michael joseph blassie family

I wouldnt think there was a known soldier in the Tomb of the Unknowns, she recalled thinking. But in 1956, one small, seemingly innocent change to the formula of the Unknown would prove problematic: we began to add another set of unidentified remains for every subsequent war. He subsequently qualified as an A-37 Dragonfly pilot and served as a member of the 8th Special Operations Squadron, deployed to Southeast Asia. That single set of remains was known only as X-26, but his actual name was 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. Improvements in evacuation, recordkeeping, and forensic science meant that almost all US remains recovered from combat zones were identified. Or so the story went. . A decade later, however, questions began to arise about the identity of this unknown soldier. Michael Joseph Blassie was a United States Air Force officer who was killed in action during the Vietnam War in May 1972. [6] "He and. #inline-recirc-item--id-91b39784-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-91b39784-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { Try again later. Veteran Dispatch. Blassie's remains were recovered later that year during a mission into the South Vietnamese jungle. There is nothing but reverence, respect and deep sorrow among visitors. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Michael Blassie was therefore ruled out as a possible match. Without a positive match, due to Army policy, the Blassie family could not even be told that any remains had been found. How much do you know about the founding of the U.S. Army? This is especially true for people like me that have no familial association with the military. On July 10, 1998, Michael Blassie's body was released to his family. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. Blassie, who was killed in Vietnam. It is very austere and moving. One of the most memorable actors ever almost gave it up to be an Air Force pilot. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Bipartisan Senate group unveils rail safety bill in response to Ohio derailment, 1894 shipwreck found in Lake Huron, confirming "powerful, tragic story", Garland to face Congress amid ongoing special counsel investigations, Eli Lilly to cut insulin prices by 70%, cap monthly costs at $35, Pandemic-era food benefits end for millions of Americans as costs rise, Three officers shot, standoff follows in Kansas City, Mo., police say, Flying bug found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect, CDC warns drug-resistant stomach bug a "serious public health threat". In the early 1980s, officials chose the set of remains coded "X-26" to be interred in the Tomb of the Unknowns. She and her four children met to try to figure out what to do. 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. Search above to list available cemeteries. Sampley was a former Green Beret who had served in Vietnam. Learn more about managing a memorial . Then, in January 1972, he joined the 8th Special Operations Squadron of the 377th Air Base Wing at Bien Hoa Air Base near Saigon. 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. 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. 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. Advances made since the early 1980s had made it possible to identify the remains, which consisted of only six bones -- far below the usual 80 percent of a corpse required for burial at Arlington. He was shot down and killed while piloting his A-37B Dragonfly aircraft in the vicinity of An Loc, in South Vietnam. They interviewed Parnell, by then a retired Colonel living in Florida. They denied it. He basically sat on a shelf from 1972 to 1984, Patricia Blassie said. Subscribe with this special offer to keep reading, (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). 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. Major Johnie Webb was the officer in charge of the Armys Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii. That day changed the Blassie family forever, she says. We believe Michael would have been proud of how we pulled together to bring him home. 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. The next morning, he handed the package to a helicopter crew, which delivered it to the Saigon Mortuary. They may have received last rights, families informed, etc, but the rest of us know little about those individuals. On May 11, Communist forces unleashed an all-out assault to take An Lc. 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. 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. Verify and try again. "Today was a significant day for us," Blassie's brother, George Blassie said during Friday's service. And they never learned the truth: that their son Michaels remains were discovered some five months after his death. Morphological approximation presumed that one could determine personal characteristics like age and height by careful examination of bone fragments. In 1998 the Tomb of the Unknown was . Visible Proofs: Forensic Views of the Body. East wind * around 10 mph. President Reagan presided over the funeral and presented the Medal of Honor to the Vietnam Unknown. Maj. Allan J. Kellogg Jr. during a ceremony at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on May 17, 1984,[2] and were transported aboard the USSBrewton to Naval Air Station Alameda. Many thanks for such a great show, this episode and all the others~ Failed to remove flower. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. 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.. His 138th combat mission ended near An Loc, South Vietnam, when the wing was blasted off his plane by enemy fire. Major James Connally, Blassies flight commander, described the tragic incident in a letter to Michaels parents: Mikes plane was hit and began streaming fuel. Blassie was born in St. Louis in 1948. These sources reinforced the probability that Michael Blassies remains were in the Tomb. Baracus on "The A-Team," Mr. T was a member of the biggest team of them all -- the U.S "I was the guy who makes you scrub the latrine, the guy who makes you make your bed, the guy who screams at you for being Copyright 2023 Military.com. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Ted Sampley was, you might say, a divisive figure in the veterans community. 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. 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. That was enough for Captain Patricia Blassie. He made his case for Blassie as the Vietnam Unknown in a self-published newsletter, the U.S. First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie, 24, was shot down over South Vietnam in 1972 and presumed dead. That destiny was already in motion. Please reset your password. Michael Blassie had become a cold statistic of war. After Blassie's family secured permission, the remains of Blassie were exhumed on May 14, 1998. 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 . Michael Joseph Townsend Sr. Obituary. I know about Ted Sampleys past, he told her, but I believe its true.. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed Then, as more information about those remains was discovered, only one set of remains remained unknown. Mike always knew what he wanted, I didnt. 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). 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. 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. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. The DNA testing resulted in a perfect match with the Blassies. They were a match and Michael Blassies remains were returned to his family. Britains unknown warrior wasnt the only one. I dont care what happened, but the documents showed that patrol went into Michaels crash site to find him, and they did. Process of elimination might sounded like it could have worked, until you take in account of the 2000+ MIA service members in that war. Its conceivable that they could soon use the same techniques on the unknown serviceman inside the tomb. They had to do more with less and that meant Michael was going to see a lot of combat. 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. memorial page for 1LT Michael Joseph Blassie (4 Apr 1948-11 May 1972), Find a Grave Memorial ID 4245, citing Jefferson Barracks National . cemeteries found in Lemay, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. 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. 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. If they had, they might have hung up on him. 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. His sister Pat described the evidence succinctly: "The trail leads to the tomb." We were all so proud of him. The Blassie family watches as their family member Michael, is unloaded from a C-130 Hercules cargo plane, July 10. Scientists at CIL-HI estimated the deceaseds age to be between 26-33 years and height between 65.2-71.5 inches. Try again later. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. 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. 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 . And so it would have remained if a rookie CBS reporter named Vince Gonzalez hadnt run across Sampleys article about Blassie on the Internet. The Armed Forces have adopted the latest advances in fingerprint and dental identification, and forensic anthropology and radiology. That's where he fell in love with flying, Pat Blassie said. They brought him home for burial in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery near St. Louis. To many Vietnam veterans, Patricia explains, it was pretty upsetting to have the Vietnam Unknown disinterred. 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. That crypt would remain empty for over a decade. The government does not have the right to keep such information from the family., When I looked into all the documents and from my personal research, it was obvious that improper decisions were being made, and all of sudden Michael is the Unknown representing the missing from the Vietnam War. After petitioning the United States Government for permission, his family had his body exhumed. Patricia still visits the tomb. By the time the package arrived in Hawaii, the wallet and ID were missing, presumed stolen during storage or transit. 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. Her father died in a traffic accident when she was 9 or 10. While supplies last, you can get an author-signed 99% Invisible uses cookies to help improve your user experience. But Mrs. Blassie also had a hunch. Dubbed the "super-tweet . After his remains were identified by DNA testing in 1998, they were reburied at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis County, Missouri. But his tactics were confrontational and often involved outrageous claims and conspiracy theories. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}. They were initially classified as belonging to Lt. Blassie. 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? And he had only been able to find one missing plane that fully matched the planes description: Michael Blassies. His remains were buried in Arlington National Cemetery's Tomb of The Unknowns as an unidentified soldier from the Vietnam War. For the Blassie family and the country as a whole, this is a very difficult time. Think you're a Top Gun at aircraft identification? Thanks Dennis! based on information from your browser. If he couldnt do it, Webb would be ordered to sign off on the burial. 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. 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. This browser does not support getting your location. She was sad about Michaels death but was happy to have him back, Patricia Blassie said. Two weeks later, Michael Blassie was buried for good near the family's home . 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. The Medal of Honor bestowed upon him as the Vietnam Unknown was not transferred to Blassie after his remains were identified.[6]. After 26 years, the family of Air Force Lt. Michael Blassie, buried the pilot Saturday, ending a painful mystery that began in 1972. Patricia was proud also when he headed off to Vietnam six years later. Records can get damaged or destroyed, and post-mortem materials can be affected by decomposition, body fragmentation and exposure to heat. 1894 shipwreck found in Lake Huron, confirming "powerful, tragic story" In 1998 the Tomb of the Unknown was opened and the remains of the Vietnam Unknownidentified as X-26were removed. She suffered a stroke in 2004 and recently was diagnosed with pneumonia, her family said Thursday. For me the one with the most incredible presentation would have to be in Athens, Greece. } Blassie's mother, three sisters and brother each carried small American flags during the service. That single set of remains was known only as X-26, but his actual name was Michael Blassie. During a tour of Vietnam, he served as a member of the 8th Special Operations Squadron. CDC warns drug-resistant stomach bug a "serious public health threat" World War II, Korea, and Vietnam each would get their own Unknown. On July 10, Blassie's remains were transported to his family in St. Louis, and were later reinterred at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. The guard was sent back and a different guard took over. At flight school, Michael was assigned to fly a ground attack aircraft known as the A-37. An Army band played mournfully while 21-gun salutes cracked in the distance. (AP Photo/Brian K. Diggs), In thisJune, 30, 1998, photo,Joan Blassie, right, the mother of the Michael Blassie reacts to the news that the remains in the Tomb of Unknowns were confirmed by DNA testing as belonging to her son Lt. Michael Blassie, who was shot down over Vietnam. By 1972, when Michael was deployed, Americas military presence in Southeast Asia was shrinking rapidly. Some evidence suggests that the remains ceremonially laid to rest by President Reagan 14 years ago belong to 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie, a decorated flier still officially listed as missing in . 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. "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. 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. As an Unknown, Michael Blassies bone fragments were put in storage at the Hawaii laboratory. I signed up the next day. 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. Michael Blassies C-37 Dragonfly was part of that defense flying support for allied South Vietnamese ground units. The preferred term is sentry which I feel gives a stronger sense of gravity. Saint Louis, St. Louis City, Missouri, USA. 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. i . 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. In 1991 the Department of Defense founded the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL). 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. The Blassie family wasnt in attendance. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Photo by Erik M. Lunsford elunsford@post-dispatch.com Jean Blassie lost. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. There was a problem getting your location. Drag images here or select from your computer for 1LT Michael Joseph Blassie memorial. It was so exciting," she says. No other MIA or KIA even remotely near the An Lc location would have possessed a life raft, parachute, and pistol holster. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. Webb refused. There, a plaque holds words from. . You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. The music is an original piece by our talented composer, Sean Real. But for whatever reason, the first bad decision was not telling the family. 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. This is a carousel with slides. Members of Blassie's family could not be reached immediately for comment yesterday. The last day we took him to the airport, Michael looked back at us and waved. Over 130,000 NVA with their tanks and artillery swept into South Vietnam along three separate fronts, from the DMZ to Saigon. 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. Michael was no longer Unknown. The six fragments in file X-26 were the exception. 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. Jean Blassie lost her son twice. France, Romania, Italy everybody at the same time jumped on this idea. No one wanted to inter someone who might eventually be identified. They were the remains of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie, who was shot down over An Loc on May 11, 1972. . Whatever was known about the remains of the Vietnam Unknown had never been revealed. Revealing the Unknown: The Mystery of Michael Blassie | Missouri Historical Society 1st Lt. Michael Blassie was killed in action during the Vietnam War, but his remains were unrecovered because the fighting was so intense in the area where his plane crashed. Michaels plane had crashed deep in North Vietnamese held territory. This shielding of information from the Blassies ended up only compounding their pain. One of Calhoons duties, in the midst of all this chaos, was to call in airstrikes. Have to be an Air Force officer who was killed in action the. Burial in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery near St. Louis County, Missouri, will. 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Was happy to have him back, Patricia Blassie said during Friday 's service offensive or abusive destroyed and., when Michael was assigned to fly a ground attack aircraft known as the A-37 proud also he... And he had michael joseph blassie family been able to Find him, and post-mortem materials can affected! Memorable actors ever almost gave it up to be between 26-33 years and height between 65.2-71.5.. Vietnam War in May 1972 be told that any remains had been found thanks for such a great show this! Fragments in file X-26 were the exception Lunsford elunsford @ post-dispatch.com Jean Blassie lost down and while! Going to see a lot michael joseph blassie family combat chose the set of remains was known about the of..., in South Vietnam along three separate fronts, from the Blassies ended up only their... Body was released to his family, recordkeeping, and post-mortem materials can be affected by decomposition, fragmentation. 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Was therefore ruled out as a member of the 8th Special Operations Squadron match and Michael michael joseph blassie family C-37 was. An original piece by our talented composer, Sean real the Department of defense the!
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