WWII hero's remains finally coming home after 80-year mystery is solved through military dedication
In the summer of 1943, U.S. Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Henry J. Carlin, a 27-year-old from Philadelphia, was among six crew members aboard a B-25C "Mitchell" bomber that went down during a low-altitude raid in Meiktila, Burma.
Carlin's remains and those of three others on board were not recovered after the war, and they were declared missing in action.
The other two surviving crew members were captured by Japanese forces, according to the report. It is unclear if they returned home.
The four heroes' remains were buried in a common grave near Kyunpobin, Burma, without identification, and later recovered by the American Grave Registration Service in 1947.
Witnesses only described them as being from an "American crash," complicating the identification process.
The bodies, listed as "unknowns" in Honolulu's National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, were exhumed in 2022, after the Department of Defense approved the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency's (DPAA) disinterment request.
To identify Carlin's remains, scientists from DPAA used dental, anthropological and radio isotope analysis. The Armed Forces Medical Examiner System also used mitochondrial DNA analysis to make a positive ID, which was confirmed April 16.
Bringing closure to a mystery that spanned generations, Carlin's remains will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery in May 2026.
Carlin's name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in the Philippines, along with the others missing from WWII, according to the DPAA. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
Carlin served as a navigator and was a member of the 22nd Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 341st Bombardment Group (Medium), 10th Air Force.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bloomberg
5 hours ago
- Bloomberg
World Hunger Easing Despite Rise in Food Prices, UN Report Says
World hunger fell in 2024, as declines in Asia and South America offset an increase in the number of people who lacked adequate diets in Africa, according to a UN analysis released Monday. The share of the global population that couldn't afford enough food slipped to 8.2% in 2024 from 8.5% the year before, according to the report from the Food and Agriculture Organization. Improved food security in Southeast and South Asia and South America helped boost the global average.
Associated Press
9 hours ago
- Associated Press
All 3 people aboard a small plane that crashed in the ocean off California died, officials say
MONTEREY, Calif. (AP) — All three people aboard a small twin-engine plane that crashed into the Pacific Ocean off California's central coast perished, law enforcement officials said. The Monterey County Sheriff's Office confirmed late Sunday that the three occupants of the plane that went down about 300 yards (275 meters) off Point Pinos were dead. Officials didn't say what led to the Saturday crash. Witnesses said they heard an aircraft engine revving and then a splash in the water, KSBW-TV reported. People on shore later reported seeing debris wash up from the crashed plane. The twin-engine Beech 95-B55 Baron with three people aboard took off from the San Carlos airport at 10:11 p.m. and was last seen at 10:37 p.m. near Monterey, according to flight tracking data from Searchers in a boat found one person around 3 a.m. Divers found the remaining two people inside the aircraft between 6:30 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. All three were unresponsive, the Coast Guard said. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.
Fox News
9 hours ago
- Fox News
Army ROTC cadet dies during training at Fort Knox
An Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) cadet died during a summer training camp at Fort Knox, Kentucky, officials announced on Saturday. Cadet Neil Edara, 22, of Ridgewood, New Jersey, passed away during training on the Land Navigation site at Fort Knox on July 24, U.S. Army Cadet Command said in a statement. Edara joined ROTC at Rutgers University in September 2021. He was attending Cadet Summer Training as part of 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp. "Edara became unresponsive while conducting Land Navigation Training. He received immediate medical attention and was medically evacuated by helicopter to the University of Louisville, where he was pronounced deceased by medical professionals," U.S. Army Cadet Command said. "At this time, the cause of death is under investigation." Lt. Col. Timothy Sorensen, professor of military science, Rutgers University, described Edara as "one of the most dedicated and promising young leaders I've had the privilege to know." "His calm collected demeanor and unwavering commitment to excellence left a lasting impact on everyone around him," Sorensen added in a statement. "His loss is deeply felt across the entire ROTC and Rutgers community. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time." U.S. Army Cadet Command said the safety of cadets and cadre remains its top priority as training continues and "cadets have access to religious affairs or spiritual counseling and support as required." Fort Knox houses the U.S. Bullion Depository, often simply called the "Gold Vault." Built in 1936, the vault is believed to hold a large portion of U.S. gold reserves. The last audit happened in 1976. President Donald Trump in February said he wanted to visit Fort Knox along with Elon Musk and his so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) at the time to verify the presence of gold. Fort Knox also hosts a wide range of military and training operations primarily focused on leadership and tactical readiness. Its land navigation sites feature varied terrain, including rolling woods, open fields and gravel roads.
