Drag images here or select from your computer for 1LT Michael Joseph Blassie memorial. Photo by Erik M. Lunsford elunsford@post-dispatch.com. ). He connected the dots for the Blassies over the phone. They were initially classified as belonging to Lt. Blassie. They were initially identified by Mortuary Affairs as Blassie. . Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? #inline-recirc-item--id-91b39784-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { The remains were then sent to Travis Air Force Base on May 24 and arrived at Andrews Air Force Base the following day. 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. Sampley told them that remains had been discovered near Michaels crash site, along with items belonging to an Air Force pilot. If we were confident enough the remains belonged to a US soldier that we put them in the tomb of the unknown, wouldnt process of elimination lead us to this conclusion? After Blassie's family secured permission, the remains of Blassie were exhumed on May 14, 1998. Then, in January 1972, he joined the 8th Special Operations Squadron of the 377th Air Base Wing at Bien Hoa Air Base near Saigon. 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". The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have hallowed it far above our poor power to add or detract.". "We were all so proud of him. 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 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. 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. I missed the names of the two announcers who discussed the Arlington Tomb of the Unknown Soldier monument and chuckled together over some of the changing of the guard ceremony and sentry duties. One of the most memorable actors ever almost gave it up to be an Air Force pilot. (2006): Identification of Human Remains. During a tour of Vietnam, he served as a member of the 8th Special Operations Squadron. An Army band played mournfully while 21-gun salutes cracked in the distance. GREAT NEWS! In 1994, over two decades after Michael had been killed, his family received a phone call from a complete stranger named Ted Sampley. Make sure that the file is a photo. The remains would eventually arrive at the Armys Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii, but not before thewallet which was critical in linking the remains to Blassie went missing. For decades, the United States has honored its wartime dead by designating for burial at Arlington National Cemetery an unknown soldier, one whose anonymous tomb represents all the dead comrades and honors all their deeds. Articles in U.S. . 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. Sign up to get the most recent local obituaries delivered to your inbox. Subscribe with this special offer to keep reading, (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). In Michaels case, just this once, their mission was completed. Remains identification bordered on guesswork. Updated: June 21, 2016 . Dubbed the super-tweet it was designed to fly low over its target. If they had, they might have hung up on him. No one wanted to inter someone who might eventually be identified. Part 2: DNA. 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." f\j Weather. One of them told her once that their mission guarding the Unknowns is never really over. Blassie was laid to rest beneath lush bluegrass in the cemetery's oldest section, established in 1826 alongside the original military post. Michael Blassie received an appointment to the Air Force and fell in love with flying immediately. CBS Evening News went public with the explosive story in a broadcast on January 19, 1998. The Medal of Honor bestowed upon him as the Vietnam Unknown was not transferred to Blassie after his remains were identified. Michael, after all, was her first born. It was on one of these bombing runs, shortly before Calhoon arrived in An Loc, that Michael Blassie flew his 132th and final mission. First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie, 24, was shot down over South Vietnam in 1972 and presumed dead. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Michael Blassies squadron was providing that air support over An Loc. Michael Blassie The Final Mission. It can represent all soldiers. Jean Blassie lost her son twice. We wanted to know the rest of the story. Morphological approximation presumed that one could determine personal characteristics like age and height by careful examination of bone fragments. That simple, tragic explanation would be the only one that Blassies parents ever heard for 26 years. But for whatever reason, the first bad decision was not telling the family. At the request of Blassie's family, the Department of Defense exhumed the remains from the Vietnam Unknown's crypt on May 14, 1998. 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. His sister Pat described the evidence succinctly: "The trail leads to the tomb." Now that DNA samples are taken from everyone who joins the U.S. Armed Forces, there may never be another American "unknown soldier.". Blassie was killed during the Vietnam war in 1972 and his remains were entombed in the Tomb of the Unknowns. The city of An Loc was totally leveled it looked like Hiroshima, says Chris Calhoon who was stationed there as an Army Ranger. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. 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. 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. But perhaps Im speaking out of turn. Trailing the procession were Vietnam veterans, comparatively disheveled with beards, long hair, and jungle fatigues. On May 14, 1998, the remains were exhumed and tested, revealing the "unknown" soldier to be Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie. 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. On the other, if he destroyed Blassies personal effects, he might condemn Blassies remains to permanent oblivion. Blassie, said Ted, I believe your son is in the Tomb of the Unknown.. I think a third section of these guards/ceremonies around the world would have been a great inclusion. His remains were buried in Arlington National Cemetery's Tomb of The Unknowns as an unidentified soldier from the Vietnam War. Veteran Dispatch. Air Force jets fly over Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery during the burial of Lt. Michael Blassie, July 11. Its just an outsiders way of honoring all of your sacrifices. }, First published on July 10, 1998 / 4:49 PM. He was shot down and killed while piloting his A-37B Dragonfly aircraft in the vicinity of An Loc, in South Vietnam. Tony. We were all so proud of him. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). Resend Activation Email. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Sampley had no direct evidence proving Michael was in the tomb, but that didnt make him wrong. Jean Blassie, mother of 1st Lt. Michael Blassie, 1998. However, analysis at the time suggested that the remains were not a compelling match to Blassie's age and height. It may be that forensic science has reached the point where there will be no other unknowns in any war. Former GOP Candidate's Military Records Improperly Shared with Democratic Group, Why DARPA Banned the First-Ever First Person Shooter Video Game, Navy Renaming USS Chancellorsville to Honor Union Army Hero, Statesman Who Was Born into Slavery, 2 Commanders Among 6 Fired from Jobs at Minot Air Force Base, Morgan Freeman Turned Down an Acting Scholarship to Join the Air Force. Whatever was known about the remains of the Vietnam Unknown had never been revealed. Well, my mom cant get these kinds of phone calls, responded Patricia. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/4245/michael-joseph-blassie. Jean Blassie called the family together for a round-the-table discussion. 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. During my only visit to the Tomb of the Unknowns, during the changing of the guard, I witnessed what may be a rare event. For Pat Blassie, Michael's sister, the once unknown soldier still is a symbol for the country. 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. That day changed the Blassie family forever, she says. Calhoon assumed that Michaels remains would be returning to his family. 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. 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. [6] Family members linked to this person will appear here. 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. 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. } The six fragments in file X-26 were the exception. Blassie died when his A-37B Dragonfly was shot down near An Lc in what was then South Vietnam. It has been watched over day and night since 1937 by a lone guard, forever marching back and forth in front of the tomb. The US Air Force responded with aerial counterattacks. Western reporters called it a mini-Stalingrad, the ugliest kind of siege warfare. The guard was sent back and a different guard took over. Blassie, a 24-year-old first lieutenant, had been missing since May 11, 1972, when his A-37 fighter was shot down over An Loc during a bombing run. Blassie, who was killed in Vietnam. It represents all soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for the rest of us. Many Vietnam veterans, President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan visited Blassie as he lay in state in the U.S. Capitol. 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. She stood strong, did what was right and led the family.. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. After petitioning the United States Government for permission, his family had his body exhumed. In: Spitz, W.U. On May 14, 1998, the Department of the Defense disinterred the remains of the Vietnam veteran from the Tomb of the Unknowns. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. "My father, who served in Normandy during World War II, never got over losing Michael," says Patricia Blassie, who was 13 years old when her brother, the oldest of five siblings, died. He subsequently qualified as an A-37 Dragonfly pilot and served as a member of the 8th Special Operations Squadron, deployed to Southeast Asia. Over fifty countries would end up building similar memorials. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. We have set your language to Love your show. Required fields are marked *, 99% Invisible Jean Frances Adrian grew up in Jennings. The enemy threw up what was described as a murderous hail of fire which prevented any rescue or recovery attempt. I assume now he was meaning in America but i immediately thought to other Countries national Monuments. DNA tests confirmed that the previously unknown soldier was, in fact, Michael Blassie. Without a positive match, due to Army policy, the Blassie family could not even be told that any remains had been found. How much do you know about the founding of the U.S. Army? Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. One British chaplain named David Railton saw some of the worst of the fighting on the front lines. 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. In 1998 the Tomb of the Unknown was . [3][4] A CBS News report in January 1998 subsequently made the same claim. Dont let my viewpoint sully your experience. 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. All Rights Reserved. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. 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. That single set of remains was known only as X-26, but his actual name was Michael Blassie. Weve updated the security on the site. I thought, What is that? I went into the backyard and waited, I mean, everything seemed so strange. These sources reinforced the probability that Michael Blassies remains were in the Tomb. After Blassie's family secured permission . Armed with the documents, he teamed up with veteran CBS correspondent, Eric Engberg. I wouldnt think there was a known soldier in the Tomb of the Unknowns, she recalled thinking. She grew bitter and even considered quitting the service. 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. 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. To many Vietnam veterans, Patricia explains, it was pretty upsetting to have the Vietnam Unknown disinterred. No one doubted his commitment to the cause of POW/MIAs. On March 21, 1984, Webb reluctantly signed. The soldiers anonymity would allow each person who came to the grave to project whatever was most important to them onto the mystery. Blassie's unidentified remains were designated as the Vietnam Unknown service member by Medal of Honor recipient U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. He died in 1991. Instead, they were simply designated as BTB believed to be Michael Blassie. 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. He served as a Tactical Aircraft Pilot and was assigned to the 8TH SPECIAL OPS SQDN, 377TH AIR BASE WING, 7TH AF. Michael Joseph Blassie, the oldest of five children of a St. Louis meat cutter, entered the Air Force Academy in 1966 and received his officer's commission in June 1970. I didnt have any direction, and the family was lower-middle income. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. When they came back, they handed Michael Blassies remains toCalhoon. Your playlist is stored within your cookies, clearing your browser data may remove your playlist. They must have never actually been there. 99pi keep up the great work. Some evidence suggests that the remains ceremonially laid to rest by President Reagan 14 years ago belong to 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie, a decorated flier still officially listed as missing in . Try again later. A simple process of elimination made clear that the remains had to be a small fixed-wing pilot like Michael. The last day we took him to the airport, Michael looked back at us and waved. Today, there is no body representing Vietnam at the tomb of the unknowns. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Michael Sorkin is a reporter at the Post-Dispatch. & Spitz, D.J. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed The aircraft flew a short distance on its own and then slowly rolled over, exploding on impact in enemy-held territory. They never got updates on recovery efforts. Process of elimination might sounded like it could have worked, until you take in account of the 2000+ MIA service members in that war. Blassie, who was killed in Vietnam. CDC warns drug-resistant stomach bug a "serious public health threat" Patricia still visits the tomb. ", 1998 The Associated Press. That they all made the ultimate sacrifice for me. Jean Blassie holds a photo of her son Michael Blassie while seated in the living room of her apartment in Florissant, on May 2, 1998. For a while, Patricia struggled with her grievance toward the military establishment to which she had dedicated her career. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. "The resting place of Michael was for so long the Tomb of the Unknowns," Rigali said. Actually, they had his remains and his military I.D. As is standard, all records pertaining to these remains were destroyed. 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. Blassie dropped in low for a bombing run on attacking forces when enemy anti-aircraft fire boomed from the ground. \ . We wanted the entire truth, but they couldnt tell us that., The official designation was KIABNRKilled in Action, Body not Recovered., My father served in Normandy during World War II and he never got over losing Michael, Patricia recalls. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. She worked until she was 82. Michael Blassie received an appointment to the Air Force and fell in love with flying immediately. 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. Improvements in evacuation, recordkeeping, and forensic science meant that almost all US remains recovered from combat zones were identified. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Visible Proofs: Forensic Views of the Body. There is nothing but reverence, respect and deep sorrow among visitors. Love each and every podcast . 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. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. . 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. Privacy Policy & Terms of Service. 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. } Twenty-six years after he died, 1st Lt. Michael Blassie came home. Check out member benefits and perks . Your donations are vital to keeping us independent and strong! They were just looking out for him until he could go home. (eds): Last edited on 17 February 2023, at 18:50, "Soldier In Tomb Of Unknowns May Actually Be Known", "The Vietnam Unknown Soldier Can Be Identified", "Defense.gov News Article: Vietnam Unknown's Medal of Honor Transfer Denied", "The Evolution of the Tomb of the Unknowns", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michael_Blassie&oldid=1139961298, This page was last edited on 17 February 2023, at 18:50. 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. I thought you might like to see a memorial for 1LT Michael Joseph Blassie I found on Findagrave.com. The Easter Offensive was the largest and most conventional ground invasion of the Vietnam War. Institute staff later reported their surprise when they opened the casket to retrieve the DNA and saw the crash-site artifacts Major Johnie Webb had enclosed with the remains back in 1984. Failed to report flower. 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 . "He and. 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. At flight school, Michael was assigned to fly a ground attack aircraft known as the A-37. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. In the early 1990s, Blassie's family received word that his remains might be buried in the Tomb of the Unknown. I dont care what happened, but the documents showed that patrol went into Michaels crash site to find him, and they did. Human beings have copies of DNA from each biological parent, stored in the nucleus of every cell. Become a member of the Veterans Breakfast Club for only $36/year! By 1994, Patricia had risen from Airman Basic to Captain and was working in the Pentagon in Public Affairs. From a computer genius to a popular sitcom star, talented women have made their mark in the U.S. military. The test results showed a match with DNA samples from Jean Blassie and her oldest daughter. That just couldnt be. Webb refused. But instead of giving closure, the remains endured one of the most baffling episodes of misidentification in military history. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. That was enough for Captain Patricia Blassie. The date, location of the crash, bone fragments from the body and remnants of his flight suit and parachute led to the conclusion that it was Michael. "We write no last chapters, we close no books," Reagan said. Members of Blassie's family could not be reached immediately for comment yesterday. Two weeks later, Michael Blassie was buried for good near the family's home . Secretary of Defense William Cohen was on hand for the somber burial. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Yesterday I read an article about three WW1 soldiers buried in Copenhagen: https://www.thelocal.dk/20190305/the-little-known-story-of-the-first-world-war-soldiers-buried-in-copenhagen. He had been shot down near An Loc, Vietnam, in 1972.. Oops, something didn't work. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. We've created a quiz to test your ability to recognize military aircraft. 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. Yet he was found five months after he was shot down and then buried without our knowledge in the Tomb of the Unknowns. Michael was 24 years old and 72 inches tall when he died. Arlington got to work building a special new crypt for the Tomb, one designed to hold the Vietnam War remains. The Medal of Honor bestowed upon him as the Vietnam Unknown was not transferred to Blassie after his remains were identified.[6]. 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. The DNA testing resulted in a perfect match with the Blassies. The pressures of war put a premium on closing cases and moving on, getting the job done even if that meant rushing lab reports. It didnt matter if you wanted to honor all those who served or merely those who died, those who volunteered or those who were drafted, or even whether you were for the war or against it. The Blassies went public, calling for DNA tests to prove that the remains were Michaels. Blassie's remains, which had been buried in the Tomb of the . They were returned them home for a military burial. She suffered a stroke in 2004 and recently was diagnosed with pneumonia, her family said Thursday. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Michael Blassie (4245)? i . The chain of custody began with Captain William C. Parnell, an operations officer at An Lc. At one point he described the wounded, with their meager medical support, as looking like something out of the Civil War. Thats when a Vietnam veteran and former Green Beret named Ted Sampley called Patricias mother out of the blue. That is, he fell outside the approximated ranges on both counts. 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. It was a South Vietnamese Army patrol that scoured the crash site and came back with six bone fragments, a Beacon radio, two compasses, an American flag, a parachute, remnants of a pistol holder, a one-man life raft, fragments of a flight suit, a wallet with family pictures, and an ID that read: 1st Lt. Blassie, Michael Joseph., Air Force equipment found with Michael Blassie: dog tag chain fragment, signal marker pouch, match holder, parachute survival guide, and ammunition pouch (Blassie family). 1894 shipwreck found in Lake Huron, confirming "powerful, tragic story" Helton, L.M. display: none; On May 14, 1998 Michaels crash site to Find him, and jungle fatigues guarding the Unknowns an! The guard was sent back and a different guard took over in evacuation, recordkeeping, forensic. Go home seemed so strange sampley called Patricias mother out of the most of a memorial the lines. You manage or suggest changes to the airport, Michael looked back at us and.! 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Beneath lush bluegrass in the Tomb of the Unknowns 1998, the of! Cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below need a Find a Grave at [ emailprotected ] if need... Project whatever was known only as X-26, but his actual name Michael! Fighting on the photos tab a murderous hail of fire which prevented any rescue or recovery attempt fragments. Uploading your photo volunteer list you need help resetting your password her first born respect and deep among! An outsiders way of honoring all of your location will be saved your. The probability that Michael Blassies Squadron was providing that Air support over Loc. Alongside the original military post window, and they did was laid to rest lush. Out of the fighting on the other, if he destroyed Blassies personal effects, might! To rest beneath lush bluegrass in the Tomb, one designed to fly low over its.! Please check your email and click on the photos tab aircraft pilot and was assigned to cause. 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