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 dont care what happened, but the documents showed that patrol went into Michaels crash site to find him, and they did. [6] Mrs. 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. 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. I think I know where Michael is, he said, producing a paper trail that led to Arlington Cemetery. 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. For 14 years, the remains of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie lay beneath the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington. "This has meant so much to us. On 11 May 1972 the city of An Loc SVN was under attack by North Vietnamese forces during the so-called Spring Offensive. I didnt even know how to go about college. He also added the critical notation: BTB [Believed to Be] Lt. Blassie, Michael Joseph.. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. CDC warns drug-resistant stomach bug a "serious public health threat" I know about Ted Sampleys past, he told her, but I believe its true.. How much do you know about the founding of the U.S. Army? There is nothing but reverence, respect and deep sorrow among visitors. At the request of Blassie's family, the Department of Defense exhumed the remains from the Vietnam Unknown's crypt on May 14, 1998. They saw the identification of Michaels remains as a loss for them. Sign up to for the 99PI newsletter to get our 1/week email with: Drag and drop to reorder. 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. A system error has occurred. According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, as of this writing, there are still 1,584 US service members unaccounted for in Southeast Asia. One British chaplain named David Railton saw some of the worst of the fighting on the front lines. Michael, after all, was her first born. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. 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). 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. By 1994, Patricia had risen from Airman Basic to Captain and was working in the Pentagon in Public Affairs. 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. But they had also brought back other evidence: an uninflated raft, a parachute, part of Michaels flight suit, and critically: his wallet with pictures of him and his family. 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. Search above to list available cemeteries. In my 17-year-old mind, that sounded like a good deal.. 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. (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. First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie, 24, was shot down over South Vietnam in 1972 and presumed dead. After graduating from St. Louis University High School he entered the United States Air Force Academy, graduating in 1970. Five months after the shoot down an Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) patrol inspected the crash site and retrieved partial skeletal remains, an ID card, dog tags, a wallet containing a family picture, part of a flight suit, and the remnant of a pistol holster. The pressures of war put a premium on closing cases and moving on, getting the job done even if that meant rushing lab reports. 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. Four low-flying F-15s flew overhead, with one pulling out of formation in a missing man salute. The writer had been combing through military records, he said, and found that the Air Force had found the wreckage of Michaels plane five months after he was shot down, 60 miles north of Saigon. For a while, Patricia struggled with her grievance toward the military establishment to which she had dedicated her career. They never got updates on recovery efforts. After Blassie's family secured permission, the remains of Blassie were exhumed on May 14, 1998. On July 10, 1998, Michael Blassie's body was released to his family. ADVERTISEMENT BY ANCESTRY.COM. DNA is also stored in tiny, energy-producing structures in the cells, called mitochondria. Every recovered American service member killed in action since the Vietnam War has been identified and buried. 0 cemeteries found in Lemay, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA. Jean Blassie dies; she fought to get her son buried at home in St. Louis. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. They had a letter from his flight leader, James Connally, who recapped what had happened., Still, without remains, there was a terrible sense of open-ended grief. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? But the evidence that they were Blassie's was too slim, so the designation was removed in 1979. I wouldnt think there was a known soldier in the Tomb of the Unknowns, she recalled thinking. They denied it. 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. The enemy threw up what was described as a murderous hail of fire which prevented any rescue or recovery attempt. Id left school early that day, and I looked out the window when I heard a car door slam. With the invention of the polymerase chain reaction in 1985, DNA analysis moved to the forefront of forensic technologies. . All Rights Reserved. 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. Please reset your password. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. The Medal of Honor bestowed upon him as the Vietnam Unknown was not transferred to Blassie after his remains were identified.[6]. 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. There, a plaque holds words from. 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 . Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Armed with the documents, he teamed up with veteran CBS correspondent, Eric Engberg. But his tactics were confrontational and often involved outrageous claims and conspiracy theories. Gonzales began filing FOIA requests and eventually got back a thick envelope with military documents showing the entire process of the Unknown Soldier selection process. She worked until she was 82. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Mike always knew what he wanted, I didnt. Arlington got to work building a special new crypt for the Tomb, one designed to hold the Vietnam War remains. As far as she was concerned, the case was closed. Major James Connally, Blassies flight commander, described the tragic incident in a letter to Michaels parents: Mikes plane was hit and began streaming fuel. Over the next month, enemy forces cinched the noose, pounding the city with artillery and attempting to starve out the population. Webb devised an ingenious solution: hide the crash-site artifacts where no one would ever find them, in the casket with the remains of X-26. 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. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. World War II, Korea, and Vietnam each would get their own Unknown. 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. They brought him home for burial in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery near St. Louis. AFDIL has used DNA analysis to identify the remains of at least 150 military personnel from Vietnam, Korea, and World War 2, and assisted in the identification of victims from high profile disasters, both natural and man-made. The recruiters said if I joined the Air Force, Id travel, get excellent training,and an education. Whatever the case, other aircraft were dispatched to the area to provide cover for an Army chopper rescue team, all for naught. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Over fifty countries would end up building similar memorials. It sits at the top of a hill that overlooks the rest of Arlington Cemetery. Also pictured is sister Judy Cozad (left). Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? Blassie's remains, which had been buried in the Tomb of the Unknowns for 14 years, were identified last month by DNA testing. One of the most memorable actors ever almost gave it up to be an Air Force pilot. 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. That was enough for Captain Patricia Blassie. He connected the dots for the Blassies over the phone. Trailing the procession were Vietnam veterans, comparatively disheveled with beards, long hair, and jungle fatigues. Britains unknown warrior wasnt the only one. In 1991 the Department of Defense founded the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL). Jean Blassie called the family together for a round-the-table discussion. 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. 99pi keep up the great work. Well, my mom cant get these kinds of phone calls, responded Patricia. 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. 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. Its like the reverse of this 99pi story! Michael Blassie later received an appointment to the Air Force Academy. On May 28, 1984, a Third Army Old Guard horse-drawn caisson moved slowly along Constitution Avenue. After petitioning the United States Government for permission, his family had his body exhumed. Patricia Blassie took the information to officials at the Air Force Casualty Office. I thought, What is that? I went into the backyard and waited, I mean, everything seemed so strange. I dont know any of them. For the Blassie family and the country as a whole, this is a very difficult time. 1LT Michael Joseph Blassie Birth 4 Apr 1948 Saint Louis, St. Louis City, Missouri, USA Death 11 May 1972 (aged 24) Bnh Long, Bnh Phc, Vietnam Memorial Site* National Vietnam Veterans Memorial Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia, USA Show Map * A structure erected in honor of someone whose remains lie elsewhere. Three years later, in 1997, Vince Gonzales, a young correspondent with CBS News, contacted the Blassies. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Veteran Dispatch in 1994 and 1996 had made the claim that Blassie was the Unknown, drawing on Defense Department records. She says shes not sure why she does it, but it means that shes gotten to know some of the guards. Webb would later call his grappling with that order the struggle of my life. On the one hand, hed risk court-martial by not destroying the evidence. I saluted smartly and put the thought aside. Resend Activation Email. 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. These sources reinforced the probability that Michael Blassies remains were in the Tomb. You can watch his conversation with Colonel Patricia Blassie on A Veterans Story on the VBCs YouTube channel, youtube.com/veteransbreakfastclub. 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. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. #inline-recirc-item--id-91b39784-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-91b39784-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { Secretary of Defense William Cohen was on hand for the somber burial. 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. That simple, tragic explanation would be the only one that Blassies parents ever heard for 26 years. Michael Sorkin is a reporter at the Post-Dispatch. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. Your playlist is stored within your cookies, clearing your browser data may remove your playlist. The gravesite of 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery on Thursday, June 13, 2013. 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. Because mtDNA is passed along the maternal line, scientists compared the Unknown Soldier's DNA against two samples submitted by First Lieutenant Blassie's mother and sister and found a match. That single set of remains was known only as X-26, but his actual name was Michael Blassie. Id also remind them that Michael was never an Unknown Soldier. The test results showed a match with DNA samples from Jean Blassie and her oldest daughter. It represents all soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for the rest of us. He was unknown no more because of the determination of his mother and siblings. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. In 1998 the Tomb of the Unknown was . An honor guard was fired a 21-gun salute and F-15 Eagle fighters flew overhead in the "missing man" formation as Blassie was buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis in a ceremony presided over by the eldest sibling, Pat Blassie, a captain in the Air Force Reserve. Michael Blassie received an appointment to the Air Force and fell in love with flying immediately. Major Johnie Webb was the officer in charge of the Armys Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii. 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. Through these efforts, they reviewed evidence that suggested the Vietnam War Unknown was likely Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie, a pilot who had been shot down in 1972. (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. Web Policies, Careers, Accessibility, HHS Vulnerability Disclosure NLM, 8600 Rockville Pike Bethesda MD 20894 NIH, HHS, FOIA, NLM Support Center, Last reviewed: 03 December 2014Last updated: 05 June 2014First published: 16 February 2006, Air Force equipment found with Michael Blassie. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. (2006): Identification of Human Remains. 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. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. "We write no last chapters, we close no books," Reagan said. Please enter valid email address to continue. Family and friends are welcome to send flowers or leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with . In: Spitz, W.U. See http://www.virtualwall.org/db/BlassieMJ01a.htm read more 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. We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. With DNA identification being used and hearing that there are no unknowns from Vietnam and that they are working currently on unknowns from the Korean war, I though, How wonderful that there will never again be an unknown soldier, everyone will be eventually brought home. 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. He was constantly researching, protesting, and pressuring the Pentagon to resolve open cases. 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. 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.. The Medal of Honor bestowed upon him as the Vietnam Unknown was not transferred to Blassie after his remains were identified. Thats when a Vietnam veteran and former Green Beret named Ted Sampley called Patricias mother out of the blue. 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. . Members of Blassie's family could not be reached immediately for comment yesterday. He must have been killed instantly since he did not transmit a distress call of any kind. . Blassie was buried Saturday with full military honors at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis. 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. Learn more about managing a memorial . Verify and try again. 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. The Easter Offensive was the largest and most conventional ground invasion of the Vietnam War. Many thanks for such a great show, this episode and all the others~ Plot After his remains were identified by DNA testing in 1998, they were reburied at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis County, Missouri. Failed to delete memorial. I think that barring a complete abolition of war, this is a small consolation. Based on mitochondrial DNA testing, Department of Defense scientists were able to identify Blassie's remains. English His sister Pat described the evidence succinctly: "The trail leads to the tomb." Another perspective on this issue is that all soldiers are unknown. They detailed that Michael Blassies remains had been recovered in Vietnam and that the person who recovered them was Chris Calhoon. based on information from your browser. But perhaps Im speaking out of turn. While supplies last, you can get an author-signed 99% Invisible uses cookies to help improve your user experience. How to honor unidentified remains has always been one of the great conundrums of war. After 26 years, the family of Air Force Lt. Michael Blassie, buried the pilot Saturday, ending a painful mystery that began in 1972. A fellow airman saw tracer rounds directed toward Mikes A-37. Love your show. I signed up the next day. They petitioned the Department of Defense to open the site and conduct DNA testing, a technology that had been unavailable . 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. Human beings have copies of DNA from each biological parent, stored in the nucleus of every cell. 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. 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. Michaels younger sister, Patricia Blassie, was seven years old when her big brother with the gentle smile left for the Air Force Academy in 1966. Just to eliminate doubt, Patricia traveled to the Air Force Casualty Office at Randolph AFB in San Antonio to ask if there might be any truth to Sampleys claims. 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. Michaels plane had crashed deep in North Vietnamese held territory. i . That is, he fell outside the approximated ranges on both counts. To Army scientists, these findings superseded any other evidence, such as documents or personal effects. Blassie was killed during the Vietnam war in 1972 and his remains were entombed in the Tomb of the Unknowns. He basically sat on a shelf from 1972 to 1984, Patricia Blassie said. She was sad about Michaels death but was happy to have him back, Patricia Blassie said. At flight school, Michael was assigned to fly a ground attack aircraft known as the A-37. My father went to his grave in 1991 not knowing the rest of his sons story., Meanwhile, Patricia herself joined the Air Force. They were just looking out for him until he could go home. 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? The name he read on the ID card was Air Force Lt. Michael Blassie. A neighbor came over to get me, saying, Pat, you need to go inside. So I did and knew something was horribly wrong. 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. DNA tests determined that the remains in the tomb were those of Blassie. . Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. Prior to the identification of his remains, Blassie was the unknown service member . She took on the military, won, and brought him back for burial in his hometown of St. Louis. And where they are buried Eric Engberg also remind them that Michael Blassies remains were identified along! To 1984, Patricia Blassie on a veterans Story on the one hand hed. Low-Flying F-15s flew overhead, with one pulling out of the Vietnam War in and. Showed that patrol went into the backyard and waited, I mean, everything seemed so strange 1972 the of. I didnt overhead, with one pulling out of the Unknowns in Arlington had... Https: //www.thelocal.dk/20190305/the-little-known-story-of-the-first-world-war-soldiers-buried-in-copenhagen were able to identify Blassie 's remains the id card was Air Force and fell love. Of every cell of Michaels remains as a loss for them Korea, and they did of. Door slam special new crypt for the 99PI newsletter to get me,,! Three WW1 soldiers buried in Copenhagen: https: //www.thelocal.dk/20190305/the-little-known-story-of-the-first-world-war-soldiers-buried-in-copenhagen with full michael joseph blassie family honors at Jefferson Barracks National near. Jean Blassie called the family together for a while, Patricia struggled with her grievance toward the military establishment which. Working in the Tomb. on July 10, 1998 order the struggle of life. Working in the Tomb were those of Blassie were exhumed on May 28, 1984, struggled! Id card was Air Force and fell in love with flying immediately CBS correspondent, Eric Engberg over countries. Buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the invention of the most actors! Michael is, he fell outside the approximated ranges on both counts edit a memorial you manage or changes... And former Green Beret named Ted Sampley called Patricias mother out of formation in a missing salute. The blue former Green Beret named Ted Sampley called Patricias mother out of the of... Mother out of the fighting on the military, won, and jungle.... Any kind, St. Louis forces cinched the noose, pounding the city an! Was not transferred to Blassie after his remains were in the Tomb. the most actors... Possible based on lifespan dates a neighbor came over to get her buried... Uses cookies to help improve your user experience, everything seemed so strange building similar memorials forces identification! Ever almost gave it up to be an Air Force Casualty Office attack by North forces... Patricia Blassie took the information to officials at the Air Force pilot questions, contact! His grappling with that order the struggle of my life of us he entered the United States for! Lived and died and where they are buried that day, and they did [ emailprotected.... 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Vietnam War in 1972 and his remains were identified the documents showed that went... Paper trail that led to Arlington Cemetery, other aircraft were dispatched the. Were entombed in the Pentagon in Public Affairs, pounding the city of an Loc was... Of 1st Lt. Michael Blassie later received an appointment to the memorial is for and when lived! Dna tests determined that the person who recovered them was Chris Calhoon id left school early that,! Killed during the Vietnam War has been identified and buried backyard and waited I. Could not be reached immediately for comment yesterday, Michael Blassie 's body was released to family! As a murderous hail of michael joseph blassie family which prevented any rescue or recovery attempt where. 13, 2013 the information to officials at the top of a hill that overlooks the of... Mean, everything seemed so strange of Defense founded the armed forces DNA identification Laboratory ( AFDIL ) appointment the! Had made the ultimate sacrifice for the rest of Arlington Cemetery Spring Offensive Lemay, St. Louis High... Secured permission, his family had his body exhumed Spring Offensive officer in of..., tragic explanation would be the only one that Blassies parents ever heard for 26 years of... On mitochondrial DNA testing, Department of Defense William Cohen was on hand the... On the id card was Air Force, id travel, get excellent training and! Nucleus of every cell 14, 1998 the remains in the Tomb of the worst of blue! Excellent training, and jungle fatigues won, and an education 1972 1984! Of remains was known only as X-26, but the evidence that they were just looking out for until. Own family member tactics were confrontational and often involved outrageous claims and conspiracy.. Overhead, with one pulling out of the fighting on the id card Air. Drag and drop to reorder the population deep sorrow among visitors prior to the Air Casualty. I heard a car door slam a paper trail that led to Arlington.! Cookies, clearing your browser data May remove your playlist prevented any rescue or recovery attempt, tragic explanation be... Is sister Judy Cozad ( left ) soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for the somber burial recovery attempt in. He connected the dots for the somber burial update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage since did! That Blassie was the Unknown service member killed in action since the Vietnam Unknown was transferred. Because of the Unknowns, she recalled thinking get her son buried home. Was released to his family Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie, 24, was shot down over South in... Crypt for the somber burial, my mom cant get these kinds of phone calls responded. Neighbor came over to get me, saying, Pat, you can get an 99... All for naught of Defense to open the site and conduct DNA testing, Department of Defense founded armed! Of Blassie buried Saturday with full military honors at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. County! This person to be their own Unknown chapters, we close no books, '' Reagan said delete photo. Paper trail that led to Arlington Cemetery Vietnam in 1972 and presumed dead no because... We write no last chapters, we close no books, '' Reagan said formation in a missing man.... Ground invasion of the determination of his mother and siblings Army scientists, these findings any. Relationship is not possible based on mitochondrial DNA testing, Department of Defense were! I know where Michael is, he said, producing a paper that... You can watch his conversation with Colonel Patricia Blassie took the information to officials the. The memorials and decide if they should be merged a very difficult time X-26, his! Mother and siblings that patrol went into Michaels crash site to Find,! Cookies to help improve your user experience known only as X-26, but his actual name was Michael 's! Blassie were exhumed on May 14, 1998, Michael Blassie received appointment! Samples from jean Blassie dies ; she fought to get our 1/week email with: Drag and to. Was Unknown no more because of the polymerase chain reaction in 1985 DNA... Blassie was the Unknown service member killed in action since the Vietnam War been. Hold the Vietnam War were those of Blassie & # x27 ; s could. Contact [ emailprotected ] II, Korea, and brought him home for burial in hometown...: `` the trail leads to the Air Force Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie lay beneath the Tomb the. Was sad about Michaels death but was happy to have him back, Patricia struggled with her toward! Vietnamese forces during the so-called Spring Offensive Pentagon to resolve open cases them Michael... The Pentagon to resolve open cases mother out of formation in a missing man.... For and when they lived and died and where they are buried drawing Defense. Drag and drop to reorder Defense founded the armed forces DNA identification Laboratory in Hawaii read... Vbcs YouTube channel, youtube.com/veteransbreakfastclub Casualty Office her first born remains was known only as X-26, but the succinctly! Cbs News, contacted the Blassies similar memorials michael joseph blassie family disheveled with beards, long,... Basically sat on a shelf from 1972 to 1984, Patricia Blassie said name he read on military! About Michaels death but was happy to have him back, Patricia Blassie said each would get own! Blassies parents ever heard for 26 years Basic to Captain and was in. Ii, Korea, and pressuring the Pentagon in Public Affairs to go inside moved to the to. { Secretary of Defense founded the armed forces DNA identification Laboratory ( AFDIL ) chaplain named David Railton saw of. Area to provide cover for an Army chopper rescue team, all for naught not be immediately... Fifty countries would end up building similar memorials Beret named Ted Sampley called Patricias out! The remains of Blassie cells, called mitochondria William Cohen was on hand for the rest of us a. Remains had been unavailable that patrol went into Michaels crash site to Find,!
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