michael joseph blassie familymichael joseph blassie family

It has been watched over day and night since 1937 by a lone guard, forever marching back and forth in front of the tomb. Its conceivable that they could soon use the same techniques on the unknown serviceman inside the tomb. You can watch his conversation with Colonel Patricia Blassie on A Veterans Story on the VBCs YouTube channel, youtube.com/veteransbreakfastclub. That's where he fell in love with flying, Pat Blassie said. Patricia Blassie, today a colonel with the Air Force Reserve who lives in Georgia, told her family of a phone call she had received in 1994 from a former Army Green Beret. 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. 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. It wasnt until World War I that it occurred to anyone to bury a single unknown soldier in a public setting. Articles in U.S. On July 10, 1998, Michael Blassie's body was released to his family. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? A fellow airman saw tracer rounds directed toward Mikes A-37. No other MIA or KIA even remotely near the An Lc location would have possessed a life raft, parachute, and pistol holster. After petitioning the United States Government for permission, his family had his body exhumed. During a tour of Vietnam, he served as a member of the 8th Special Operations Squadron. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. It was his 138th combat mission. They were a match and Michael Blassies remains were returned to his family. Your email address will not be published. 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. The nature of combat in Vietnam and advances in forensic medicine had made it difficult for officials to bury a Vietnam unknown. She was sad about Michaels death but was happy to have him back, Patricia Blassie said. #HonorVeterans #VetLegacies. Over 130,000 NVA with their tanks and artillery swept into South Vietnam along three separate fronts, from the DMZ to Saigon. The remains and associated materials were eventually turned over to the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii for analysis and identification. Blassie's remains, which had been buried in the Tomb of the . The Blassies didnt know Sampley. From top left to bottom right: dog tag chain fragment, signal marker pouch, match holder, parachute survival guide, and ammunition pouch. Michael flew as an Air Commando, probably running covert missions into Laos and Cambodia, in addition to his official duties as forward air controller and counterinsurgency operations pilot in South Vietnam. 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. Every recovered American service member killed in action since the Vietnam War has been identified and buried. He must have been killed instantly since he did not transmit a distress call of any kind. During a tour of Vietnam, he served as a member of the 8th Special Operations Squadron. They were completely cut off from the rest of the world. We were all so proud of him. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}. Well, my mom cant get these kinds of phone calls, responded Patricia. The aircraft flew a short distance on its own and then slowly rolled over, exploding on impact in enemy-held territory. Defense Secretary William Cohen announced that the remains would be disinterred and the DNA tested. Talk to the Veterans Crisis Line now As far as she was concerned, the case was closed. Please try again later. 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. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. No one wanted to inter someone who might eventually be identified. Over a quarter million people lined the route to Arlington National Cemetery. Given the advance of DNA technology, there may never be another US Unknown. His jet lost a wing, crashed and burned. [1] He then attended Undergraduate Pilot Training, receiving his aeronautical rating as an Air Force pilot in 1971. 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. Webb refused. Blassie, a decorated pilot, was 24 when he died in May 1972. In 1991 the Department of Defense founded the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL). "Mike lived a hero, and he came home a hero," said Emanuel Cassimatis, the Air Force Academy liaison officer who recruited Blassie in 1965. GREAT NEWS! When it came to tracking MIAs, Sampley was shrewd and tireless. 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. DNA samples were taken from Michaels mother Jean and his sister Judy and tested against the remains. 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. We want the truth, we want to bring him home. 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. No one doubted his commitment to the cause of POW/MIAs. The Blassies went public, calling for DNA tests to prove that the remains were Michaels. On the other, if he destroyed Blassies personal effects, he might condemn Blassies remains to permanent oblivion. 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. If they had, they might have hung up on him. He died on May 11, 1972 at age 24. Perhaps they should put up a new plaque at the memorial that talks about the fact that there may never again be an unknown soldier. display: none; This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. But not all remains can be identified with such methods. Blassie was buried Saturday with full military honors at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis. With the conflicting information between the forensic analysis and the physical evidence, the remains were designated as "Unknown" and assigned the number "X-26.". When Britain dedicated the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey in 1920, it garnered a lot of attention. There was no question, the remains were Michaels. 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. Make sure that the file is a photo. Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses reelection bid. Dubbed the "super-tweet . 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 Tonight: Occasional mixed rain and snow. "He and. "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. It represents all soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for the rest of us. Try again later. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. Human beings have copies of DNA from each biological parent, stored in the nucleus of every cell. Today he comes home.". On July 10, 1998, Michael Blassie's body was released to his family. Morphological approximation presumed that one could determine personal characteristics like age and height by careful examination of bone fragments. Think you're a Top Gun at aircraft identification? You grow apart sometimes during this kind of tragedy. 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. Family members linked to this person will appear here. I saluted smartly and put the thought aside. 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 day changed the Blassie family forever, she says. But it doesnt make it right that we interred a known soldier, she added. You have permission to edit this article. The city of An Loc was totally leveled it looked like Hiroshima, says Chris Calhoon who was stationed there as an Army Ranger. I didnt have any direction, and the family was lower-middle income. 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.. The gravesite of 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery on Thursday, June 13, 2013. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? well, that was simply too much to believe. By the time the package arrived in Hawaii, the wallet and ID were missing, presumed stolen during storage or transit. [3] After Blassie's family secured permission, the remains were exhumed on May 14, 1998. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. And you didnt mention the shoes the specially designed shoes the sentries wear are pretty cool. 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. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. In 1998 the Tomb of the Unknown was . By the time his mother found out where he was, his remains were entombed in the Tomb of the Unknowns in Washington. Your playlist is stored within your cookies, clearing your browser data may remove your playlist. In: Spitz, W.U. Jean Blassie lost her son twice. 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. Jump to: Bio graphy Family Photos Comments Obit uary. Today: Cloudy with a chance of sprinkles or flurries. "At a moment of great crises in the history of the world, he gave of himself," Archbishop Justin Rigali said to about 350 friends, family members and current and former members of the military. Also pictured is sister Judy Cozad (left). } That is, he fell outside the approximated ranges on both counts. In part, because the formula was so easy to follow all that was needed was the body of a single unknown soldier. 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. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Add to your scrapbook. On May 11, Communist forces unleashed an all-out assault to take An Lc. 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. 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. Try again. It turns out that, unlike previous wars, the Vietnam War didnt produce many Unknowns. My parents marriage did not survive. That was enough for Captain Patricia Blassie. He died in 1991. 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. but and theres always a but the nerd in me must comment that term guard was used throughout to story. Immediate recovery attempts were launched, but Blassie had crashed in an area controlled by enemy forces so it was impossible to examine the crash site. Drag images here or select from your computer for 1LT Michael Joseph Blassie memorial. She met George Blassie, a butcher, at a ballroom dance. 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. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Twenty-six years after he died, 1st Lt. Michael Blassie came home. Michael was no longer Unknown. On May 28, 1984, a Third Army Old Guard horse-drawn caisson moved slowly along Constitution Avenue. 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. Check out member benefits and perks . Major Johnie Webb was the officer in charge of the Armys Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii. These sources reinforced the probability that Michael Blassies remains were in the Tomb. He had been shot down near An Loc, Vietnam, in 1972.. 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. Whatever the case, other aircraft were dispatched to the area to provide cover for an Army chopper rescue team, all for naught. Tony. And he had only been able to find one missing plane that fully matched the planes description: Michael Blassies. Michael was 24 years old and 72 inches tall when he died. The remains were confirmed to be those of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Blassie. Patricia is on Michaels right (Blassie family). The Army lab in Hawaii removed the BTB designation and, through a later discredited technique called morphological approximation, declared Michael Blassies remains as belonging to Unknown.. USAF Honor Guard with Michael Blassies casket, Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery (SSgt Scott Seyer/USAF). There, a plaque holds words from. That simple, tragic explanation would be the only one that Blassies parents ever heard for 26 years. . Placing a Medal of Honor on X-26s flag-draped casket, the President concluded, Thank you, dear son, and may God cradle you in his loving arms.. Michael Blassies squadron was providing that air support over An Loc. "Today was a significant day for us," Blassie's brother, George Blassie said during Friday's service. A hunch told him there might be something to Sampleys claims, and he began his own investigation. 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. Air Force jets fly over Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery during the burial of Lt. Michael Blassie, July 11. Britains unknown warrior wasnt the only one. . But the evidence that they were Blassie's was too slim, so the designation was removed in 1979. 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. 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. Jean Frances Adrian grew up in Jennings. US air power was used extensively in defense of the city and five aircraft were lost that day: A-37B-1st Lt Michael J Blassie, 8th SOS, O-2A-Capt, Barry K Allmond, 21st TASS, O-2A, 1st Lt John H Haselton, 21st TASS, AH-1G Cpt . I thought you might like to see a memorial for 1LT Michael Joseph Blassie I found on Findagrave.com. Out of the fog of war comes another version of the incident, one in which Michaels Dragonfly inverts upside down, and Michael ejects from the stricken aircraft. Thanks to improved forensics, there will likely never be an unknown from Iraq or Afghanistan or any future war. Michael, after all, was her first born. The enemy threw up what was described as a murderous hail of fire which prevented any rescue or recovery attempt. Unlike nuclear DNA, each cell carries more than a hundred copies of mtDNA, since each cell contains many mitochondria but only one nucleus. Based on mitochondrial DNA testing, Department of Defense scientists were able to identify Blassie's remains. The guard was sent back and a different guard took over. [5] On June 30, 1998, the Defense Department announced that the Vietnam Unknown had been identified. Michael Sorkin is a reporter at the Post-Dispatch. 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? In addition, a single strand of hair found in the flight suit yielded an estimated blood type O negative. Veterans who serve at funerals call their service a way to salute their fellow warriors. DNA is also stored in tiny, energy-producing structures in the cells, called mitochondria. Or so the story went. Sampleys words landed like a percussion grenade in the Blassie household. Michael Blassie received an appointment to the Air Force and fell in love with flying immediately. American serviceman who remained behind were stretched thin. Captain Parnell wrapped the remains, and the other items found at the crash site, in plastic and held them overnight. His remains were buried in Arlington National Cemetery's Tomb of The Unknowns as an unidentified soldier from the Vietnam War. Interestingly, the soldiers identities *were* known and the Danes made an effort to give each soldier his last rites. A system error has occurred. The Unknown Soldier can be about more than a dwindling subclass of soldiers that disappeared without record. 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