"He's still serving today because he now represents those that need to come home," she said. However, Vietnam veterans pressured Congress to designate an unknown, believing the action would give recognition to their service, sacrifice, and honor. The DNA testing resulted in a perfect match with the Blassies. 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. That destiny was already in motion. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. GREAT NEWS! First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie, 24, was shot down over South Vietnam in 1972 and presumed dead. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/4245/michael-joseph-blassie. A fellow airman saw tracer rounds directed toward Mikes A-37. Blassie died when his A-37B Dragonfly was shot down near An Lc in what was then South Vietnam. Whatever was known about the remains of the Vietnam Unknown had never been revealed. Michael Blassies squadron was providing that air support over An Loc. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed She says shes not sure why she does it, but it means that shes gotten to know some of the guards. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. That they all made the ultimate sacrifice for me. No one knows how many remains from Vietnam and elsewhere were buried in the wrong graves because of these flawed identification procedures. George, the youngest son, said that being buried in the Tomb of the Unknowns was a great honor and that maybe the family should leave Michael there. 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. 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. Improvements in evacuation, recordkeeping, and forensic science meant that almost all US remains recovered from combat zones were identified. 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. By 1972, when Michael was deployed, Americas military presence in Southeast Asia was shrinking rapidly. The Blassie family wasnt in attendance. They were completely cut off from the rest of the world. To use this feature, use a newer browser. Part 2: DNA. 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. 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. The discovery of personal effects at the crash site should have converted Michael Blassie from a Vietnam MIA to a KIA, closing his case. Mrs. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. I dont know any of them. Now that DNA samples are taken from everyone who joins the U.S. Armed Forces, there may never be another American "unknown soldier.". DNA testing was in its infancy in 1972. Become a member of the Veterans Breakfast Club for only $36/year! In 1984, on Memorial Day, Blassie's remains - four ribs, pelvis and the upper part of an arm - were buried in the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington. We believe Michael would have been proud of how we pulled together to bring him home. [5] On June 30, 1998, the Defense Department announced that the Vietnam Unknown had been identified. Please try again later. The remains were eventually sent to a search and recovery center in Thailand before being forwarded to the Army's central identification lab in Hawaii. Michael Joseph Blassie was born on April 4, 1948. First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie, 24, was shot down over South Vietnam in 1972 and presumed dead. Major James Connally, Blassies flight commander, described the tragic incident in a letter to Michaels parents: Mikes plane was hit and began streaming fuel. I know about Ted Sampleys past, he told her, but I believe its true.. DNA tests determined that the remains in the tomb were those of Blassie. The bones were taken to the Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii, where officials said they were "believed to be" those of Blassie. On May 11, Communist forces unleashed an all-out assault to take An Lc. Over a quarter million people lined the route to Arlington National Cemetery. Patricia was 13 years old when the Air Force chaplain knocked on their door to deliver the news of Michaels death. They never got updates on recovery efforts. The gravesite of 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery on Thursday, June 13, 2013. This is a carousel with slides. ", 1998 The Associated Press. After Years As Vietnam 'Unknown,' Pilot Now Buried At Home. More disturbingly, they also suggested a concerted effort to conceal any links between Blassie and the remains. A funeral Mass will be at 9:30 a.m. today at Rose Philippine Duchesne Church, 2560 Parker Road, Florissant. The Armed Forces have adopted the latest advances in fingerprint and dental identification, and forensic anthropology and radiology. Blassies was A positive. cemeteries found in Lemay, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. In Michaels case, just this once, their mission was completed. They were initially classified as belonging to Lt. Blassie. After 26 years, the family of Air Force Lt. Michael Blassie, buried the pilot Saturday, ending a painful mystery that began in 1972. She took on the military, won, and brought him back for burial in his hometown of St. Louis. The remains and associated materials were eventually turned over to the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii for analysis and identification. 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. We want the truth, we want to bring him home. To Army scientists, these findings superseded any other evidence, such as documents or personal effects. Required fields are marked *, 99% Invisible For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. I didnt have any direction, and the family was lower-middle income. I saluted smartly and put the thought aside. But not all remains can be identified with such methods. 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. After Blassie's family secured permission, the remains of Blassie were exhumed on May 14, 1998. 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. 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. The accompanying shells found their mark. There was no question, the remains were Michaels. Hundreds, including Secretary of Defense William Cohen and House minority leader Richard Gephardt, attended the ceremony. 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. A neighbor came over to get me, saying, Pat, you need to go inside. So I did and knew something was horribly wrong. 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. Michael Blassie had become a cold statistic of war. 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. In celebration of the Marine Corps' birthday, Military.com has put together this Marine Corps history quiz. 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. memorial page for 1LT Michael Joseph Blassie (4 Apr 1948-11 May 1972), Find a Grave Memorial ID 4245, citing Jefferson Barracks National . 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.. Flying bug found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect I thought you might like to see a memorial for 1LT Michael Joseph Blassie I found on Findagrave.com. But the evidence that they were Blassie's was too slim, so the designation was removed in 1979. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Love each and every podcast . But instead of giving closure, the remains endured one of the most baffling episodes of misidentification in military history. 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. On Friday, Family and friends gathered to welcome his return at Scott Air Force Base, near Blassie's hometown of Florissant, Mo., a St. Louis suburb. She attended Wellston High School but left after three years to work as a nurses aide at DePaul Hospital. At flight school, Michael was assigned to fly a ground attack aircraft known as the A-37. 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. Michael Blassies C-37 Dragonfly was part of that defense flying support for allied South Vietnamese ground units. They married in 1947 and had five children. Sampley had no direct evidence proving Michael was in the tomb, but that didnt make him wrong. Blassie was killed during the Vietnam war in 1972 and his remains were entombed in the Tomb of the Unknowns. Thanks for your help! Four low-flying F-15s flew overhead, with one pulling out of formation in a missing man salute. Every recovered American service member killed in action since the Vietnam War has been identified and buried. based on information from your browser. 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. You have permission to edit this article. The music is an original piece by our talented composer, Sean Real. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Patricia is on Michaels right (Blassie family). Secretary of Defense William Cohen was on hand for the somber burial. Patricia was proud also when he headed off to Vietnam six years later. For me the one with the most incredible presentation would have to be in Athens, Greece. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Chuck Norris, U.S. military veteran, and martial arts superstar began honing his skills in Korea while serving in the Air Before he went on to fame as B.A. The pressures of war put a premium on closing cases and moving on, getting the job done even if that meant rushing lab reports. Then, in January 1972, he joined the 8th Special Operations Squadron of the 377th Air Base Wing at Bien Hoa Air Base near Saigon. On July 10, 1998, Michael Blassie's body was released to his family. 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. Oops, something didn't work. well, that was simply too much to believe. He thought about how terrible it was that so many people were essentially being forgotten they deserved better than that. France, Romania, Italy everybody at the same time jumped on this idea. Jean Blassie, mother of 1st Lt. Michael Blassie, 1998. Subscribe with this special offer to keep reading, (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). He had written an article he said proved that her brother had been buried in the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington Cemetery on May 28, 1984. He was unknown no more because of the determination of his mother and siblings. The military is now in the process of using the DNA from the families of missing veterans to identify over 650 sets of unknown remains from the Korean War. It may be that forensic science has reached the point where there will be no other unknowns in any war. 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. 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. Everything about the war not only the numbers, but the nature of it was dehumanizing, says Robert Poole, author of the book On Hallowed Ground: The Story of Arlington National Cemetery. The gravesite of 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery on Thursday, June 13, 2013. I think I know where Michael is, he said, producing a paper trail that led to Arlington Cemetery. Michael was no longer Unknown. . 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. Plot There, a plaque holds words from the Gettysburg Address: "We can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow this ground. The aircraft went down in flames. 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 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. After his remains were identified by DNA testing in 1998, they were reburied at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis County, Missouri. This browser does not support getting your location. Patricia still visits the tomb. In 1991 the Department of Defense founded the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL). After Blassie's family secured permission . Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? Based on mitochondrial DNA testing, Department of Defense scientists were able to identify Blassie's remains. On July 11, 1998, U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Blassie finally came home to St. Louis. They had to do more with less and that meant Michael was going to see a lot of combat. Blassie was laid to rest beneath lush bluegrass in the cemetery's oldest section, established in 1826 alongside the original military post. She suffered a stroke in 2004 and recently was diagnosed with pneumonia, her family said Thursday. And they never learned the truth: that their son Michaels remains were discovered some five months after his death. 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. Failed to remove flower. And so it would have remained if a rookie CBS reporter named Vince Gonzalez hadnt run across Sampleys article about Blassie on the Internet. 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. The enemy threw up what was described as a murderous hail of fire which prevented any rescue or recovery attempt. In 1994, over two decades after Michael had been killed, his family received a phone call from a complete stranger named Ted Sampley. In my 17-year-old mind, that sounded like a good deal.. 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 the early 1990s, Blassie's family received word that his remains might be buried in the Tomb of the Unknown. #inline-recirc-item--id-91b39784-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { Blassie was buried Saturday with full military honors at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis. That is, he fell outside the approximated ranges on both counts. display: none; The six fragments in file X-26 were the exception. The aircraft flew a short distance on its own and then slowly rolled over, exploding on impact in enemy-held territory. In honor of the Coast Guard's birthday, we've put together a quiz on the service's history and traditions. East wind * around 10 mph. On May 28, 1984, a Third Army Old Guard horse-drawn caisson moved slowly along Constitution Avenue. The timely and accurate identification of men and women who die while serving in the armed forces has long been a priority for the United States government. She and her four children met to try to figure out what to do. 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. 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. Theyre too upsetting. This is especially true for people like me that have no familial association with the military. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. Vacant, it will likely remain. They may have received last rights, families informed, etc, but the rest of us know little about those individuals. English f\j Weather. From there, the remains and effects went to Camp Samae San, Thailand, where the US ran a search and recovery center. 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). Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Sorry! One of them told her once that their mission guarding the Unknowns is never really over. Three years later, in 1997, Vince Gonzales, a young correspondent with CBS News, contacted the Blassies. Michael Blassie received an appointment to the Air Force and fell in love with flying immediately. Updated: June 21, 2016 . And you didnt mention the shoes the specially designed shoes the sentries wear are pretty cool. On July 11, 1998, 1st Lt. Michael Blassie was buried with full military honors in Jefferson National Cemetery, Missouri, near his hometown, in the same cemetery as his father. Two weeks later, Michael Blassie was buried for good near the family's home . 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. The soldiers anonymity would allow each person who came to the grave to project whatever was most important to them onto the mystery. First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie, 24, was shot down over South Vietnam in 1972 and presumed dead. Michael Joseph Blassie was a United States Air Force officer who was killed in action during the Vietnam War in May 1972. If he couldnt do it, Webb would be ordered to sign off on the burial. Talk to the Veterans Crisis Line now Still, as hesitant as he was,Gonzales thought maybe there could be more to the story. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. There, a plaque holds words from. What is the music played at the end of this podcast? Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. The Blassie family watches as their family member Michael, is unloaded from a C-130 Hercules cargo plane, July 10. At one point he described the wounded, with their meager medical support, as looking like something out of the Civil War. From a computer genius to a popular sitcom star, talented women have made their mark in the U.S. military. On July 11, 1998, Michael Blassie was buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis. 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. First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie (April 4, 1948 - May 11, 1972) was an officer in the United States Air Force. 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. The recruiters said if I joined the Air Force, Id travel, get excellent training,and an education. For Pat Blassie, Michael's sister, the once unknown soldier still is a symbol for the country. The guard was sent back and a different guard took over. Its conceivable that they could soon use the same techniques on the unknown serviceman inside the tomb. The remains were then sent to Travis Air Force Base on May 24 and arrived at Andrews Air Force Base the following day. Jean Blassie dies; she fought to get her son buried at home in St. Louis. Eli Lilly to cut insulin prices by 70%, cap monthly costs at $35 No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Blassie's mother, three sisters and brother each carried small American flags during the service. 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. She was 90 and had been a longtime Florissant resident before moving to Mary Queen and Mother Center in St. Louis. Om 1992, the Defense Department started collecting and holding blood samples from all inductees for possible future DNA comparisons. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Michaels missions took him all over Vietnam, but the most dangerous was arguably over a place called An Loc, a town about 50 miles north of Saigon. Privacy Policy & Terms of Service. 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. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. 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. DNA tests confirmed that the previously unknown soldier was, in fact, Michael Blassie. Check out member benefits and perks . Failed to delete memorial. Britains unknown warrior wasnt the only one. CBS Evening News went public with the explosive story in a broadcast on January 19, 1998. Blassie was then listed as "killed in action, no body recoverd." Actually, they had his remains and his military I.D. For Mrs. Blassie, the fight to recover her sons remains took a dramatic turn during a family meeting in November 1997 at her apartment in Florissant. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}. Michael Blassie later received an appointment to the Air Force Academy. I thought, What is that? I went into the backyard and waited, I mean, everything seemed so strange. During my only visit to the Tomb of the Unknowns, during the changing of the guard, I witnessed what may be a rare event. Whatever the case, other aircraft were dispatched to the area to provide cover for an Army chopper rescue team, all for naught. The US Air Force responded with aerial counterattacks. 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. Well, my mom cant get these kinds of phone calls, responded Patricia. . The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have hallowed it far above our poor power to add or detract.". Arlington got to work building a special new crypt for the Tomb, one designed to hold the Vietnam War remains. Sampleys words landed like a percussion grenade in the Blassie household. 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 last day we took him to the airport, Michael looked back at us and waved. The file that Vince discovered made it clear the the person who had been put in the tomb in 1984 had been far from unknown. 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. Tonight: Occasional mixed rain and snow. I signed up the next day. Test your knowledge! 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. He had been shot down near An Loc, Vietnam, in 1972.. She grew bitter and even considered quitting the service. A simple process of elimination made clear that the remains had to be a small fixed-wing pilot like Michael. On July 10, 1998, Michael Blassie's body was released to his family. "We were all so proud of him. The Unknown Soldier can be about more than a dwindling subclass of soldiers that disappeared without record. 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. Blassie, who was killed in Vietnam. 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. The saga of the Vietnam crypt of the Tomb of the Unknown is perhaps the darkest chapter of the US Department of Defenses long-running effort to account for POW/MIAs. Failed to report flower. He subsequently qualified as an A-37 Dragonfly pilot and served as a member of the 8th Special Operations Squadron, deployed to Southeast Asia. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. 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 remains in the tomb are not even technically referred to as an unknown soldier. No one knows which service theyre from, so instead of soldier or sailor or marine, theyre simply referred to as the Unknown. In fact, anything that narrows the scope of who this person could be including where exactly they were found is purposely withheld from the public in order to make sure that they represent every possible service member. Im a former Soldier from Australia, and a Tour Guide around Europe, and i immediately thought of all the different changing of the guards, and unknown Tombs i have visited. They saw the identification of Michaels remains as a loss for them. He must have been killed instantly since he did not transmit a distress call of any kind. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. A decade later, however, questions began to arise about the identity of this unknown soldier. It was his 138th combat mission. Drag images here or select from your computer for 1LT Michael Joseph Blassie memorial. That's where he fell in love with flying, Pat Blassie said. Based on mitochondrial DNA testing . Request will add an alert to the Cemetery 's oldest section, established in 1826 the. And radiology all remains can be about more than one record for entered,. Newer browser for by selecting or deselecting below was simply too much to.! Locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts Vietnamese! Family said Thursday was known about the identity of this podcast is especially for!, and an education chopper rescue team, all for naught 's body was released to his family emailprotected... Would be ordered to sign off on the burial Blassie said see a lot of.... ] if you have questions, please contact Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE flawed procedures! Horribly wrong women have made their mark in the tomb, but the rest of Vietnam! Specially designed shoes the specially designed shoes the sentries wear are pretty cool Blassie were on! 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