WW2 MIA

[badougsr]

I have always wondered about those MIA during WW2. US Officals quoted numbers about 20,000 in the late 1940s, later thenumbers dropped to 3,000 in the 1960s.

So I checked the offical website here is the latest. http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/worldwarii/worldw...war_history.htm

[Walt's Daughter]

Fascinating stats. I also wondered about this. I imagine that numbers were much harder to confirm 60 years ago than they are today.

 

I had seen a show in the last year on TV that spoke about men who made a point to do archeological digs. Many of them found the remains of GI's in the remote forest areas, etc. of Europe for instance. Through the processes available today, they can try and determine who these unfortunate missing men are.

 

I have added it to the revamped LINKS page that I am working on tonight.

[Walt's Daughter]

Adding this here for Rocky:

 

PDHinkle; I just looked in my scrapbook and came to the

page put out by the Military Archives on stats. of the

34th Divn. QUOTE "The price of victory had come high to

the 34th. Divn.***3,737 K.I.A.-14,165 Wounded and

3,460 MIA total battle casualties 21,362 and t`he list is

still not final. this from Nov. 8. 1942 to May 2, 1945.

Just thought I would give this as to what the 34th had. R.J.R.

[pdhinkle]

I rmember the 34th ID b eing in Italy with the 36th ID Rough war for both.

 

In the 90s when a lot of WW2 vets could still make the trip, battle field tours were heading for Europe every year. One group that fought in the Bulge had a former Company Cammander as a tour Guide. One Vet said we had a Lt. That was MIA after we were ordered to move up. He looked to the side and saw His Lt. get out of his foxhole and give the order. When they reached their objective the Lt. was not there.They moved on and never saw him again.

So the tour guide said where was his fochole? Over there! THey wlaked over to a clump of bushes and he pointed, right there. They scraped away some leaves and saw a pair of combat boots sticking out of the ground ina partially filled fixhole! His Lt. was found afetr 50 years as MIA, thnaks to one Veteran who focused on him during the tour.

[Walt's Daughter]

Oh my God Paul! That is just astounding news. Can you imagine the shock of the crowd when the discovery was made. Seems incredible, but these things do happen. 50 years, just blows you away.