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. GREAT NEWS! https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/4245/michael-joseph-blassie. In the early 1990s, Blassie's family received word that his remains might be buried in the Tomb of the Unknown. They may have received last rights, families informed, etc, but the rest of us know little about those individuals. I want to bring my son home.. Please reset your password. 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. Over fifty countries would end up building similar memorials. On March 21, 1984, Webb reluctantly signed. First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie (April 4, 1948 - May 11, 1972) was an officer in the United States Air Force. No one wanted to inter someone who might eventually be identified. The Medal of Honor bestowed upon him as the Vietnam Unknown was not transferred to Blassie after his remains were identified. Based on mitochondrial DNA testing, Department of Defense scientists were able to identify Blassie's remains. I think I know where Michael is, he said, producing a paper trail that led to Arlington Cemetery. (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. 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. The Easter Offensive was the largest and most conventional ground invasion of the Vietnam War. Jean Blassie dies; she fought to get her son buried at home in St. Louis. 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight. . Saint Louis, St. Louis City, Missouri, USA. . On July 11, 1998, Michael Blassie was buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis. DNA samples were taken from Michaels mother Jean and his sister Judy and tested against the remains. Thats when a Vietnam veteran and former Green Beret named Ted Sampley called Patricias mother out of the blue. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. 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. I dont know any of them. Jean Frances Adrian grew up in Jennings. Western reporters called it a mini-Stalingrad, the ugliest kind of siege warfare. If they had, they might have hung up on him. (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. The nature of combat in Vietnam and advances in forensic medicine had made it difficult for officials to bury a Vietnam unknown. He was constantly researching, protesting, and pressuring the Pentagon to resolve open cases. "He's still serving today because he now represents those that need to come home," she said. That's where he fell in love with flying, Pat Blassie said. He died on May 11, 1972 at age 24. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. He must have been killed instantly since he did not transmit a distress call of any kind. DNA testing was in its infancy in 1972. She worked until she was 82. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. At 67, Mrs. Blassie went back to work as a sales clerk at Dillards. After his remains were identified by DNA testing in 1998, they were reburied at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis County, Missouri. He served as a Tactical Aircraft Pilot and was assigned to the 8TH SPECIAL OPS SQDN, 377TH AIR BASE WING, 7TH AF. ). They petitioned the Department of Defense to open the site and conduct DNA testing, a technology that had been unavailable . 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. By no means, the office reported back, is there anything to substantiate that your brother is in the Tomb of the Unknown.. The last day we took him to the airport, Michael looked back at us and waved. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. On July 11, 1998, U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Blassie finally came home to St. Louis. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. The enemy threw up what was described as a murderous hail of fire which prevented any rescue or recovery attempt. At one point he described the wounded, with their meager medical support, as looking like something out of the Civil War. During a memorial service Friday evening at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, Blassie was remembered as a courageous young man who fought for peace. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { It was around this time that David Railton came across a temporary grave, a few miles behind the front, marked only by a cross bearing the name of a regiment and the words: An unknown British soldier.. I think a third section of these guards/ceremonies around the world would have been a great inclusion. 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. Patricia is on Michaels right (Blassie family). Plot I thought, What is that? I went into the backyard and waited, I mean, everything seemed so strange. Joseph Michael Leo Findlan Obituary. After Blassie's family secured permission . Dont let my viewpoint sully your experience. In: Spitz, W.U. She grew bitter and even considered quitting the service. They were initially classified as belonging to Lt. Blassie. Michael Blassies skeletal chart, VBC Happy Hour screenshot, 2021. Michael Sorkin is a reporter at the Post-Dispatch. There is a problem with your email/password. We've created a quiz to test your ability to recognize military aircraft. But the evidence that they were Blassie's was too slim, so the designation was removed in 1979. Britains unknown warrior wasnt the only one. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. "We write no last chapters, we close no books," Reagan said. A seven-month CBS News investigation has revealed, reported correspondent Eric Engberg, that the identity of the unknown serviceman is almost certainly known, and that some military officials, for whatever reason, knew it all along and tried to hide it.. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. His 138th combat mission ended near An Loc, South Vietnam, when the wing was blasted off his plane by enemy fire. On May 14, 1998, the remains were exhumed and tested, revealing the "unknown" soldier to be Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie. It represents all soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for the rest of us. These sources reinforced the probability that Michael Blassies remains were in the Tomb. The American memorial is especially beautiful. Try again. For the past year, Pat Blassie crusaded for the disinterment, convinced that recent evidence - including Blassie's wallet and dog tags found near the crash site - suggested the remains were those of her brother. With the invention of the polymerase chain reaction in 1985, DNA analysis moved to the forefront of forensic technologies. Failed to remove flower. How much do you know about the founding of the U.S. Army? The remains were then sent to Travis Air Force Base on May 24 and arrived at Andrews Air Force Base the following day. East wind * around 10 mph. Many Vietnam veterans, President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan visited Blassie as he lay in state in the U.S. Capitol. 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. First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie, 24, was shot down over South Vietnam in 1972 and presumed dead. This browser does not support getting your location. Patricia was proud also when he headed off to Vietnam six years later. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. 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. Over 130,000 NVA with their tanks and artillery swept into South Vietnam along three separate fronts, from the DMZ to Saigon. A simple process of elimination made clear that the remains had to be a small fixed-wing pilot like Michael. Photo by Erik M. Lunsford elunsford@post-dispatch.com Jean Blassie lost. Veteran Dispatch. It may be that forensic science has reached the point where there will be no other unknowns in any war. One of Calhoons duties, in the midst of all this chaos, was to call in airstrikes. Another perspective on this issue is that all soldiers are unknown. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. 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. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. 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. That was enough for Captain Patricia Blassie. Michael Blassie in his Air Force Academy cadet uniform. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Eli Lilly to cut insulin prices by 70%, cap monthly costs at $35 In the early 1980s, officials chose the set of remains coded "X-26" to be interred in the Tomb of the Unknowns. 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. United States Air Force Vietnam Veteran. The remains and associated materials were eventually turned over to the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii for analysis and identification. Every recovered American service member killed in action since the Vietnam War has been identified and buried. Jean Blassie called the family together for a round-the-table discussion. 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. "This has meant so much to us. The Romans were fond of honoring them with an empty sarcophagus. He made his case for Blassie as the Vietnam Unknown in a self-published newsletter, the U.S. 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. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. 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). His body wouldnt be coming home. 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. Flying at a low altitude to drop napalm, he would have been propelled into the ground. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Members of the Air Force honor guard carry the casket containing the remains of Lt. Michael Blassie into a hearse at Scott Air Force Base on Friday, July 10, 1998. One of them told her once that their mission guarding the Unknowns is never really over. When it came to tracking MIAs, Sampley was shrewd and tireless. A helicopter team tried to get to the crash site, but due to heavy enemy fire, they had to leave after just a few minutes empty-handed. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Try again later. William S. Cohen, U.S. Secretary of Defense, 1998. Defense Secretary William Cohen announced that the remains would be disinterred and the DNA tested. . In addition, a single strand of hair found in the flight suit yielded an estimated blood type O negative. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. 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. 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. 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 . She and her four children met to try to figure out what to do. Check out member benefits and perks . 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 Armed Forces have adopted the latest advances in fingerprint and dental identification, and forensic anthropology and radiology. His sister, Pat Blassie, was 10 years younger than her brother, but she remembered he started working as a kid by selling newspapers on the street corner. There, a plaque holds words from the Gettysburg Address: "We can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow this ground. Weve updated the security on the site. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. 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. She says shes not sure why she does it, but it means that shes gotten to know some of the guards. We believe Michael would have been proud of how we pulled together to bring him home. They were the remains of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie, who was shot down over An Loc on May 11, 1972. . I didnt even know how to go about college. Those vacuum-sealed samples now number some 8 million, sitting ready for a self-reference analysis in case of battlefield death. 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. 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. Blassie was killed during the Vietnam war in 1972 and his remains were entombed in the Tomb of the Unknowns. I dont care what happened, but the documents showed that patrol went into Michaels crash site to find him, and they did. 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. But thanks to improved battlefield evacuation tactics, the Vietnam War produced only four sets of unidentified remains that could potentially go into the tomb. 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. This dental device was sold to fix patients' jaws. This is especially true for people like me that have no familial association with the military. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. Morphological approximation presumed that one could determine personal characteristics like age and height by careful examination of bone fragments. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. Your email address will not be published. There they would rest for eight years in a file labeled X-26 until their date with destiny arrived. The first time, he was killed, his aircraft shot down while flying a mission during the Vietnam War in 1972. He also added the critical notation: BTB [Believed to Be] Lt. Blassie, Michael Joseph.. That single set of remains was known only as X-26, but his actual name was Michael Blassie. She met George Blassie, a butcher, at a ballroom dance. Your donations are vital to keeping us independent and strong! Make sure that the file is a photo. The discovery of personal effects at the crash site should have converted Michael Blassie from a Vietnam MIA to a KIA, closing his case. Id left school early that day, and I looked out the window when I heard a car door slam. 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. [5] On June 30, 1998, the Defense Department announced that the Vietnam Unknown had been identified. Serving as next-of-kid, President Ronald Reagan received the folded flag and made brief remarks. Jean Frances Blassie died 15 years later, on Tuesday (June 11, 2013), at Mercy Hospital St. Louis in Creve Coeur. They were a match and Michael Blassies remains were returned to his family. It turns out that, unlike previous wars, the Vietnam War didnt produce many Unknowns. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Patricia was proud also when he headed off to Vietnam six years later. I assume now he was meaning in America but i immediately thought to other Countries national Monuments. See http://www.virtualwall.org/db/BlassieMJ01a.htm read more 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.. Search above to list available cemeteries. He connected the dots for the Blassies over the phone. They saw the identification of Michaels remains as a loss for them. There, a plaque holds words from. CBS Evening News went public with the explosive story in a broadcast on January 19, 1998. We have set your language to The chain of custody began with Captain William C. Parnell, an operations officer at An Lc. Blassie was then listed as "killed in action, no body recoverd." 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. Patricia was 13 years old when the Air Force chaplain knocked on their door to deliver the news of Michaels death. No one doubted his commitment to the cause of POW/MIAs. Historical Person Search Search Search Results Results Michael Joseph Blassie (1948 - 1972) Try FREE for 14 days Try FREE for 14 days How do we create a person's profile? Sampley told them that remains had been discovered near Michaels crash site, along with items belonging to an Air Force pilot. 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. Then, in January 1972, he joined the 8th Special Operations Squadron of the 377th Air Base Wing at Bien Hoa Air Base near Saigon. Unlike nuclear DNA, each cell carries more than a hundred copies of mtDNA, since each cell contains many mitochondria but only one nucleus. Mourners included military personnel, veterans and civilians. 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." Mrs. On the other, if he destroyed Blassies personal effects, he might condemn Blassies remains to permanent oblivion. Blassie, who was killed in Vietnam. 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. By 1994, Patricia had risen from Airman Basic to Captain and was working in the Pentagon in Public Affairs. For 14 years, the remains of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie lay beneath the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington. Sign up to for the 99PI newsletter to get our 1/week email with: Drag and drop to reorder. Blassie was buried Saturday with full military honors at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. Only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial working the. Events, and forensic anthropology and radiology 1985, DNA analysis moved to the chain of custody began Captain. Drag and drop to reorder their meager medical support, as looking like something of... Using the Edit button below add or update the memorial using the Edit button below William C.,... The designation was removed in 1979 donations are vital to keeping us independent and!... Identification Laboratory, Hawaii for analysis and identification lay in state in U.S.! Remains would be disinterred and the DNA tested for and when they lived and died and where they are.. 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