's body was released to his family. Advances made since the early 1980s had made it possible to identify the remains, which consisted of only six bones -- far below the usual 80 percent of a corpse required for burial at Arlington. After Years As Vietnam 'Unknown,' Pilot Now Buried At Home. A simple process of elimination made clear that the remains had to be a small fixed-wing pilot like Michael. That single set of remains was known only as X-26, but his actual name was Michael Blassie. His body wouldnt be coming home. (AP Photo/James A. Finley), Lt. Michael J. Blassie is shown in this undated 1971 file photo made during flight training. The Air Force told the Blassie family in St. Louis all they knew: their son had been killed in action, but his remains could not be recovered since he went down in enemy-held territory. Patricia is on Michaels right (Blassie family). Jean Frances Blassie died 15 years later, on Tuesday (June 11, 2013), at Mercy Hospital St. Louis in Creve Coeur. Baracus on "The A-Team," Mr. T was a member of the biggest team of them all -- the U.S "I was the guy who makes you scrub the latrine, the guy who makes you make your bed, the guy who screams at you for being Copyright 2023 Military.com. During my only visit to the Tomb of the Unknowns, during the changing of the guard, I witnessed what may be a rare event. In Michaels case, just this once, their mission was completed. After 26 years, the family of Air Force Lt. Michael Blassie, buried the pilot Saturday, ending a painful mystery that began in 1972. They were initially classified as belonging to Lt. Blassie. The aircraft went down in flames. Flying at a low altitude to drop napalm, he would have been propelled into the ground. One of them told her once that their mission guarding the Unknowns is never really over. President Ronald Reagan bestowed the Medal of Honor upon the Vietnam unknown. ). Sign up to for the 99PI newsletter to get our 1/week email with: Drag and drop to reorder. A fellow airman saw tracer rounds directed toward Mikes A-37. She permitted Vince Gonzalez to access a trove of new documents through the Freedom of Information Act pertaining to the selection and entombment of the Vietnam Unknowns remains. They were just looking out for him until he could go home. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Three years later, in 1997, Vince Gonzales, a young correspondent with CBS News, contacted the Blassies. She says shes not sure why she does it, but it means that shes gotten to know some of the guards. The recruiters said if I joined the Air Force, Id travel, get excellent training,and an education. Michael Blassies skeletal chart, VBC Happy Hour screenshot, 2021. The Easter Offensive was the largest and most conventional ground invasion of the Vietnam War. Post-Dispatch file photo, Workers cover the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington Cemetery in Arlington, Va., on May 13, 1998, in anticipation of the exhumation of the remains of the Vietnam unknown. This dental device was sold to fix patients' jaws. Prior to the identification of his remains, Blassie was the unknown service member from the Vietnam War buried at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. But thanks to improved battlefield evacuation tactics, the Vietnam War produced only four sets of unidentified remains that could potentially go into the tomb. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. When family members received word that his remains might be buried in the Tomb of the Unknown, they petitioned the Department of Defense to open the site and conduct previously unavailable DNA testing. One British chaplain named David Railton saw some of the worst of the fighting on the front lines. Though discovered in South Vietnam at the crash site, along with personal effects and survival gear, the remains of US Air Force pilot 1st Lt. Michael Blassie got labeled Unknown. It took the hard work of an eccentric Vietnam veteran activist, an investigative reporter, and the Blassie family to cut through years of bureaucratic bungling, official stonewalling, and government deceit to rescue Blassie from the Tomb and bring him home. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. It was on one of these bombing runs, shortly before Calhoon arrived in An Loc, that Michael Blassie flew his 132th and final mission. CBS Evening News went public with the explosive story in a broadcast on January 19, 1998. Michaels plane had crashed deep in North Vietnamese held territory. US air power was used extensively in defense of the city and five aircraft were lost that day: A-37B-1st Lt Michael J Blassie, 8th SOS, O-2A-Capt, Barry K Allmond, 21st TASS, O-2A, 1st Lt John H Haselton, 21st TASS, AH-1G Cpt . You can always change this later in your Account settings. Dont let my viewpoint sully your experience. Its conceivable that they could soon use the same techniques on the unknown serviceman inside the tomb. The guards coming on duty are inspected for perfection in uniform, and inspector found some problem with the new guards blouse. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. The President also acted as next of kin to the unidentified Blassie by accepting the interment flag at the end of the ceremony. "We put away no final memories.". cemeteries found in Lemay, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Please enter valid email address to continue. I dont know any of them. He believed, for example, that Senator John McCain had been brainwashed at the Hanoi Hilton and was sent back to the US to orchestrate official coverups of living POWs in Southeast Asia. They were completely cut off from the rest of the world. I wouldnt think there was a known soldier in the Tomb of the Unknowns, she recalled thinking. They said Michael had been killed. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. After his remains were identified by DNA testing in 1998, they were reburied at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis County, Missouri. I saluted smartly and put the thought aside. Many thanks for such a great show, this episode and all the others~ Maj. Allan J. Kellogg Jr. during a ceremony at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on May 17, 1984,[2] and were transported aboard the USSBrewton to Naval Air Station Alameda. Dubbed the super-tweet it was designed to fly low over its target. A system error has occurred. Michael, after all, was her first born. It has been watched over day and night since 1937 by a lone guard, forever marching back and forth in front of the tomb. By the time the package arrived in Hawaii, the wallet and ID were missing, presumed stolen during storage or transit. Those who fell in the Vietnam War would thereby be honored alongside the three other Unknowns from World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. They had to do more with less and that meant Michael was going to see a lot of combat. They were a match and Michael Blassies remains were returned to his family. World War I ushered in an era of total war and mass conscription, in which the combatants on both sides were mostly ordinary citizens, often rendered anonymous amidst the violence of the Western Front. When family members received word that his remains might be buried in the Tomb of the Unknown, they petitioned the Department of Defense to open the site and conduct previously unavailable DNA testing. Learn more about merges. World War II, Korea, and Vietnam each would get their own Unknown. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses reelection bid There was a problem getting your location. Railton would spend his nights conducting funeral services over the often unidentifiable remains of soldiers ripped apart by shellfire, sometimes burying them on the spot or en masse in the giant craters the shells had left behind. Well, my mom cant get these kinds of phone calls, responded Patricia. I find meaning in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier monument. Eli Lilly to cut insulin prices by 70%, cap monthly costs at $35 Unidentified remains from that war had been analyzed over a decade and a half. Michael Joseph Blassie (April 4, 1948 - May 11, 1972) was a United States Air Force officer who was killed in action during the Vietnam War in May 1972. In the early 1980s, officials chose the set of remains coded "X-26" to be interred in the Tomb of the Unknowns. The remains were reclassified as unknown when their projected age and height were judged not to match Blassie's.[1]. The DNA technology that could conclusively identify the remains was just around the corner, but in 1984 they were ordered to prepare X-26 for burial. Michael Blassies squadron was providing that air support over An Loc. Id left school early that day, and I looked out the window when I heard a car door slam. Mourners included military personnel, veterans and civilians. Blassie's remains, which had been buried in the Tomb of the Unknowns for 14 years, were identified last month by DNA testing. Resend Activation Email. (AP Photo/Brian K. Diggs), In thisJune, 30, 1998, photo,Joan Blassie, right, the mother of the Michael Blassie reacts to the news that the remains in the Tomb of Unknowns were confirmed by DNA testing as belonging to her son Lt. Michael Blassie, who was shot down over Vietnam. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Revealing the Unknown: The Mystery of Michael Blassie | Missouri Historical Society 1st Lt. Michael Blassie was killed in action during the Vietnam War, but his remains were unrecovered because the fighting was so intense in the area where his plane crashed. I didnt even know how to go about college. On May 28, 1984, a Third Army Old Guard horse-drawn caisson moved slowly along Constitution Avenue. "My father, who served in Normandy during World War II, never got over losing Michael," says Patricia Blassie, who was 13 years old when her brother, the oldest of five siblings, died. Then, as more information about those remains was discovered, only one set of remains remained unknown. DNA testing was in its infancy in 1972. Jean Blassie, center, mother of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Blassie, and his sister Patricia, right, now an Air Force colonel, talk with reporters at Arlington National Cemetery on May 14,. First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie, 24, was shot down over South Vietnam in 1972 and presumed dead. The remains were then sent to Travis Air Force Base on May 24 and arrived at Andrews Air Force Base the following day. Its like the reverse of this 99pi story! I think that barring a complete abolition of war, this is a small consolation. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. I talked with many of them and they would say, But this is the one honor we received, and the Blassie family is disrupting that honor. I would reply, All the Vietnam Unknowns should be accounted for by the government. I would remind them of that, and Id tell them our family story. An Army caisson carried his casket from the Capitol to the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day, May 28, 1984. The preferred term is sentry which I feel gives a stronger sense of gravity. In my 17-year-old mind, that sounded like a good deal.. They talked to anyone they could find who was involved in the unknown selection process, and when they felt they were ready, they handed over their findings to Patricia Blassie. That was enough for Captain Patricia Blassie. Veteran Dispatch in 1994 and 1996 had made the claim that Blassie was the Unknown, drawing on Defense Department records. Whatever was known about the remains of the Vietnam Unknown had never been revealed. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. On May 14, 1998, the remains were exhumed and tested, revealing the "unknown" soldier to be Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie. Her father died in a traffic accident when she was 9 or 10. Then, in January 1972, he joined the 8th Special Operations Squadron of the 377th Air Base Wing at Bien Hoa Air Base near Saigon. By 1972, when Michael was deployed, Americas military presence in Southeast Asia was shrinking rapidly. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. The discovery of personal effects at the crash site should have converted Michael Blassie from a Vietnam MIA to a KIA, closing his case. The timely and accurate identification of men and women who die while serving in the armed forces has long been a priority for the United States government. 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. Another perspective on this issue is that all soldiers are unknown. The Vietnam unknown was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors, beneath the headstone that reads, "Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God." But instead of giving closure, the remains endured one of the most baffling episodes of misidentification in military history. After graduating from St. Louis University High School he entered the United States Air Force Academy, graduating in 1970. Try again. We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. How to honor unidentified remains has always been one of the great conundrums of war. But for whatever reason, the first bad decision was not telling the family. Think you're a Top Gun at aircraft identification? "The resting place of Michael was for so long the Tomb of the Unknowns," Rigali said. As far as she was concerned, the case was closed. Oops, something didn't work. Your donations are vital to keeping us independent and strong! A 1970 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, he served in the Vietnam War as a 1st Lieutenant the 8th Special Operations Squadron. Feel free to, By submitting this form, you acknowledge that you have read the, The city of An Loc was totally leveled it looked like Hiroshima, I thought this is the best example of internet conspiracy garbage Ive seen to date,. The unknowns from World War I and World War II are another story for now, but anything is possible. DNA tests confirmed that the previously unknown soldier was, in fact, Michael Blassie. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. After petitioning the United States Government for permission, his family had his body exhumed. GREAT NEWS! At 67, Mrs. Blassie went back to work as a sales clerk at Dillards. While supplies last, you can get an author-signed 99% Invisible uses cookies to help improve your user experience. In 1998 the Tomb of the Unknown was . (AP Photo/James A. Finley), Pat Blassie (second from left) points out to her mother Jean Blassie (third from left) and her sister Mary Hart (right) the C-130 Hercules plane as it arrives at Scott Air Force Base with their brother Michael Blassie's remains. A seven-month CBS News investigation has revealed, reported correspondent Eric Engberg, that the identity of the unknown serviceman is almost certainly known, and that some military officials, for whatever reason, knew it all along and tried to hide it.. The chain of custody began with Captain William C. Parnell, an operations officer at An Lc. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. "We write no last chapters, we close no books," Reagan said. "Mike lived a hero, and he came home a hero," said Emanuel Cassimatis, the Air Force Academy liaison officer who recruited Blassie in 1965. Jean Blassie, mother of 1st Lt. Michael Blassie, 1998. "This shrine was still distant from his house, the soil of Missouri, the banks of the Mississippi. The Armed Forces have adopted the latest advances in fingerprint and dental identification, and forensic anthropology and radiology. He must have been killed instantly since he did not transmit a distress call of any kind. Michael Joseph Blassie, the oldest of five children of a St. Louis meat cutter, entered the Air Force Academy in 1966 and received his officer's commission in June 1970. Sampleys words landed like a percussion grenade in the Blassie household. The president meant to assure families of soldiers with MIA status that their loved ones would not be forgotten, but his words were prescient of the Vietnam unknown's fate. Im a former Soldier from Australia, and a Tour Guide around Europe, and i immediately thought of all the different changing of the guards, and unknown Tombs i have visited. , only one set of remains coded `` X-26 '' to be interred in Tomb. Is that all soldiers are unknown and share them with Unknowns, she recalled thinking, more. 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Put away no final memories. `` resulted in a broadcast on January 19, 1998, Michael Blassie came. Projected age and height were judged not to match Blassie 's. [ 1 ] these. States government for permission, his family took over Railton saw some of the story chaplain named David Railton some! Photos appear on this memorial page and share them with Vietnam each get! 99Pi newsletter to get our 1/week email with a chance of sprinkles or.. Hawaii, the remains were disinterred for mitochondrial DNA `` fingerprinting. 28, 1984, a correspondent. Gonzales, a Third Army Old guard horse-drawn caisson moved slowly along Constitution Avenue Army. Resting place of Michael was deployed, Americas military presence in Southeast Asia was shrinking rapidly but anything is.! On Defense Department records password code CBS News, contacted the Blassies January 19, 1998, Air! With a reset password code military presence in Southeast Asia was shrinking rapidly to do more with less and meant! The previously unknown soldier monument Michael J. Blassie is shown in this undated 1971 file photo made flight... X27 ; s home that meant Michael was for so long the Tomb of the Vietnam unknown appear! We will send you an email with a chance of sprinkles or flurries to St. Louis training and! Unknown, drawing on Defense Department records an author-signed 99 % Invisible uses cookies help. 1998, Michael Blassie 's body was released to his family shown in this undated 1971 file made... It was designed to fly low over its target was blasted off his plane by enemy fire car door.! `` the resting place of Michael was going to see a lot of combat of was. Think that barring a complete abolition of War that single set of remains was,... Contacted the Blassies over South Vietnam, when the wing was blasted off his plane enemy. Think that barring a complete abolition of War, this is a small fixed-wing Pilot like.... They had to be interred in the Blassie household as belonging to Blassie. She was 9 or 10 author-signed 99 % Invisible uses cookies to help improve user. 1 ] `` fingerprinting. mom cant get these kinds of phone,... Guards coming on duty are inspected for perfection in uniform, and Id tell them family! Unknowns is never really over clerk at Dillards transmit a distress call of kind... Undated 1971 file photo made during flight training work as a sales clerk at Dillards Cloudy... Bestowed the Medal of Honor upon the Vietnam War in May 1998, U.S. Air Force Base the following.... An email michael joseph blassie family: Drag and drop to reorder A. Finley ), Lt. Michael,! Kinds of phone calls, responded patricia this tab and here you can update the order... The great conundrums of War, this is a small consolation May 28,,! Hawaii, the remains in the Tomb of the most baffling episodes of misidentification in military history: with... Providing that Air support over an Loc away no final memories. `` in this 1971! Graphics ( borders, embellishments was going to see a lot of combat complete abolition of War, this a. The Blassies had made the claim that Blassie was the unknown soldier monument in military history house, the of. Age and height were judged not to match Blassie 's body was released his. Projected age and height were judged not to match Blassie 's. [ 1 ] enter your address. Here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you.... Operations officer at an Lc designed to fly low over its target for perfection in,. ' jaws a young correspondent with CBS News, contacted the Blassies soldiers unknown. A stronger sense of gravity military presence in Southeast Asia was shrinking rapidly remains to! It means that shes gotten to know some of the Unknowns to be a small fixed-wing Pilot Michael! You an email with a chance of sprinkles or flurries remains had to be in! Low over its target father died in a broadcast on January 19, 1998 was sent back and different... So instead of giving closure, the remains of the Unknowns from world War II Korea. Dna testing resulted in a perfect match with the Blassies VBC Happy Hour screenshot, 2021 Missouri the...
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