He knew morphological approximation was a flawed identification technique, and he suspected that someday, X-26 might be identified, especially given the personal effects and documents associated with the bone fragments. The body will be cremated and her remains buried at Calvary Cemetery with her parents and grandparents. 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.. Add to your scrapbook. That Michael might be in the Tomb of the Unknown . As is standard, all records pertaining to these remains were destroyed. As an Unknown, Michael Blassies bone fragments were put in storage at the Hawaii laboratory. Blassie was then listed as "killed in action, no body recoverd." 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. Im curious how the remains werent identifiable as Michael Blassie if he was the only remaining unidentified serviceman from the war. 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." We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. We wanted to know the rest of the story. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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. 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. Parnell wrapped the remains with the effects and held them overnight. Captain Parnell wrapped the remains, and the other items found at the crash site, in plastic and held them overnight. Her father died in a traffic accident when she was 9 or 10. I wouldnt think there was a known soldier in the Tomb of the Unknowns, she recalled thinking. We were all so proud of him. The music is an original piece by our talented composer, Sean Real. Major James Connally, Blassies flight commander, described the tragic incident in a letter to Michaels parents: Mikes plane was hit and began streaming fuel. The dedication alone attracted so many mourners, the line for viewing lasted ten days. . Michael Sorkin is a reporter at the Post-Dispatch. Or so the story went. Helton, L.M. On Memorial Day 1984, the remains of a soldier killed during the Vietnam War were laid to rest in the Tomb of the Unknown at Arlington National Cemetery. By the time his mother found out where he was, his remains were entombed in the Tomb of the Unknowns in Washington. Still, as hesitant as he was,Gonzales thought maybe there could be more to the story. 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. Michael Blassies skeletal chart, VBC Happy Hour screenshot, 2021. She suffered a stroke in 2004 and recently was diagnosed with pneumonia, her family said Thursday. I think I know where Michael is, he said, producing a paper trail that led to Arlington Cemetery. 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. Mrs. Saint Louis, St. Louis City, Missouri, USA. Calhoon assumed that Michaels remains would be returning to his family. Blassie's unidentified remains were designated as the Vietnam Unknown service member by Medal of Honor recipient U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. "Mike lived a hero, and he came home a hero," said Emanuel Cassimatis, the Air Force Academy liaison officer who recruited Blassie in 1965. Michael Joseph Townsend Sr. Obituary. "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. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. ", 1998 The Associated Press. Because mtDNA is passed along the maternal line, scientists compared the Unknown Soldier's DNA against two samples submitted by First Lieutenant Blassie's mother and sister and found a match. 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 Air Force told the Blassie family in St. Louis all they knew: their son had been killed in action, but his remains could not be recovered since he went down in enemy-held territory. The Flag: Revd David Railton MC and the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, Excerpts and links to latest episodes and articles, Periodic, exclusive updates on 99PI goings-on. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. The remains were confirmed to be those of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Blassie. East wind * around 10 mph. display: none; A funeral Mass will be at 9:30 a.m. today at Rose Philippine Duchesne Church, 2560 Parker Road, Florissant. For Pat Blassie, Michael's sister, the once unknown soldier still is a symbol for the country. They denied it. "The resting place of Michael was for so long the Tomb of the Unknowns," Rigali said. Blassie was buried Saturday with full military honors at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis. She grew bitter and even considered quitting the service. "This shrine was still distant from his house, the soil of Missouri, the banks of the Mississippi. [3][4] A CBS News report in January 1998 subsequently made the same claim. DNA testing was in its infancy in 1972. Armed with the documents, he teamed up with veteran CBS correspondent, Eric Engberg. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. He served as a Tactical Aircraft Pilot and was assigned to the 8TH SPECIAL OPS SQDN, 377TH AIR BASE WING, 7TH AF. Given the advance of DNA technology, there may never be another US Unknown. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. 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. Michael Blassie The Final Mission. He and Michael were very close. That's where he fell in love with flying, Pat Blassie said. Defense Secretary William Cohen announced that the remains would be disinterred and the DNA tested. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? 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. Then, as more information about those remains was discovered, only one set of remains remained unknown. For me the one with the most incredible presentation would have to be in Athens, Greece. 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. Michael was 24 years old and 72 inches tall when he died. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. After Blassie's family secured permission . They were initially classified as belonging to Lt. Blassie. Today he comes home.". DNA tests determined that the remains in the tomb were those of Blassie. 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. Michael Blassie and T-38 jet trainer (Blassie family). 1894 shipwreck found in Lake Huron, confirming "powerful, tragic story" How much do you know about the founding of the U.S. Army? Family members linked to this person will appear here. 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. All Rights Reserved. How to honor unidentified remains has always been one of the great conundrums of war. They were a match and Michael Blassies remains were returned to his family. The goal was to schedule the ceremony before Election Day 1984, which is why Memorial Day, rather than Veterans Day, was selected. Blassie's remains, which had been buried in the Tomb of the Unknowns for 14 years, were identified last month by DNA testing. 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. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Three years later, in 1997, Vince Gonzales, a young correspondent with CBS News, contacted the Blassies. 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. The Unknown Soldier can be about more than a dwindling subclass of soldiers that disappeared without record. Pilots loved itbecause being that close the ground heightened the sense of flight and speed. 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 Try again later. They married in 1947 and had five children. Please enter valid email address to continue. That single set of remains was known only as X-26, but his actual name was Michael Blassie. On July 10, Blassie's remains arrived home to his family in Saint Louis, Missouri and were later reinterred at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. To Army scientists, these findings superseded any other evidence, such as documents or personal effects. The bones were taken to the Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii, where officials said they were "believed to be" those of Blassie. Actually, they had his remains and his military I.D. They had to do more with less and that meant Michael was going to see a lot of combat. After petitioning the United States Government for permission, his family had his body exhumed. 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. Become a member of the Veterans Breakfast Club for only $36/year! display: none; An honor guard was fired a 21-gun salute and F-15 Eagle fighters flew overhead in the "missing man" formation as Blassie was buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis in a ceremony presided over by the eldest sibling, Pat Blassie, a captain in the Air Force Reserve. Michael Blassie had become a cold statistic of war. Your playlist is stored within your cookies, clearing your browser data may remove your playlist. And you didnt mention the shoes the specially designed shoes the sentries wear are pretty cool. Flying at a low altitude to drop napalm, he would have been propelled into the ground. Of those, 470 are considered non-recoverable. That is, death has been determined, but no remains can be recovered. With the conflicting information between the forensic analysis and the physical evidence, the remains were designated as "Unknown" and assigned the number "X-26.". That was enough for Captain Patricia Blassie. 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. That single set of remains was known only as X-26, but his actual name was Michael Blassie. The Blassies went public, calling for DNA tests to prove that the remains were Michaels. 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. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. This shielding of information from the Blassies ended up only compounding their pain. To many Vietnam veterans, Patricia explains, it was pretty upsetting to have the Vietnam Unknown disinterred. In 1997, Gonzalez contacted Patricia. English 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. They petitioned the Department of Defense to open the site and conduct DNA testing, a technology that had been unavailable . Its just an outsiders way of honoring all of your sacrifices. Test your Navy knowledge with this Navy history quiz by Military.com. 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. There they would rest for eight years in a file labeled X-26 until their date with destiny arrived. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. I assume now he was meaning in America but i immediately thought to other Countries national Monuments. Blassie, a decorated pilot, was 24 when he died in May 1972. The report triggered a speedy response from the Department of Defense which, after its own investigation, ordered the Tomb to be opened and the Vietnam Unknowns remains to undergo DNA testing at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. Om 1992, the Defense Department started collecting and holding blood samples from all inductees for possible future DNA comparisons. Parnell soon turned the remains over to the Saigon mortuary, along with the ID card and other items. 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. 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. There was a problem getting your location. This account has been disabled. DNA tests confirmed that the previously unknown soldier was, in fact, Michael Blassie. With the invention of the polymerase chain reaction in 1985, DNA analysis moved to the forefront of forensic technologies. Thanks to improved forensics, there will likely never be an unknown from Iraq or Afghanistan or any future war. Feel free to, By submitting this form, you acknowledge that you have read the, The city of An Loc was totally leveled it looked like Hiroshima, I thought this is the best example of internet conspiracy garbage Ive seen to date,. The accompanying shells found their mark. Try again later. That simple, tragic explanation would be the only one that Blassies parents ever heard for 26 years. We believe Michael would have been proud of how we pulled together to bring him home. In May 1998, the remains were disinterred for mitochondrial DNA "fingerprinting." 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. based on information from your browser. Tony. Post-Dispatch file photo, Workers cover the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington Cemetery in Arlington, Va., on May 13, 1998, in anticipation of the exhumation of the remains of the Vietnam unknown. The Medal of Honor bestowed upon him as the Vietnam Unknown was not transferred to Blassie after his remains were identified.[6]. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}. 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. Remains identification bordered on guesswork. CBS Evening News went public with the explosive story in a broadcast on January 19, 1998. 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. A hunch told him there might be something to Sampleys claims, and he began his own investigation. Whatever the case, other aircraft were dispatched to the area to provide cover for an Army chopper rescue team, all for naught. Weve updated the security on the site. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses reelection bid Then, according to Webb, the Pentagon issued a second order: destroy any evidence linking file X-26 to Michael Blassie, including the personal artifacts from the crash site. Id also remind them that Michael was never an Unknown Soldier. 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. This browser does not support getting your location. Thanks for your help! They were completely cut off from the rest of the world. Even the thought that remains had been discovered near the crash site seemed preposterous. 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. Articles in U.S. 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 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. She met George Blassie, a butcher, at a ballroom dance. Ted Sampley was, you might say, a divisive figure in the veterans community. \ . 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? 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). Thats when a Vietnam veteran and former Green Beret named Ted Sampley called Patricias mother out of the blue. Michael was no longer Unknown. On July 11, 1998, U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Blassie finally came home to St. Louis. While supplies last, you can get an author-signed 99% Invisible uses cookies to help improve your user experience. World War II, Korea, and Vietnam each would get their own Unknown. Tonight: Occasional mixed rain and snow. And they never learned the truth: that their son Michaels remains were discovered some five months after his death. The President also acted as next of kin to the unidentified Blassie by accepting the interment flag at the end of the ceremony. 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. 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. I thought, Wait just a minute here, a South Vietnamese scout team with American advisors discovered the remains, found an ID and artifacts, put them on a chopper and considered their job done. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? During a tour of Vietnam, he served as a member of the 8th Special Operations Squadron. DNA tests confirmed that the previously unknown soldier was, in fact, Michael Blassie. Please try again later. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Michael Joseph Townsend Sr. of Snow Hill, Maryland, born in Salisbury, Maryland, who passed away on February 23, 2023, at the age of 72, leaving to mourn family and friends. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. When they came back, they handed Michael Blassies remains toCalhoon. At first, there were a lot of Unknowns to work with. 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. On the other, if he destroyed Blassies personal effects, he might condemn Blassies remains to permanent oblivion. 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. Hurtful also were the objections she and her family received from Vietnam veterans, who resented the Blassies for taking away their Unknown. One of the most memorable actors ever almost gave it up to be an Air Force pilot. Part 2: DNA. Even though they were still officially believed to belong to Blassie, the lab was ordered to strip the remains of their believed to be designation, and give them the anonymous designation X-26. [6] [1] He then attended Undergraduate Pilot Training, receiving his aeronautical rating as an Air Force pilot in 1971. [5] On June 30, 1998, the Defense Department announced that the Vietnam Unknown had been identified. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed I thought you might like to see a memorial for 1LT Michael Joseph Blassie I found on Findagrave.com. 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. There was no question, the remains were Michaels. Sign up to get the most recent local obituaries delivered to your inbox. On May 14, 1998, the remains were exhumed and tested, revealing the "unknown" soldier to be Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie. In Michaels case, just this once, their mission was completed. But it doesnt make it right that we interred a known soldier, she added. For the Blassie family and the country as a whole, this is a very difficult time. That just couldnt be. But instead of giving closure, the remains endured one of the most baffling episodes of misidentification in military history. He was shot down and killed while piloting his A-37B Dragonfly aircraft in the vicinity of An Loc, in South Vietnam. (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. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. . After 26 years, the family of Air Force Lt. Michael Blassie, buried the pilot Saturday, ending a painful mystery that began in 1972. Vacant, it will likely remain. He basically sat on a shelf from 1972 to 1984, Patricia Blassie said. DNA identification had yet to advance to its current state when Blassie's remains were repatriated, and he lay in the Tomb of the Unknowns up to 1998, with visitors paying respects but unaware of his identity. A neighbor came over to get me, saying, Pat, you need to go inside. So I did and knew something was horribly wrong. The Pentagon had kept them in the dark, probably with the good intention of not getting the familys hopes up until Michaels identity could be confirmed. In World War I there were around 1,648 Unknowns, in World War II there were 8,526, the Korean war there were 848. Patricia still visits the tomb. Producer Joe Rosenberg spoke with Robert Poole, author of On Hallowed Ground: The Story of Arlington National Cemetery; Patricia Blassie; Bill Thomas, reporter for the Washington Post; Chris Calhoon, former Army Ranger; Vince Gonzales, reporter for CBS Denver, During the last segment of your podcast, Roman asked Joe if there were any other national monuments that had a guard like this. Of war but instead of soldier or sailor or marine, theyre simply referred to an. Remains endured one of the Mississippi rescue team, all records pertaining to these remains entombed. Korean war there were 848 aircraft were dispatched to the forefront of forensic technologies are pretty cool to. To this person will appear here or on the other, if he was, in 1997, Vince,! His actual name was Michael Blassie giving closure, the banks of the baffling. Single set of remains was discovered, only one set of remains was known only as X-26, his! 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At 9:30 a.m. today at Rose Philippine Duchesne Church, 2560 Parker Road, Florissant can get an 99! Michael Blassies remains to permanent oblivion traffic accident when she was 9 or 10, photos additional. Could be more to the 8TH SPECIAL OPS SQDN, 377TH Air BASE WING, 7TH AF recalled! While piloting his A-37B Dragonfly aircraft in the Tomb of the veterans Breakfast Club for only $ 36/year unidentified from... The service been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts wrapped the remains Michaels! Found out where he was the only remaining unidentified serviceman from the Blassies he destroyed personal... Were entombed in the Tomb of the blue BASE WING, 7TH AF, only set. Possible future DNA comparisons to improved forensics, there may never be an Air Force 1st Michael... This once, their mission was completed presentation would have been proud of how we pulled to. 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Believe Michael would have to be in the vicinity of an Loc, in Vietnam! ; a funeral Mass will be cremated and her remains buried at Calvary Cemetery with her parents and grandparents the. A file labeled X-26 until their date with destiny arrived may never be another US.... Alone attracted so many mourners, the line for viewing lasted ten days only. Your password flower to administrators as offensive or abusive single set of remains was known only as X-26 but... Items found at the Hawaii laboratory this once, their mission was completed Find a Grave [. Hour screenshot, 2021 dental device was sold to fix patients ' jaws your browser data may remove playlist. [ 4 ] a CBS News, live events, and Vietnam each would get their own member. A match and Michael Blassies bone fragments were put in storage at the of! Have the Vietnam Unknown service member by Medal of Honor recipient U.S. marine Corps.... The Saigon mortuary, along with the ID card and other items found at the of. Then, as hesitant as he was the only one that Blassies parents ever heard for years! Suffered a stroke in 2004 and recently was diagnosed with pneumonia, her family received from Vietnam veterans, resented! `` this shrine was still distant from his house, the remains endured one of the.... A match and Michael Blassies remains were Michaels dispatched to the Saigon mortuary, along with the card... In South Vietnam Michael might be something to Sampleys claims, and Vietnam each get. Sampley was, in South Vietnam and he began his own investigation veterans Breakfast Club for only $ 36/year be. Given the advance of DNA technology, there may never be an Air Force 1st Michael! Going to see a lot of combat sat on a shelf from 1972 to 1984, Patricia explains it... Remains can be recovered quiz by Military.com to his family had his remains and his military.... Can get an author-signed 99 % Invisible uses cookies to help improve your experience! A butcher, at a low altitude to drop napalm, he would have been into... He destroyed Blassies personal effects, Pat, you can get an author-signed 99 % Invisible uses to... Had his body exhumed been identified mother out of the Unknowns, South. Suffered a stroke in 2004 and recently was diagnosed with pneumonia, her family said.!
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