DVIDS – News – DPAA searches for missing D-Day personnel

In the early hours of June 6, 1944, a multitude of C-47 Skytrain aircraft took off from various bases in southern England towards the French Cotentin Peninsula, carrying more than 13,000 paratroopers as part of the D-Day airborne operations during WWII. II. As C-47 aircraft transported military personnel behind enemy lines, many aircraft were shot down by opposing forces.

Now, nearly 80 years later, a 25-member team from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) conducted a recovery mission in search of missing personnel in the Normandy region of France in April and May 2024. They were searching for three missing airmen whose C-47 Skytrain was likely shot down by German anti-aircraft fire that day.

One of the team members, DPAA Scientific Recovery Expert (SRE) Kristen Baker, has a unique connection to this operation. His grandfather, US Army Tech. Sgt. Buell Adams served as a medic and participated in military operations in the European theater during World War II. As Allied forces moved into southern France during Operation Dragoon, Adams provided medical support to personnel as they moved into northern France and then east, pushing back the forces German troops in Germany during the Battle of the Bulge.

“My grandfather’s service and experiences in World War II had a great influence on my upbringing, and his stories and perspectives on life shaped who I am today,” Baker said. “Being in the same places he fought and might have traveled helps me keep his memories alive.”

As she reflects on her role in the recovery mission, Baker's connection to her grandfather's wartime experiences takes on deeper meaning, fitting her personal journey into the broader mission to honor the sacrifices of generations past.

“While I can't say that participating in recovery missions provides closure, it is very rewarding to be part of resolving the losses caused by my grandfather's war,” he said. -she adds. “Helping finish part of their fight and bringing the fallen home helps keep this generation’s legacy alive.” »

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Nathan Jones, DPAA recovery non-commissioned officer, has participated in several missions, each one making him think and wonder.

“Participating in this mission was a very unique opportunity for me to do something important for veterans and their families who are still waiting for the end,” Jones said. “For the crew members who have not yet returned home, the war continues for them. I don't think it will be over until they are back in the United States and with their families.

As soon as the team arrived on site, the archaeologist set up an excavation grid system to carry out systematic and controlled recovery operations. From there, standard 4 x 4 meter units are carefully searched one by one to efficiently search for any remaining bone material, aircraft wreckage and possible survival equipment through soil screening operations. As members searched the ground, they set aside all possible evidence for the Life Support Systems Investigator (LSI) and SRE to review to facilitate future search operations.

“A significant amount of research and historical investigation went into the basic research for the mission, and months were spent planning for this recovery before coming to the site,” Baker said. “Doing this is part of our nation's promise to bring these service members home after they have paid the ultimate sacrifice, and we also hope to bring answers and hopefully a sense of closure to their family members. “

A variety of personnel with unique specialized jobs have come together to help ensure the success of this mission; Some of the occupations on duty along the LSI and SRE are Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technicians, Medical Personnel, Supply NCO, and Forensic Photographer. A group of individual short-term reinforcements also supported the operation as members of the recovery team where they assisted in a variety of ways including digging and sifting sediment.

This group of personnel came together to utilize a variety of tools, methods, and systems throughout the recovery mission. This helped maximize time and space on site to ensure successful operations.

“Leading this search mission for the three missing personnel is very special because of the significance of what these men sought to do that day and paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country,” said Captain Brian Foxworth, DPAA team leader. “It was great to see so many different people from all walks of life come together and work from each other's strengths to hopefully bring accountability to those who are missing and give their families closure.”

Once the mission is completed, all potentially probative skeletal material is transferred to the DPAA laboratory at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, for further analysis and identification by forensic anthropologists.

“All evidence is closely inspected and, if it may be probative, is collected and recorded throughout the recovery mission before being transferred to Offutt's laboratory for osteological analysis,” Baker said. “The length of the identification process will depend on the quantity and quality of any bone material we recover from the site.”

There are approximately 72,000 military personnel missing from World War II, and of these, approximately 1,438 are currently missing in France. DPAA personnel and partners will continue their investigation and recovery efforts searching for the missing until they are all repatriated.

“All missions we undertake are noble and honorable, but knowing the outcome of the D-Day invasion and the impact it had on the war makes this mission truly special as we search for our fallen service members.” , Foxworth said. “Helping others through the challenges of closure after the loss of a loved one is what we are here to do, and it is something that is close to our hearts.”