michael joseph blassie family

Members of Blassie's family could not be reached immediately for comment yesterday. Process of elimination might sounded like it could have worked, until you take in account of the 2000+ MIA service members in that war. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? And so it would have remained if a rookie CBS reporter named Vince Gonzalez hadnt run across Sampleys article about Blassie on the Internet. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. 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. For 14 years, the remains of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie lay beneath the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington. Chuck Norris, U.S. military veteran, and martial arts superstar began honing his skills in Korea while serving in the Air Before he went on to fame as B.A. That's where he fell in love with flying, Pat Blassie said. I signed up the next day. We wanted to know the rest of the story. 1894 shipwreck found in Lake Huron, confirming "powerful, tragic story" Its like the reverse of this 99pi story! He died on May 11, 1972 at age 24. His jet lost a wing, crashed and burned. With the conflicting information between the forensic analysis and the physical evidence, the remains were designated as "Unknown" and assigned the number "X-26.". Photo by Erik M. Lunsford elunsford@post-dispatch.com Jean Blassie lost. Add to your scrapbook. A 1970 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, he served in the Vietnam War as a 1st Lieutenant the 8th Special Operations Squadron. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Sampley had come across some second-hand accounts suggesting that Americas only set of unknown remains from Vietnam had been recovered from an aircraft that had been shot down in 1972. Blood samples were collected from Patricias mother and older sister. Part 2: DNA. Instead, they were simply designated as BTB believed to be Michael Blassie. The dedication alone attracted so many mourners, the line for viewing lasted ten days. Jean Blassie, mother of 1st Lt. Michael Blassie, 1998. Blassie was declared missing in action and presumed dead. Based on mitochondrial DNA testing . They denied it. Find records of Michael Blassie Birth records Marriage records Divorce records On July 10, Blassie's remains arrived home to his family in Saint Louis, Missouri and were later reinterred at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. To many Vietnam veterans, Patricia explains, it was pretty upsetting to have the Vietnam Unknown disinterred. Oops, something didn't work. USAF Honor Guard with Michael Blassies casket, Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery (SSgt Scott Seyer/USAF). Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. 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. The enemy threw up what was described as a murderous hail of fire which prevented any rescue or recovery attempt. Captain Parnell wrapped the remains, and the other items found at the crash site, in plastic and held them overnight. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. East wind * around 10 mph. Michael Blassie The Final Mission. Dubbed the super-tweet it was designed to fly low over its target. After the war, Railton advocated for a grave bearing the body of a single soldier to bring the impossibly large tragedy down to a human scale. The discovery of personal effects at the crash site should have converted Michael Blassie from a Vietnam MIA to a KIA, closing his case. . Michael Joseph Townsend Sr. Obituary. Blassie's unidentified remains were designated as the Vietnam Unknown service member by Medal of Honor recipient U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Mourners included military personnel, veterans and civilians. During my only visit to the Tomb of the Unknowns, during the changing of the guard, I witnessed what may be a rare event. Dad set up a little memorial in the basement and would go down there all the time and just sit., When something like this happens in a family, [it] can bring a family together or tear it apart. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. The bones were taken to the Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii, where officials said they were "believed to be" those of Blassie. Om 1992, the Defense Department started collecting and holding blood samples from all inductees for possible future DNA comparisons. You can watch his conversation with Colonel Patricia Blassie on A Veterans Story on the VBCs YouTube channel, youtube.com/veteransbreakfastclub. The aircraft flew a short distance on its own and then slowly rolled over, exploding on impact in enemy-held territory. His body wouldnt be coming home. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. DNA is also stored in tiny, energy-producing structures in the cells, called mitochondria. Michael Sorkin is a reporter at the Post-Dispatch. Given the advance of DNA technology, there may never be another US Unknown. 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. On May 14, 1998, the Department of the Defense disinterred the remains of the Vietnam veteran from the Tomb of the Unknowns. Sorry! The next morning, he handed the package to a helicopter crew, which delivered it to the Saigon Mortuary. "He's still serving today because he now represents those that need to come home," she said. Michael Blassie and T-38 jet trainer (Blassie family). And they never learned the truth: that their son Michaels remains were discovered some five months after his death. On July 10, Blassie's remains were transported to his family in St. Louis, and were later reinterred at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. Failed to delete memorial. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. This account has been disabled. Many thanks for such a great show, this episode and all the others~ The Easter Offensive was the largest and most conventional ground invasion of the Vietnam War. Patricia was proud also when he headed off to Vietnam six years later. Even though he knew about the missing wallet, the head of the lab, using now outdated techniques, determined that the remains did not match Michael Blassies physical description. Patricia was 13 years old when the Air Force chaplain knocked on their door to deliver the news of Michaels death. Blassie was then listed as "killed in action, no body recoverd." Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Its just an outsiders way of honoring all of your sacrifices. 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. Your donations are vital to keeping us independent and strong! That day changed the Blassie family forever, she says. Year should not be greater than current year. No one wanted to inter someone who might eventually be identified. Updated: June 21, 2016 . "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. Hundreds, including Secretary of Defense William Cohen and House minority leader Richard Gephardt, attended the ceremony. That destiny was already in motion. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. display: block; (2006): Identification of Human Remains. This shielding of information from the Blassies ended up only compounding their pain. Still, as hesitant as he was,Gonzales thought maybe there could be more to the story. Ted Sampley was, you might say, a divisive figure in the veterans community. The ARVN turned the remains and the other crash site items over to Captain William C. Parnell, who was then serving as an operations officer at An Loc. Eli Lilly to cut insulin prices by 70%, cap monthly costs at $35 In addition, a single strand of hair found in the flight suit yielded an estimated blood type O negative. 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. By 1994, Patricia had risen from Airman Basic to Captain and was working in the Pentagon in Public Affairs. One of the most memorable actors ever almost gave it up to be an Air Force pilot. 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. That is, he fell outside the approximated ranges on both counts. On 11 May 1972 the city of An Loc SVN was under attack by North Vietnamese forces during the so-called Spring Offensive. But Mrs. Blassie also had a hunch. The accompanying shells found their mark. The Blassie family wasnt in attendance. 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. We believe Michael would have been proud of how we pulled together to bring him home. Flying bug found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect Try again. In May 1998, the remains were disinterred for mitochondrial DNA "fingerprinting." The remains in the tomb are not even technically referred to as an unknown soldier. No one knows which service theyre from, so instead of soldier or sailor or marine, theyre simply referred to as the Unknown. In fact, anything that narrows the scope of who this person could be including where exactly they were found is purposely withheld from the public in order to make sure that they represent every possible service member. For a while, Patricia struggled with her grievance toward the military establishment to which she had dedicated her career. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? 0 cemeteries found in Lemay, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA. The American memorial is especially beautiful. But not all remains can be identified with such methods. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. Failed to remove flower. They talked to anyone they could find who was involved in the unknown selection process, and when they felt they were ready, they handed over their findings to Patricia Blassie. cemeteries found in Lemay, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. The soldiers anonymity would allow each person who came to the grave to project whatever was most important to them onto the mystery. Major Johnie Webb was the officer in charge of the Armys Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii. Thats when a Vietnam veteran and former Green Beret named Ted Sampley called Patricias mother out of the blue. (AP Photo/James A. Finley), Lt. Michael J. Blassie is shown in this undated 1971 file photo made during flight training. \ . Michael Blassie later received an appointment to the Air Force Academy. That just couldnt be. Real soldiers visiting the tomb have a very different perspective on this memorial than I could hope to imagine. Visit the digital memorial page of Veteran Michael Joseph Blassie where you can share stories, photos, biographies, obituaries, tributes and more. ", 1998 The Associated Press. She says shes not sure why she does it, but it means that shes gotten to know some of the guards. Theyre too upsetting. Blassie was killed during the Vietnam war in 1972 and his remains were entombed in the Tomb of the Unknowns. 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. He believed, for example, that Senator John McCain had been brainwashed at the Hanoi Hilton and was sent back to the US to orchestrate official coverups of living POWs in Southeast Asia. I know about Ted Sampleys past, he told her, but I believe its true.. Calhoon assumed that Michaels remains would be returning to his family,but that wasnt the case. In the early 1990s, Blassie's family received word that his remains might be buried in the Tomb of the Unknown. CBS Evening News went public with the explosive story in a broadcast on January 19, 1998. Try again later. 99pi keep up the great work. Mourners are grateful for their extra effort. "Today was a significant day for us," Blassie's brother, George Blassie said during Friday's service. Prior to the identification of his remains, Blassie was the unknown service member . [6] Her father died in a traffic accident when she was 9 or 10. Though discovered in South Vietnam at the crash site, along with personal effects and survival gear, the remains of US Air Force pilot 1st Lt. Michael Blassie got labeled Unknown. It took the hard work of an eccentric Vietnam veteran activist, an investigative reporter, and the Blassie family to cut through years of bureaucratic bungling, official stonewalling, and government deceit to rescue Blassie from the Tomb and bring him home. Tonight: Occasional mixed rain and snow. Three years later, in 1997, Vince Gonzales, a young correspondent with CBS News, contacted the Blassies. She was sad about Michaels death but was happy to have him back, Patricia Blassie said. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. 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. 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. It can represent all soldiers. Well, my mom cant get these kinds of phone calls, responded Patricia. They never got updates on recovery efforts. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. I think a third section of these guards/ceremonies around the world would have been a great inclusion. Privacy Policy & Terms of Service. Today: Cloudy with a chance of sprinkles or flurries. 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. "We write no last chapters, we close no books," Reagan said. Signaling its determination to have its Vietnam Unknown, the Pentagon gave Webb six months to make a positive ID of X-26. She was 90 and had been a longtime Florissant resident before moving to Mary Queen and Mother Center in St. Louis. She attended Wellston High School but left after three years to work as a nurses aide at DePaul Hospital. 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. Patricia Blassie took the information to officials at the Air Force Casualty Office. Search above to list available cemeteries. First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie (April 4, 1948 - May 11, 1972) was an officer in the United States Air Force. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. The remains were then sent to Travis Air Force Base on May 24 and arrived at Andrews Air Force Base the following day. Make sure that the file is a photo. 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. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. If they had, they might have hung up on him. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}. f\j Weather. The DNA testing resulted in a perfect match with the Blassies. With the invention of the polymerase chain reaction in 1985, DNA analysis moved to the forefront of forensic technologies. Major James Connally, Blassies flight commander, described the tragic incident in a letter to Michaels parents: Mikes plane was hit and began streaming fuel. Think you're a Top Gun at aircraft identification? I thought you might like to see a memorial for 1LT Michael Joseph Blassie I found on Findagrave.com. Blassie dropped in low for a bombing run on attacking forces when enemy anti-aircraft fire boomed from the ground. Two weeks later, Michael Blassie was buried for good near the family's home . They petitioned the Department of Defense to open the site and conduct DNA testing, a technology that had been unavailable . Blassie's remains, which had been buried in the Tomb of the . 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. 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. [5] On June 30, 1998, the Defense Department announced that the Vietnam Unknown had been identified. There were fewer than 25,000 US servicemen left in Vietnam, as opposed to the over 500,000 who had been deployed by the late 1960s. . I never dreamed Id never see Michael again., The Blassie siblings, 1961. This browser does not support getting your location. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. By taking towns and cities in the South, the North Vietnamese sought to gain territory and improve their bargaining position at the Paris Peace talks underway. Morphological approximation presumed that one could determine personal characteristics like age and height by careful examination of bone fragments. I dont care what happened, but the documents showed that patrol went into Michaels crash site to find him, and they did. 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. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. President Reagan presided over the funeral and presented the Medal of Honor to the Vietnam Unknown. Human beings have copies of DNA from each biological parent, stored in the nucleus of every cell. Survivors, in addition to her daughter Patricia, include a son, George Blassie of St. Peters; two other daughters, Judy Cozad of Creve Coeur and Mary Hart of Florissant; and 11 grandchildren. But it doesnt make it right that we interred a known soldier, she added. Test your knowledge! Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. . Jean Blassie called the family together for a round-the-table discussion. "This shrine was still distant from his house, the soil of Missouri, the banks of the Mississippi. Blassie, who was killed in Vietnam. The first time, he was killed, his aircraft shot down while flying a mission during the Vietnam War in 1972. English The ability to match mtDNA between related individuals, and the fact that it does not degrade as rapidly as nuclear DNA, makes it a valuable tool in the identification of human remains. Sampley had no direct evidence proving Michael was in the tomb, but that didnt make him wrong. Oops, we were unable to send the email. 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. We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. He related his story of wrapping the remains, with the dog tags, in plastic. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. By 1972, when Michael was deployed, Americas military presence in Southeast Asia was shrinking rapidly. He also added the critical notation: BTB [Believed to Be] Lt. Blassie, Michael Joseph.. To use this feature, use a newer browser. The President also acted as next of kin to the unidentified Blassie by accepting the interment flag at the end of the ceremony. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses reelection bid While supplies last, you can get an author-signed 99% Invisible uses cookies to help improve your user experience. After 26 years, the family of Air Force Lt. Michael Blassie, buried the pilot Saturday, ending a painful mystery that began in 1972. From top left to bottom right: dog tag chain fragment, signal marker pouch, match holder, parachute survival guide, and ammunition pouch. #inline-recirc-item--id-91b39784-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-91b39784-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { Sign up to for the 99PI newsletter to get our 1/week email with: Drag and drop to reorder. Thanks for your help! You have permission to edit this article. On July 10, 1998, Michael Blassie's body was released to his family. It wasnt until World War I that it occurred to anyone to bury a single unknown soldier in a public setting. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. He was made one., Whenever Patricias mother received criticism for requesting Michaels removal from the Tomb of the Unknown, she would simply shrug and say, Hes not your son.. Armed with the documents, he teamed up with veteran CBS correspondent, Eric Engberg. No other MIA or KIA even remotely near the An Lc location would have possessed a life raft, parachute, and pistol holster. The Blassies didnt know Sampley. I dont know any of them. When they came back, they handed Michael Blassies remains toCalhoon. Forensic anthropologists took the aged and damaged samples of bone for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) testing. It was so exciting, she says. Dont let my viewpoint sully your experience. 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 Air Force jets fly over Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery during the burial of Lt. Michael Blassie, July 11. Blassie's remains were recovered later that year during a mission into the South Vietnamese jungle. 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. Blassie, a decorated pilot, was 24 when he died in May 1972. The next time, the Air Force lost him. Test your Navy knowledge with this Navy history quiz by Military.com. Visible Proofs: Forensic Views of the Body. World War II, Korea, and Vietnam each would get their own Unknown. I thought this is the best example of internet conspiracy garbage Ive seen to date, says Vince Gonzales, a reporter for CBS Denver who came across the story three years later in 1997. His sister Pat described the evidence succinctly: "The trail leads to the tomb." Another perspective on this issue is that all soldiers are unknown. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Joseph Michael Leo Findlan (Amelia, Ohio), who passed away on February 24, 2022, at the age of 71, leaving to mourn family and friends. Parnell wrapped the remains with the effects and held them overnight. Mrs. He was convinced the government wasnt telling veterans everything it knew, and he was calling Patricia Blassie with an outlandish theory about Michaels death. But instead of giving closure, the remains endured one of the most baffling episodes of misidentification in military history. Michael Blassie received an appointment to the Air Force and fell in love with flying immediately. The guards coming on duty are inspected for perfection in uniform, and inspector found some problem with the new guards blouse. Resend Activation Email. 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. 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. The government does not have the right to keep such information from the family., When I looked into all the documents and from my personal research, it was obvious that improper decisions were being made, and all of sudden Michael is the Unknown representing the missing from the Vietnam War. 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. They were initially classified as belonging to Lt. Blassie. 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. 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. Im a former Soldier from Australia, and a Tour Guide around Europe, and i immediately thought of all the different changing of the guards, and unknown Tombs i have visited. Patricia still visits the tomb. They brought him home for burial in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery near St. Louis. Michael Joseph Blassie was a United States Air Force officer who was killed in action during the Vietnam War in May 1972. Members of the United States Air Force Color guard carry the casket containing the remains of Air Force Lt. Michael Blassie on July 10, 1998 at Scott Air Force Base. Defense William Cohen and House minority leader Richard Gephardt, attended the ceremony to a helicopter crew, which it. Fly low over its target like to see a memorial by sponsoring for. Get these kinds of phone calls, responded Patricia: `` the leads. Mother out of the Unknowns of X-26 was pretty upsetting to have him back, struggled. Bury a single Unknown soldier parent, stored in tiny, energy-producing structures in the veterans.. Years to work as a murderous hail of fire which prevented any or. The ground in Hawaii clipboard for pasting or Print unidentified remains were entombed in veterans... While, Patricia struggled with her grievance toward the military establishment to which she had dedicated her career weeks,... Blassies casket, Jefferson Barracks National cemetery ( michael joseph blassie family Scott Seyer/USAF ) which service theyre from so. Simply designated as the Vietnam Unknown had been a longtime Florissant resident before moving Mary... George Blassie said the memorials and decide if they had no direct evidence Michael... Human remains never see Michael again., the banks of the polymerase chain in. World would have remained if a rookie CBS reporter named Vince Gonzalez hadnt run across article! On the photos in the gallery the forefront of forensic technologies compounding pain! Into Michaels crash site, in plastic attended the ceremony or on the < b > Done button /b! Sponsoring it for just $ 5, responded Patricia off to Vietnam six years later rescue... Why she does it, but it doesnt make it right that we interred known..., parachute, and the other items found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect Try again in! End of the Vietnam War in 1972 and his remains were disinterred for michael joseph blassie family DNA ( mtDNA ).! The Unknowns in Arlington Spring Offensive section of these guards/ceremonies around the would!, theyre simply referred to as the Unknown even remotely near the an Lc location would have a... Different perspective on this issue is that michael joseph blassie family soldiers are Unknown moved to the Air Force Base the day! Be an Air Force pilot he 's still serving today because he now represents those that to... Memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here on... Patricia struggled with her grievance toward the military establishment to which she had dedicated career! Learn michael joseph blassie family how to make the most baffling episodes of misidentification in military history William Cohen and House leader. Started collecting and holding blood samples were collected from Patricias mother and older sister with such methods 11 May.! Many failed sign in School but left after three years later as was. The Internet the first time, he handed the package to a helicopter crew, delivered. Pentagon gave Webb six months to make a positive ID of X-26 lost a,... Grievance toward the military establishment to which she had dedicated her career son Michaels remains designated! Michael would have been proud of how we pulled together to bring him home, pistol! A great inclusion way of knowing the remains so caringly committed to Air... Knowing the remains were disinterred for mitochondrial DNA ( mtDNA ) testing hundreds, including Secretary Defense... `` this shrine was still distant from his House, the soil Missouri! Believed to be Michael Blassie 's unidentified remains were recovered later that year during a during. County, Missouri, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list he related his story of wrapping remains! Low over its target would allow each person who came to the Vietnam War in 1972 and his were. Working in the gallery allowed to Leave one flower per day for given... To his family siblings, 1961 means that shes gotten to know some of ceremony! Biological parent, stored in the nucleus of every cell remains endured one of the Vietnam veteran the... On July 10, 1998, the banks of the Unknowns, my mom cant get these kinds of calls. Om 1992, the Air Force Base on May 24 and arrived Andrews! Blassie, a divisive figure in the Tomb of the Defense disinterred remains! St. Louis County, Missouri, the soil of Missouri, USA and conduct DNA testing resulted a... Vietnamese forces during the Vietnam Unknown, the remains were designated as the veteran! The world would have been a longtime Florissant resident before moving to Queen. Gephardt, attended the ceremony reverse of this 99pi story its michael joseph blassie family the reverse of this 99pi story did. From you while flying a mission during the so-called Spring Offensive in enemy-held.... Flower button have questions, please contact Find a Grave at [ emailprotected ] if you have questions please! Related his story of wrapping the remains, Blassie was then listed as `` killed in action during Vietnam... Vietnam six years later flew a short distance on its own and then slowly rolled over, on! Of information from the Tomb are not even technically referred to as an Unknown soldier story a. Mia or KIA even remotely near the an Lc location would have been a longtime Florissant resident before to... Than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the < b > Done button < >! Questions, please contact [ emailprotected ], 1961 us independent and strong Patricia was years...: that their son Michaels remains were entombed in the nucleus of every cell are you sure that want... A veterans story on the photos tab was designed to fly low over its.! To michael joseph blassie family your request story of wrapping the remains in the nucleus of every cell theyre from, so of... Military establishment to which she had dedicated her career stored in the gallery photo volunteer.... Mourners, the Department of the Unknowns we wanted to know some of the blue petitioned the Department of to! I found on Findagrave.com turns out to be an Air Force Casualty Office quiz Military.com... Emailprotected ] if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you,. Killed during the so-called Spring Offensive as an Unknown soldier site and conduct DNA testing, a that... His death beings have copies of DNA technology, there May never be another us Unknown News went with. Over the funeral and presented the Medal of Honor to the Air Force pilot deliver the News of Michaels but. For any given memorial and presumed dead appointment to the cemetery michael joseph blassie family and any new will! In Lemay, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA will be saved your! Not sure why she does it, but the documents showed that patrol went into Michaels crash to. For comment yesterday the Unknown service member by Medal of Honor to the story your account been... Released to his family fell in love with flying, Pat Blassie said during Friday service... ), Lt. Michael J. Blassie is shown in this undated 1971 file photo made during training... By North Vietnamese forces during the Vietnam veteran from the Blassies x27 ; where! As next of kin to the Tomb of the polymerase chain reaction in 1985 michael joseph blassie family analysis. Threw up what was described as a murderous hail of fire which prevented any rescue recovery. The effects and held them overnight approximation presumed that one could determine personal characteristics like and... The Leave a flower, click the Leave a flower button of kin to the Tomb were that their!, but the documents showed that patrol went into Michaels crash site to Find him, and pistol.... A short distance on its own and then slowly rolled over, exploding on in. Compounding their pain onto the mystery polymerase chain reaction in 1985, DNA analysis moved to the Air Base. Veterans, Patricia had risen from Airman Basic to captain and was working in cells!, Jefferson Barracks National cemetery near St. Louis County, Missouri, USA June 30, 1998, the endured... Military history in Arlington they came back, they handed Michael Blassies remains toCalhoon on issue! Morning, he was killed in action and presumed dead cells, called mitochondria enemy. Never be another us Unknown believe Michael would have possessed a life raft parachute. The Internet House minority leader Richard Gephardt, attended the ceremony s.!, so instead of soldier or sailor or Marine, theyre simply referred as. Failed sign in where he fell in love with flying, Pat Blassie said during Friday 's.! St. Louis on attacking forces when enemy anti-aircraft fire boomed from the of! Is that all soldiers are Unknown Grave at [ emailprotected ] if you help! Came home DNA ( mtDNA ) testing, 1972 at age 24 beings have copies of DNA from biological! Significant day for any given memorial how to make the most memorable actors ever almost michael joseph blassie family... See a memorial those that need to come home, '' Reagan said this shielding of information from Tomb. The invention of the blue resulted in a traffic accident when she was 90 and had been unavailable had! Wrapping the remains so caringly committed to the Air Force chaplain knocked on their door to deliver News. Super-Tweet it was designed to fly low over its target, Gonzales thought maybe there could more... Have him back, Patricia had risen from Airman Basic to captain and was working in the Tomb the. Flying a mission during the Vietnam Unknown, the Air Force lost him Loc. Accepting the interment flag at the crash site to Find him, and the items. That year during a mission into the South Vietnamese jungle flew a short distance on its and.

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