The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) has publicly announced that they have positively identified the remains of Staff Sergeant John H. Danneker, who had been missing in action since 1944. Danneker entered the U.S. Army Air Forces from Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The initial survey and the recovery projects leading up to these identifications were completed in partnership with Project Recover and other experts in the field. Danneker was a waist gunner assigned to the 565th Bombardment Squadron, 389th Bombardment Group, 2nd …
Project Recover Announces New Mission: Locate US Air Force B-52 and Aircrew Gone Missing Offshore Texas Coast in 1968
“Rog 88” was the pilot’s abbreviated, almost casual response to the duty controller’s request for a radio check. On hearing that standard radio-communications exchange over the intercom of his remote radar bomb scoring (RBS) site on the Texas shoreline, the young radar operator broke lock on the massive B-52 bomber he’d been tracking and repositioned the antenna atop his trailer 140° to the left. Satisfied the pencil beam of his radar was trained on the bomb run “front door” 70 …
Remembering Our Heroes: 2nd Lt. Arthur J. Schumacher, USAAF
Guest post by Lynne Hasselman Behind every name engraved on one of our national cemetery’s Tablets of the Missing is an indelible story etched on the hearts of their loved ones. Despite the passage of time, these American heroes live on in faded black and white photographs, yellowed letters home, and faded telegrams marked with tears. Out of 81,500 American service members missing in action (MIA), 72,000 were from World War II. Their lives were marked by war, but it …
DPAA Accounts for LT Jay R. Manown, Jr.
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced that, in partnership with Project Recover and other experts in the field, they accounted for LT Jay R. Manown, Jr. LT Manown was a TBM-1c Avenger pilot who, until this announcement, was Missing in Action. Project Recover located the downed Avenger in Palauan waters in 2015. The Avenger took off from the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier on September 10, 1944. The crew was part of Torpedo Squadron 20 (VT-20), which was on a …
DPAA Accounts for ARM1c Wilbur A. Mitts
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced that, in partnership with Project Recover and other experts in the field, they accounted for ARM1c Wilbur A. Mitts. ARM1c Mitts was a radioman on a TBM-1c Avenger who, until this announcement, was Missing in Action from World War II. Project Recover located and documented Mitts’ downed Avenger in Palauan waters in 2015. In partnership with DPAA, Project Recover recovered MIAs from the Avenger during our first MIA Recovery Mission in 2021. The …
DPAA Accounts for AOM1c Anthony Di Petta
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced that, in partnership with Project Recover and other experts in the field, they accounted for AOM1c Anthony Di Petta. AOM1c Di Petta was an ordnanceman on a TBM-1c Avenger.
We Will Remember Them
More than 20 years ago, Pat Scannon was reading a book late at night on World War in the Pacific. On the last page of the book, the author included a quote from “For the Fallen” by Laurence Binyon.
Major Paul A. Avolese Accounted For by DPAA
Major Paul A. Avolese, 35, a B-52 radar navigator during Vietnam, was accounted for on September 21, 2020, according to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.
Finding the Arnett B-24 and the Repatriation of 8 MIAs
Project Recover located the Arnett B-24, tail number ‘453, in January 2004 after ten years of searching. The find led to the repatriation of all eight crew members.
MAJ Paul A. Avolese Repatriated
MAJ Paul A. Avolese was accounted for by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. Project Recover located his downed B-52 in 2020 and is honored to play a vital role in his repatriation. Project Recover humbly acknowledges MAJ Avolese’s service and sacrifice, as well as the enduring loss to his family. We are grateful and honored to play a vital role in bringing him home. The repatriation of Major Avolese and our MIAs helps resolve generational grief and awaken us to …
