michael joseph blassie family

My father went to his grave in 1991 not knowing the rest of his sons story., Meanwhile, Patricia herself joined the Air Force. Another perspective on this issue is that all soldiers are unknown. There is a problem with your email/password. Human beings have copies of DNA from each biological parent, stored in the nucleus of every cell. 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. Many thanks for such a great show, this episode and all the others~ A fellow airman saw tracer rounds directed toward Mikes A-37. The music is an original piece by our talented composer, Sean Real. There, a plaque holds words from. The remains were reclassified as unknown when their projected age and height were judged not to match Blassie's.[1]. Whatever was known about the remains of the Vietnam Unknown had never been revealed. His sister, Pat Blassie, was 10 years younger than her brother, but she remembered he started working as a kid by selling newspapers on the street corner. 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. The remains were exhumed in May; DNA tests that were not available 26 years ago confirmed the remains were Blassie's. The gravesite of 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery on Thursday, June 13, 2013. Blood samples were collected from Patricias mother and older sister. 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. The Blassie family watches as their family member Michael, is unloaded from a C-130 Hercules cargo plane, July 10. The dedication alone attracted so many mourners, the line for viewing lasted ten days. I didnt even know how to go about college. After his remains were identified by DNA testing in 1998, they were reburied at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis County, Missouri. With the invention of the polymerase chain reaction in 1985, DNA analysis moved to the forefront of forensic technologies. It wasnt until World War I that it occurred to anyone to bury a single unknown soldier in a public setting. And they never learned the truth: that their son Michaels remains were discovered some five months after his death. The US Air Force responded with aerial counterattacks. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Blassie's unidentified remains were designated as the Vietnam Unknown service member by Medal of Honor recipient U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Michael Joseph Blassie was a United States Air Force officer who was killed in action during the Vietnam War in May 1972. Jean Blassie, mother of 1st Lt. Michael Blassie, 1998. From a computer genius to a popular sitcom star, talented women have made their mark in the U.S. military. With the conflicting information between the forensic analysis and the physical evidence, the remains were designated as "Unknown" and assigned the number "X-26.". This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. "We were all so proud of him. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have hallowed it far above our poor power to add or detract.". It may be that forensic science has reached the point where there will be no other unknowns in any war. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. In January 1998, CBS Evening News broke the story: The military had hidden pilot Michael Blassies identity from his family and the public. He and Michael were very close. Photo by Erik M. Lunsford elunsford@post-dispatch.com Jean Blassie lost. Pressure began to mount in Washington to place a service member from Vietnam in the tomb of the unknowns, but by 1980 the Blassie remains were the only ones left that hadnt been conclusively identified. Articles in U.S. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. Flying bug found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. CDC warns drug-resistant stomach bug a "serious public health threat" 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. The report triggered a speedy response from the Department of Defense which, after its own investigation, ordered the Tomb to be opened and the Vietnam Unknowns remains to undergo DNA testing at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. A 1970 graduate of the Air Force Academy, Mike qualified on the A-37B Dragonfly (Super Tweet) Cessna attack aircraft. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. On July 10, 1998, Michael Blassie's body was released to his family. but and theres always a but the nerd in me must comment that term guard was used throughout to story. I thought, What is that? I went into the backyard and waited, I mean, everything seemed so strange. The goal was to schedule the ceremony before Election Day 1984, which is why Memorial Day, rather than Veterans Day, was selected. Mike always knew what he wanted, I didnt. Air Force jets fly over Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery during the burial of Lt. Michael Blassie, July 11. In honor of the Air Force's birthday, we've put together this Air Force history quiz. 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. That crypt would remain empty for over a decade. . During a tour of Vietnam, he served as a member of the 8th Special Operations Squadron. [1] He then attended Undergraduate Pilot Training, receiving his aeronautical rating as an Air Force pilot in 1971. The pressures of war put a premium on closing cases and moving on, getting the job done even if that meant rushing lab reports. The aircraft went down in flames. 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. Her father died in a traffic accident when she was 9 or 10. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. (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 neighbor came over to get me, saying, Pat, you need to go inside. So I did and knew something was horribly wrong. First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie (April 4, 1948 - May 11, 1972) was an officer in the United States Air Force. Michael's younger sister, Patricia Blassie, was seven years old when her big brother with the gentle smile left for the Air Force Academy in 1966. United States Air Force Vietnam Veteran. 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. But Mrs. Blassie also had a hunch. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. 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. Its conceivable that they could soon use the same techniques on the unknown serviceman inside the tomb. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses reelection bid. Major James Connally, Blassies flight commander, described the tragic incident in a letter to Michaels parents: Mikes plane was hit and began streaming fuel. The Blassies went public, calling for DNA tests to prove that the remains were Michaels. Its just an outsiders way of honoring all of your sacrifices. Calhoon assumed that Michaels remains would be returning to his family. The saga of the Vietnam crypt of the Tomb of the Unknown is perhaps the darkest chapter of the US Department of Defenses long-running effort to account for POW/MIAs. A decade later, however, questions began to arise about the identity of this unknown soldier. Failed to report flower. On July 10, 1998, Michael Blassie's body was released to his family. The bones were taken to the Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii, where officials said they were "believed to be" those of Blassie. His 138th combat mission ended near An Loc, South Vietnam, when the wing was blasted off his plane by enemy fire. 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. They never got updates on recovery efforts. 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." Improvements in evacuation, recordkeeping, and forensic science meant that almost all US remains recovered from combat zones were identified. I thought you might like to see a memorial for 1LT Michael Joseph Blassie I found on Findagrave.com. The aircraft flew a short distance on its own and then slowly rolled over, exploding on impact in enemy-held territory. What is the music played at the end of this podcast? 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. The DNA testing resulted in a perfect match with the Blassies. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Even the thought that remains had been discovered near the crash site seemed preposterous. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) differs from nuclear DNA because human beings inherit mtDNA solely from the mother and share this information with siblings and maternal relatives. . Sorry! The year after Michael Blassies death, Congress directed the Department of Defense to select the remains of an Unknown Vietnam servicemember to be interred in Arlington National Cemeterys Tomb of the Unknown. Mrs. On July 11, 1998, Michael Blassie was buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis. (2006): Identification of Human Remains. Or so the story went. . Without a positive match, due to Army policy, the Blassie family could not even be told that any remains had been found. Vacant, it will likely remain. That is, he fell outside the approximated ranges on both counts. Mourners are grateful for their extra effort. 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). Then, as more information about those remains was discovered, only one set of remains remained unknown. A simple process of elimination made clear that the remains had to be a small fixed-wing pilot like Michael. DNA tests confirmed that the previously unknown soldier was, in fact, Michael Blassie. It was around this time that David Railton came across a temporary grave, a few miles behind the front, marked only by a cross bearing the name of a regiment and the words: An unknown British soldier.. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. 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. Parnell wrapped the remains with the effects and held them overnight. She says shes not sure why she does it, but it means that shes gotten to know some of the guards. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. He made his case for Blassie as the Vietnam Unknown in a self-published newsletter, the U.S. But I know each one had a life worth living. Thats when a Vietnam veteran and former Green Beret named Ted Sampley called Patricias mother out of the blue. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. In: Spitz, W.U. The Pentagon had kept them in the dark, probably with the good intention of not getting the familys hopes up until Michaels identity could be confirmed. Calhoon assumed that Michaels remains would be returning to his family,but that wasnt the case. 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. } In 1994, over two decades after Michael had been killed, his family received a phone call from a complete stranger named Ted Sampley. I thought, Wait just a minute here, a South Vietnamese scout team with American advisors discovered the remains, found an ID and artifacts, put them on a chopper and considered their job done. Major Johnie Webb was the officer in charge of the Armys Central Identification Laboratory 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. For me the one with the most incredible presentation would have to be in Athens, Greece. I wouldnt think there was a known soldier in the Tomb of the Unknowns, she recalled thinking. These sources reinforced the probability that Michael Blassies remains were in the Tomb. \ . The Army lab in Hawaii removed the BTB designation and, through a later discredited technique called morphological approximation, declared Michael Blassies remains as belonging to Unknown.. While supplies last, you can get an author-signed 99% Invisible uses cookies to help improve your user experience. Please try again later. Scientists at CIL-HI estimated the deceaseds age to be between 26-33 years and height between 65.2-71.5 inches. It was on one of these bombing runs, shortly before Calhoon arrived in An Loc, that Michael Blassie flew his 132th and final mission. Michael Blassie later received an appointment to the Air Force Academy. After hours of discussion, Jean Blassie looked at her children and said, For 26 years, we have been told that Michael was never found, according to an article in Checkpoints magazine. 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Been revealed and knew something was horribly wrong or 10 were discovered some five months after his death collected Patricias!, Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis improvements in evacuation, recordkeeping, and exclusive reporting of every....

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