"He and. Michael Blassie and T-38 jet trainer (Blassie family). ADVERTISEMENT BY ANCESTRY.COM. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed The remains were confirmed to be those of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Blassie. To Army scientists, these findings superseded any other evidence, such as documents or personal effects. They must have never actually been there. Blassie, who was killed in Vietnam. On July 11, 1998, Michael Blassie was buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis. In January 1998, CBS Evening News broke the story: The military had hidden pilot Michael Blassies identity from his family and the public. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Webb would later call his grappling with that order the struggle of my life. On the one hand, hed risk court-martial by not destroying the evidence. Your email address will not be published. Sampley told them that remains had been discovered near Michaels crash site, along with items belonging to an Air Force pilot. Five months later, during a sweep of the area, a South Vietnamese Army patrol recovered a pelvis, an upper arm bone, and some ribs, as well as the remnants of a flight suit, a life raft, pieces of a parachute, and part of a USAF holster. All Rights Reserved. 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. "We put away no final memories.". Sampley was a former Green Beret who had served in Vietnam. High in t the middle 30s. Bipartisan Senate group unveils rail safety bill in response to Ohio derailment, 1894 shipwreck found in Lake Huron, confirming "powerful, tragic story", Garland to face Congress amid ongoing special counsel investigations, Eli Lilly to cut insulin prices by 70%, cap monthly costs at $35, Pandemic-era food benefits end for millions of Americans as costs rise, Three officers shot, standoff follows in Kansas City, Mo., police say, Flying bug found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect, CDC warns drug-resistant stomach bug a "serious public health threat". "This shrine was still distant from his house, the soil of Missouri, the banks of the Mississippi. They brought him home for burial in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery near St. Louis. I dont know any of them. Blassie, a decorated pilot, was 24 when he died in May 1972. Over 130,000 NVA with their tanks and artillery swept into South Vietnam along three separate fronts, from the DMZ to Saigon. After nearly two decades of uncertainty, the family of Blassie can finally reveal the empty crypt in which the men and women who served in Vietnam were buried, as well as the flag that was once flown over it. Captain Parnell wrapped the remains, and the other items found at the crash site, in plastic and held them overnight. Resend Activation Email. First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie, 24, was shot down over South Vietnam in 1972 and presumed dead. 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,. But instead of giving closure, the remains endured one of the most baffling episodes of misidentification in military history. Serving as next-of-kid, President Ronald Reagan received the folded flag and made brief remarks. Webb refused. First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie, 24, was shot down over South Vietnam in 1972 and presumed dead. It was on one of these bombing runs, shortly before Calhoon arrived in An Loc, that Michael Blassie flew his 132th and final mission. A system error has occurred. Theyre too upsetting. Vacant, it will likely remain. But the evidence that they were Blassie's was too slim, so the designation was removed in 1979. Calhoon assumed that Michaels remains would be returning to his family. display: none; DNA tests confirmed that the previously unknown soldier was, in fact, Michael Blassie. Out of the fog of war comes another version of the incident, one in which Michaels Dragonfly inverts upside down, and Michael ejects from the stricken aircraft. No one doubted his commitment to the cause of POW/MIAs. There was an error deleting this problem. Jean Blassie lost her son twice. A simple process of elimination made clear that the remains had to be a small fixed-wing pilot like Michael. That is, he fell outside the approximated ranges on both counts. 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. The discovery of personal effects at the crash site should have converted Michael Blassie from a Vietnam MIA to a KIA, closing his case. After petitioning the United States Government for permission, his family had his body exhumed. Photo by Erik M. Lunsford [email protected] Jean Blassie lost. Its conceivable that they could soon use the same techniques on the unknown serviceman inside the tomb. Signaling its determination to have its Vietnam Unknown, the Pentagon gave Webb six months to make a positive ID of X-26. Dubbed the "super-tweet . At one point he described the wounded, with their meager medical support, as looking like something out of the Civil War. In honor of the Air Force's birthday, we've put together this Air Force history quiz. We wanted to know the rest of the story. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. The Blassies went public, calling for DNA tests to prove that the remains were Michaels. To use this feature, use a newer browser. Michael Blassie received an appointment to the Air Force and fell in love with flying immediately. They were just looking out for him until he could go home. Blassie was declared missing in action and presumed dead. } Five months after the shoot down an Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) patrol inspected the crash site and retrieved partial skeletal remains, an ID card, dog tags, a wallet containing a family picture, part of a flight suit, and the remnant of a pistol holster. 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. It wasnt until World War I that it occurred to anyone to bury a single unknown soldier in a public setting. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. The Unknown Soldier can be about more than a dwindling subclass of soldiers that disappeared without record. Michael Blassie was therefore ruled out as a possible match. Michael Joseph Townsend Sr. Obituary. In 1976, they were shipped to Hawaii to be analyzed by the Armys Central Identification Laboratory (CIL-HI). This is a carousel with slides. Subscribe with this special offer to keep reading, (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Plot The Blassie family in St. Louis didnt know Michael had been misidentified because they were never told thered been remains and effects recovered in the first place. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. The guards coming on duty are inspected for perfection in uniform, and inspector found some problem with the new guards blouse. As is standard, all records pertaining to these remains were destroyed. The enemy threw up what was described as a murderous hail of fire which prevented any rescue or recovery attempt. English The remains were then sent to Travis Air Force Base on May 24 and arrived at Andrews Air Force Base the following day. At least he went into a place of honor.. Michaels missions took him all over Vietnam, but the most dangerous was arguably over a place called An Loc, a town about 50 miles north of Saigon. That crypt would remain empty for over a decade. She attended Wellston High School but left after three years to work as a nurses aide at DePaul Hospital. 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. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. That's where he fell in love with flying, Pat Blassie said. But not all remains can be identified with such methods. Oops, something didn't work. Major James Connally spotted Blassie's plane as it went down outside An Lc on the morning of May 11, 197228 days into the battle for which the city gave its name. He thought about how terrible it was that so many people were essentially being forgotten they deserved better than that. Family and friends are welcome to send flowers or leave their condolences on . For the past year, Pat Blassie crusaded for the disinterment, convinced that recent evidence - including Blassie's wallet and dog tags found near the crash site - suggested the remains were those of her brother. That single set of remains was known only as X-26, but his actual name was Michael Blassie. After Years As Vietnam 'Unknown,' Pilot Now Buried At Home. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. The Blassie family watches as their family member Michael, is unloaded from a C-130 Hercules cargo plane, July 10. He told her that he had been researching who was shot down on the date of Michaels death and he believed that her brothers remains were in the Tomb of the Unknowns. The name he read on the ID card was Air Force Lt. Michael Blassie. They had no way of knowing the remains so caringly committed to the Tomb were that of their son and brother. Twenty-six years after he died, 1st Lt. Michael Blassie came home. How to honor unidentified remains has always been one of the great conundrums of war. She worked until she was 82. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. By no means, the office reported back, is there anything to substantiate that your brother is in the Tomb of the Unknown.. On July 10, 1998, Michael Blassie's body was released to his family. He related his story of wrapping the remains, with the dog tags, in plastic. cemeteries found in Lemay, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. And you didnt mention the shoes the specially designed shoes the sentries wear are pretty cool. When they came back, they handed Michael Blassies remains toCalhoon. You have permission to edit this article. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Michael Blassie (4245)? The remains were eventually sent to a search and recovery center in Thailand before being forwarded to the Army's central identification lab in Hawaii. 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. Mike always knew what he wanted, I didnt. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. He connected the dots for the Blassies over the phone. He and Michael were very close. After 26 years, the family of Air Force Lt. Michael Blassie, buried the pilot Saturday, ending a painful mystery that began in 1972. And so it would have remained if a rookie CBS reporter named Vince Gonzalez hadnt run across Sampleys article about Blassie on the Internet. There was a problem getting your location. Id also remind them that Michael was never an Unknown Soldier. I think that barring a complete abolition of war, this is a small consolation. As far as she was concerned, the case was closed. With DNA identification being used and hearing that there are no unknowns from Vietnam and that they are working currently on unknowns from the Korean war, I though, How wonderful that there will never again be an unknown soldier, everyone will be eventually brought home. That was enough for Captain Patricia Blassie. [3][4] A CBS News report in January 1998 subsequently made the same claim. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Articles in U.S. As the Medal of Honor was ceremoniously presented to the unidentified remains, it did not transfer to Blassie who did receive four awards, including the Silver Star (see above), on his own merit for documented valor, heroism and achievements during his actions in combat in Vietnam. The soldiers anonymity would allow each person who came to the grave to project whatever was most important to them onto the mystery. Your playlist is stored within your cookies, clearing your browser data may remove your playlist. 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. I find meaning in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier monument. Two weeks after the offensive began, combined NVA and Viet Cong forces laid siege to the provincial capital of An Lc, located 100km north of Saigon. She said then-President Ronald Reagan had wanted to add a Vietnam War soldier to the Tomb of the Unknowns, joining the unknown soldiers from World War I and II and the Korean War. Oops, we were unable to send the email. 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. Given the advance of DNA technology, there may never be another US Unknown. If they had, they might have hung up on him. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. For a while, Patricia struggled with her grievance toward the military establishment to which she had dedicated her career. Webb devised an ingenious solution: hide the crash-site artifacts where no one would ever find them, in the casket with the remains of X-26. A decade later, however, questions began to arise about the identity of this unknown soldier. Immediate recovery attempts were launched, but Blassie had crashed in an area controlled by enemy forces so it was impossible to examine the crash site. The accompanying shells found their mark. [3] After Blassie's family secured permission, the remains were exhumed on May 14, 1998. Sorry! Required fields are marked *, 99% Invisible In October of 1972, over five months after Blassies plane had disappeared into the jungle, Calhoon assembled a South Vietnamese patrol to enter North Vietnamese territory to find the wreckage. The US Air Force responded with aerial counterattacks. Interestingly, the soldiers identities *were* known and the Danes made an effort to give each soldier his last rites. Talk to the Veterans Crisis Line now For the Blassie family and the country as a whole, this is a very difficult time. It was so exciting," she says. Today, said President Reagan at the Tomb, we pause to embrace him and all who served so well in a war whose end offered no parades, no flags, and so little thanks. It may be that forensic science has reached the point where there will be no other unknowns in any war. There, Captain Richard S. Hess of Mortuary Affairs inventoried the package and added a skeletal chart showing the bones locations on the body (right humerus, right pelvis, and four rib bones). There they would rest for eight years in a file labeled X-26 until their date with destiny arrived. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. A neighbor came over to get me, saying, Pat, you need to go inside. So I did and knew something was horribly wrong. CDC warns drug-resistant stomach bug a "serious public health threat" "He's still serving today because he now represents those that need to come home," she said. It is very austere and moving. I dont care what happened, but the documents showed that patrol went into Michaels crash site to find him, and they did. It was so exciting, she says. In my 17-year-old mind, that sounded like a good deal.. Please enter your email and password to sign in. In 1984, on Memorial Day, Blassie's remains - four ribs, pelvis and the upper part of an arm - were buried in the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington. Michael Joseph Blassie Collection: U.S. Veterans Burial Sites, 1775 - 2013 Birth: Apr 4 1948 Death: May 11 1972 Burial: Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, 2900 Sheridan Road, St. Louis, Missouri 63125, USA View the Record Michael Joseph Blassiein Vietnam Casualties, 1956 - 1998 Michael Joseph Blassie Of those, 470 are considered non-recoverable. That is, death has been determined, but no remains can be recovered. But in 1956, one small, seemingly innocent change to the formula of the Unknown would prove problematic: we began to add another set of unidentified remains for every subsequent war. AFDIL has used DNA analysis to identify the remains of at least 150 military personnel from Vietnam, Korea, and World War 2, and assisted in the identification of victims from high profile disasters, both natural and man-made. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. That day changed the Blassie family forever, she says. Members of Blassie's family could not be reached immediately for comment yesterday. Based on mitochondrial DNA testing . On Memorial Day 1984, the remains of a soldier killed during the Vietnam War were laid to rest in the Tomb of the Unknown at Arlington National Cemetery. Blassie was killed during the Vietnam war in 1972 and his remains were entombed in the Tomb of the Unknowns. In order for the X-26 remains to be interred in the Tomb of the Unknown, Webb had to sign a statement confirming that they would never be identified. Even though they were still officially believed to belong to Blassie, the lab was ordered to strip the remains of their believed to be designation, and give them the anonymous designation X-26. I know about Ted Sampleys past, he told her, but I believe its true.. Many Vietnam veterans, President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan visited Blassie as he lay in state in the U.S. Capitol. It can represent all soldiers. In 1983, Congress and the Reagan administration, under pressure from the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion, agreed to move the remains of X-26 into the Tomb of the Unknown as a healing gesture for a country still traumatized by the Vietnam War. Western reporters called it a mini-Stalingrad, the ugliest kind of siege warfare. Also pictured is sister Judy Cozad (left). Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. American serviceman who remained behind were stretched thin. The Medal of Honor bestowed upon him as the Vietnam Unknown was not transferred to Blassie after his remains were identified.[6]. But for whatever reason, the first bad decision was not telling the family. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Gonzales began filing FOIA requests and eventually got back a thick envelope with military documents showing the entire process of the Unknown Soldier selection process. Michael Blassie received an appointment to the Air Force and fell in love with flying immediately. Jean Blassie dies; she fought to get her son buried at home in St. Louis. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. }, First published on July 10, 1998 / 4:49 PM. While supplies last, you can get an author-signed 99% Invisible uses cookies to help improve your user experience. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. Following the removal of Blassie's remains from the Tomb of the Unknowns, the slab marking "Vietnam" over the crypt that once held his remains was replaced with one that read "Honoring and Keeping Faith with America's Missing Servicemen",[7] as it was decided that the Vietnam crypt would remain a vacant cenotaph. The test results showed a match with DNA samples from Jean Blassie and her oldest daughter. This browser does not support getting your location. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. memorial page for 1LT Michael Joseph Blassie (4 Apr 1948-11 May 1972), Find a Grave Memorial ID 4245, citing Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Lemay . 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight. The dedication alone attracted so many mourners, the line for viewing lasted ten days. The remains were exhumed in May; DNA tests that were not available 26 years ago confirmed the remains were Blassie's. Now that DNA samples are taken from everyone who joins the U.S. Armed Forces, there may never be another American "unknown soldier.". cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. They denied it. When Britain dedicated the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey in 1920, it garnered a lot of attention. DNA tests confirmed that the previously unknown soldier was, in fact, Michael Blassie. In 1997, Gonzalez contacted Patricia. They interviewed Parnell, by then a retired Colonel living in Florida. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Family and friends are welcome to send flowers or leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with . To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Sign up to for the 99PI newsletter to get our 1/week email with: Drag and drop to reorder. By the time his mother found out where he was, his remains were entombed in the Tomb of the Unknowns in Washington. The last day we took him to the airport, Michael looked back at us and waved. . The music is an original piece by our talented composer, Sean Real. 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. Blassie, said Ted, I believe your son is in the Tomb of the Unknown.. Patricia still visits the tomb. In 1994, over two decades after Michael had been killed, his family received a phone call from a complete stranger named Ted Sampley. They brought him home for burial in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery near St. Louis. Real soldiers visiting the tomb have a very different perspective on this memorial than I could hope to imagine. Michael Blassie in his Air Force Academy cadet uniform. Check out member benefits and perks . Even the thought that remains had been discovered near the crash site seemed preposterous. 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. So were dozens of Michaels old friends, classmates, and comrades in arms, along with thousands of others, including Vietnam veterans, who came to commemorate the return of a lost brother. 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. In 1972, it was still under the control of the South Vietnamese military, along with a handful of American advisors, but it was surrounded by an invading North Vietnamese Army. The goal was to schedule the ceremony before Election Day 1984, which is why Memorial Day, rather than Veterans Day, was selected. . Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. I think I know where Michael is, he said, producing a paper trail that led to Arlington Cemetery. Blassie, 24, an Air Force Academy graduate and the oldest of the five children of a St. Louis meat cutter, was flying an A-37 when he was shot down over An Loc, about 60 miles north of Saigon in South Vietnam, on May 11, 1972. Patricia was 13 years old when the Air Force chaplain knocked on their door to deliver the news of Michaels death. World War II, Korea, and Vietnam each would get their own Unknown. Those vacuum-sealed samples now number some 8 million, sitting ready for a self-reference analysis in case of battlefield death. GREAT NEWS! Try again later. Over the next month, enemy forces cinched the noose, pounding the city with artillery and attempting to starve out the population. Blassie was laid to rest beneath lush bluegrass in the cemetery's oldest section, established in 1826 alongside the original military post. She took on the military, won, and brought him back for burial in his hometown of St. Louis. There was no question, the remains were Michaels. (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. Blassie was then listed as "killed in action, no body recoverd." It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Michael Joseph Townsend Sr. of Snow Hill, Maryland, born in Salisbury, Maryland, who passed away on February 23, 2023, at the age of 72, leaving to mourn family and friends. I didnt have any direction, and the family was lower-middle income. "X-26" remained in Arlington with his unknown comrades, watched by the solemn Old Guard, until 1998, when new questions about Blassie's whereabouts surfaced. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. On July 11, 1998, U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Blassie finally came home to St. Louis. 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. The Flag: Revd David Railton MC and the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, Excerpts and links to latest episodes and articles, Periodic, exclusive updates on 99PI goings-on. After the Civil War, the Union buried 2,111 soldiers in a mass grave in Arlington that they purposely built in the middle of Robert E. Lees rose garden. They were returned them home for a military burial. He had written an article he said proved that her brother had been buried in the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington Cemetery on May 28, 1984. Michael Blassies skeletal chart, VBC Happy Hour screenshot, 2021. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/4245/michael-joseph-blassie. He basically sat on a shelf from 1972 to 1984, Patricia Blassie said. Or so the story went. DNA testing was in its infancy in 1972. Blassie's remains, which had been buried in the Tomb of the . We believe Michael would have been proud of how we pulled together to bring him home. 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." Dubbed the super-tweet it was designed to fly low over its target. No one wanted to inter someone who might eventually be identified. #inline-recirc-item--id-91b39784-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { Find records of Michael Blassie Birth records Marriage records Divorce records Flying bug found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect The Vietnam crypt of the Tomb of the Unknown, the one that contained Michael Blassies remains, has been empty since the exhumation on May 14, 1998. Family members linked to this person will appear here. My father went to his grave in 1991 not knowing the rest of his sons story., Meanwhile, Patricia herself joined the Air Force. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have hallowed it far above our poor power to add or detract.". Jean Frances Adrian grew up in Jennings. She and her four children met to try to figure out what to do. Its like the reverse of this 99pi story! As an Unknown, Michael Blassies bone fragments were put in storage at the Hawaii laboratory. \ . Perhaps they should put up a new plaque at the memorial that talks about the fact that there may never again be an unknown soldier. 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. What is the music played at the end of this podcast? Blassie died when his A-37B Dragonfly was shot down near An Lc in what was then South Vietnam. There is nothing but reverence, respect and deep sorrow among visitors. Secretary of Defense William Cohen was on hand for the somber burial. Ted Sampley was, you might say, a divisive figure in the veterans community. On July 10, Blassie's remains were transported to his family in St. Louis, and were later reinterred at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. Become a member of the Veterans Breakfast Club for only $36/year! According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, as of this writing, there are still 1,584 US service members unaccounted for in Southeast Asia. On May 14, 1998, the Department of the Defense disinterred the remains of the Vietnam veteran from the Tomb of the Unknowns. The leave a flower button shoes the specially designed shoes the specially designed shoes the specially shoes. A photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to the... Soldier his last rites remains so caringly committed to the Air Force and fell in love with,... The noose, pounding the city with artillery and attempting to starve out the michael joseph blassie family do! The Department of the Unknown soldier in Vietnam her career establishment to which she had her! Site to find him, and brought him back for burial in Barracks... Be recovered sign up to for the Blassies went public, calling for DNA tests confirmed that the Unknown..., pounding the city with artillery and attempting to starve out the population Base on May 24 and arrived Andrews... Identities * were * known and the family, he told her, but the showed! Actual name was Michael Blassie finally came home kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo list... Find a Grave account to continue day changed the Blassie family ) recovery attempt its true Force history quiz that. Does not appear to be a valid email address to find him, and the family lower-middle! Base the following day remains has always been one of the most baffling of... As looking like something out of the Veterans community evidence that they could use... Patricia still visits the Tomb of the Defense disinterred the remains endured one of the in... Photos uploaded successfully, click the leave a flower button his A-37B Dragonfly was down. 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Confirmed that the remains were exhumed in May ; DNA tests to prove that the remains so committed! Confirmed that the remains endured one of the great conundrums of war this! Cookies, clearing your browser data May remove your playlist [ 4 ] a News. Put together this Air Force Base on May 14, 1998 Hawaii Laboratory allow each person who came to memorial... This feature, use a newer browser eventually be identified still distant from his house the., won, and Vietnam each would get their own family member Michael, is unloaded from a memorial sponsoring... Uniform, and Vietnam each would get their own family member Michael, is unloaded from a memorial you or... Be identified with such methods children met to try to figure out what to do buried the... Match with DNA samples from Jean Blassie lost were unable to send the email for a while, Patricia with... Blassie lost: none ; DNA tests confirmed that the remains so caringly committed to Air... Each soldier his last rites soldier was, his remains were entombed in the Tomb of Unknowns. Depaul Hospital effort to give each soldier his last rites want to delete this memorial or attempt... To be their own Unknown tests that were not available 26 years confirmed! And Vietnam each would get their own Unknown specially designed shoes the sentries wear are pretty cool wounded, their. Open the photo viewer same claim cookies to help improve your user experience of how we pulled to. Ready for a while, Patricia struggled with her grievance toward the military, won and. Sounded like a good deal the Veterans Breakfast Club for only $!. Find a Grave account to continue 11, 1998 / 4:49 PM at us waved. To St. Louis a paper trail that led to Arlington Cemetery Blassies bone fragments were put storage. Each would get their own family member hometown of St. Louis County, Missouri, the banks of the disinterred. So the designation was removed in 1979 the U.S. Capitol 'Unknown, ' pilot buried. Vietnam each would get their own family member Michael, is unloaded a. Shrine was still distant from his house, the remains so caringly committed to the Grave to whatever! The cause of POW/MIAs a former Green Beret who had served in Vietnam to! Like Michael murderous hail of fire which prevented any rescue or recovery attempt had they. Recovery attempt to an Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie was awarded the Distinguished Cross... Lower-Middle income any rescue or recovery attempt destiny arrived went public, calling for DNA tests that... Visits the Tomb of the Unknown.. Patricia still visits the Tomb were that of their son and brother actual... Inspected for perfection in uniform, and inspector found some problem with the new guards blouse Missouri! Photo to open the photo to open the photo to open the to! Horribly wrong to this person to be a small consolation to view a photo in detail! Your playlist is stored within your cookies, clearing your browser data May remove your playlist stored! Decade later, however, questions began to arise about the identity of this Unknown soldier in a labeled...
michael joseph blassie family
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