On May 11, Communist forces unleashed an all-out assault to take An Lc. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Flying at a low altitude to drop napalm, he would have been propelled into the ground. Michael Blassies skeletal chart, VBC Happy Hour screenshot, 2021. 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. I saluted smartly and put the thought aside. Jean Blassie, center, mother of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Blassie, and his sister Patricia, right, now an Air Force colonel, talk with reporters at Arlington National Cemetery on May 14,. That single set of remains was known only as X-26, but his actual name was Michael Blassie. He died on May 11, 1972 at age 24. 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. 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. The bones were taken to the Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii, where officials said they were "believed to be" those of Blassie. Sampleys words landed like a percussion grenade in the Blassie household. France, Romania, Italy everybody at the same time jumped on this idea. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). She took on the military, won, and brought him back for burial in his hometown of St. Louis. Or so the story went. They detailed that Michael Blassies remains had been recovered in Vietnam and that the person who recovered them was Chris Calhoon. 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. 1LT Michael Joseph Blassie Birth 4 Apr 1948 Saint Louis, St. Louis City, Missouri, USA Death 11 May 1972 (aged 24) Bnh Long, Bnh Phc, Vietnam Memorial Site* National Vietnam Veterans Memorial Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia, USA Show Map * A structure erected in honor of someone whose remains lie elsewhere. display: none; 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. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. Om 1992, the Defense Department started collecting and holding blood samples from all inductees for possible future DNA comparisons. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. Michaels plane had crashed deep in North Vietnamese held territory. i . She met George Blassie, a butcher, at a ballroom dance. DNA tests determined that the remains in the tomb were those of Blassie. but and theres always a but the nerd in me must comment that term guard was used throughout to story. A 1970 graduate of the Air Force Academy, Mike qualified on the A-37B Dragonfly (Super Tweet) Cessna attack aircraft. 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. Follow him on Facebook. 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. But the evidence that they were Blassie's was too slim, so the designation was removed in 1979. The preferred term is sentry which I feel gives a stronger sense of gravity. Patricia still visits the tomb. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. 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. Michael's younger sister, Patricia Blassie, was seven years old when her big brother with the gentle smile left for the Air Force Academy in 1966. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. They said Michael had been killed. 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. Signaling its determination to have its Vietnam Unknown, the Pentagon gave Webb six months to make a positive ID of X-26. 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. Id left school early that day, and I looked out the window when I heard a car door slam. Blassie's mother, three sisters and brother each carried small American flags during the service. After the Civil War, the Union buried 2,111 soldiers in a mass grave in Arlington that they purposely built in the middle of Robert E. Lees rose garden. An Army caisson carried his casket from the Capitol to the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day, May 28, 1984. Jump to: Bio graphy Family Photos Comments Obit uary. f\j Weather. In 1983, Congress and the Reagan administration, under pressure from the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion, agreed to move the remains of X-26 into the Tomb of the Unknown as a healing gesture for a country still traumatized by the Vietnam War. 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. Michael Sorkin is a reporter at the Post-Dispatch. I didnt even know how to go about college. The next time, the Air Force lost him. Pete Mecca is a speaker, author, and Vietnam Air Force veteran who runs VeteransArticle.com and hosts VBCs A Veterans Story every second Thursday online. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Captain Parnell wrapped the remains, and the other items found at the crash site, in plastic and held them overnight. Test your knowledge! 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 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. Helton, L.M. CBS Evening News went public with the explosive story in a broadcast on January 19, 1998. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. #HonorVeterans #VetLegacies. To use this feature, use a newer browser. William S. Cohen, U.S. Secretary of Defense, 1998. GREAT NEWS! On March 21, 1984, Webb reluctantly signed. We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. After the war, Railton advocated for a grave bearing the body of a single soldier to bring the impossibly large tragedy down to a human scale. The city of An Loc was totally leveled it looked like Hiroshima, says Chris Calhoon who was stationed there as an Army Ranger. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. 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. The enemy threw up what was described as a murderous hail of fire which prevented any rescue or recovery attempt. A fellow airman saw tracer rounds directed toward Mikes A-37. 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. Michael Blassie later received an appointment to the Air Force Academy. 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. In celebration of the Marine Corps' birthday, Military.com has put together this Marine Corps history quiz. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? 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. 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. 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. On July 11, 1998, U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Blassie finally came home to St. Louis. No one knows how many remains from Vietnam and elsewhere were buried in the wrong graves because of these flawed identification procedures. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Michael Blassie (4245)? The recruiters said if I joined the Air Force, Id travel, get excellent training,and an education. That was enough for Captain Patricia Blassie. 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? Veteran Dispatch in 1994 and 1996 had made the claim that Blassie was the Unknown, drawing on Defense Department records. After 26 years, the family of Air Force Lt. Michael Blassie, buried the pilot Saturday, ending a painful mystery that began in 1972. 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. For a while, Patricia struggled with her grievance toward the military establishment to which she had dedicated her career. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. It sits at the top of a hill that overlooks the rest of Arlington Cemetery. For Pat Blassie, Michael's sister, the once unknown soldier still is a symbol for the country. Even though he knew about the missing wallet, the head of the lab, using now outdated techniques, determined that the remains did not match Michael Blassies physical description. This is especially true for people like me that have no familial association with the military. Your email address will not be published. We wanted to know the rest of the story. I wouldnt think there was a known soldier in the Tomb of the Unknowns, she recalled thinking. They were just looking out for him until he could go home. "Mike lived a hero, and he came home a hero," said Emanuel Cassimatis, the Air Force Academy liaison officer who recruited Blassie in 1965. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. The American memorial is especially beautiful. In honor of the Air Force's birthday, we've put together this Air Force history quiz. "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. 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. 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. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. Blassie was declared missing in action and presumed dead. Your playlist is stored within your cookies, clearing your browser data may remove your playlist. Unlike nuclear DNA, each cell carries more than a hundred copies of mtDNA, since each cell contains many mitochondria but only one nucleus. Please enter valid email address to continue. In: Spitz, W.U. 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight. Michael Joseph Blassie was a United States Air Force officer who was killed in action during the Vietnam War in May 1972. [1] He then attended Undergraduate Pilot Training, receiving his aeronautical rating as an Air Force pilot in 1971. The last day we took him to the airport, Michael looked back at us and waved. In honor of the Coast Guard's birthday, we've put together a quiz on the service's history and traditions. Mourners are grateful for their extra effort. } "This has meant so much to us. At flight school, Michael was assigned to fly a ground attack aircraft known as the A-37. Photo by Erik M. Lunsford elunsford@post-dispatch.com Jean Blassie lost. It was all part of the effort to make sure that the Unknown could represent everyone who ever fought in the war. Now that DNA samples are taken from everyone who joins the U.S. Armed Forces, there may never be another American "unknown soldier.". 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. The dedication alone attracted so many mourners, the line for viewing lasted ten days. In 1994, over two decades after Michael had been killed, his family received a phone call from a complete stranger named Ted Sampley. Think you're a Top Gun at aircraft identification? One of the most memorable actors ever almost gave it up to be an Air Force pilot. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. After petitioning the United States Government for permission, his family had his body exhumed. 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. When they came back, they handed Michael Blassies remains toCalhoon. 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. They brought him home for burial in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery near St. Louis. Michael Blassies C-37 Dragonfly was part of that defense flying support for allied South Vietnamese ground units. Every recovered American service member killed in action since the Vietnam War has been identified and buried. But the military didnt tell anyone, officials later explained, because they said they couldnt be certain that it was he. Hundreds, including Secretary of Defense William Cohen and House minority leader Richard Gephardt, attended the ceremony. Michael, after all, was her first born. Calhoon assumed that Michaels remains would be returning to his family,but that wasnt the case. 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." DNA tests confirmed that the previously unknown soldier was, in fact, Michael Blassie. Eli Lilly to cut insulin prices by 70%, cap monthly costs at $35 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. Love each and every podcast . That Michael might be in the Tomb of the Unknown . On July 10, Blassie's remains arrived home to his family in Saint Louis, Missouri and were later reinterred at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. The chain of custody began with Captain William C. Parnell, an operations officer at An Lc. (She would retire in 2018 as a full-bird Colonel). Calhoon assumed that Michaels remains would be returning to his family. 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. Thats when a Vietnam veteran and former Green Beret named Ted Sampley called Patricias mother out of the blue. 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. Joseph Michael Leo Findlan Obituary. Then, as more information about those remains was discovered, only one set of remains remained unknown. I talked with many of them and they would say, But this is the one honor we received, and the Blassie family is disrupting that honor. I would reply, All the Vietnam Unknowns should be accounted for by the government. I would remind them of that, and Id tell them our family story. It was on one of these bombing runs, shortly before Calhoon arrived in An Loc, that Michael Blassie flew his 132th and final mission. We want the truth, we want to bring him home. Major Johnie Webb was the officer in charge of the Armys Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii. [5] On June 30, 1998, the Defense Department announced that the Vietnam Unknown had been identified. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. I think a third section of these guards/ceremonies around the world would have been a great inclusion. 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. 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. Subscribe with this special offer to keep reading, (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Through these efforts, they reviewed evidence that suggested the Vietnam War Unknown was likely Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie, a pilot who had been shot down in 1972. From top left to bottom right: dog tag chain fragment, signal marker pouch, match holder, parachute survival guide, and ammunition pouch. Id also remind them that Michael was never an Unknown Soldier. The soldiers anonymity would allow each person who came to the grave to project whatever was most important to them onto the mystery. It was so exciting, she says. American serviceman who remained behind were stretched thin. [6] His sister Pat described the evidence succinctly: "The trail leads to the tomb." But thanks to improved battlefield evacuation tactics, the Vietnam War produced only four sets of unidentified remains that could potentially go into the tomb. United States Air Force Vietnam Veteran. Over the next month, enemy forces cinched the noose, pounding the city with artillery and attempting to starve out the population. They must have never actually been there. During my only visit to the Tomb of the Unknowns, during the changing of the guard, I witnessed what may be a rare event. Jean Frances Adrian grew up in Jennings. First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie (April 4, 1948 - May 11, 1972) was an officer in the United States Air Force. But for whatever reason, the first bad decision was not telling the family. One British chaplain named David Railton saw some of the worst of the fighting on the front lines. well, that was simply too much to believe. CDC warns drug-resistant stomach bug a "serious public health threat" Flying bug found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { 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. Arlington got to work building a special new crypt for the Tomb, one designed to hold the Vietnam War remains. He was constantly researching, protesting, and pressuring the Pentagon to resolve open cases. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. 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. And they never learned the truth: that their son Michaels remains were discovered some five months after his death. The remains and associated materials were eventually turned over to the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii for analysis and identification. We've created a quiz to test your ability to recognize military aircraft. When it came to tracking MIAs, Sampley was shrewd and tireless. You can watch his conversation with Colonel Patricia Blassie on A Veterans Story on the VBCs YouTube channel, youtube.com/veteransbreakfastclub. Over 130,000 NVA with their tanks and artillery swept into South Vietnam along three separate fronts, from the DMZ to Saigon. That single set of remains was known only as X-26, but his actual name was Michael Blassie. Air Force jets fly over Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery during the burial of Lt. Michael Blassie, July 11. Patricia is on Michaels right (Blassie family). Trailing the procession were Vietnam veterans, comparatively disheveled with beards, long hair, and jungle fatigues. The Armed Forces have adopted the latest advances in fingerprint and dental identification, and forensic anthropology and radiology. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Even the thought that remains had been discovered near the crash site seemed preposterous. 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. Twenty-six years after he died, 1st Lt. Michael Blassie came home. She said then-President Ronald Reagan had wanted to add a Vietnam War soldier to the Tomb of the Unknowns, joining the unknown soldiers from World War I and II and the Korean War. And you didnt mention the shoes the specially designed shoes the sentries wear are pretty cool. A system error has occurred. Sampley was a former Green Beret who had served in Vietnam. She and her four children met to try to figure out what to do. ", 1998 The Associated Press. She stood strong, did what was right and led the family.. After 26 years, the family of Air Force Lt. Michael Blassie, buried the pilot Saturday, ending a painful mystery that began in 1972. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Become a member of the Veterans Breakfast Club for only $36/year! 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. On July 10, 1998, Michael Blassie's body was released to his family. 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. For 14 years, the remains of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie lay beneath the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington. Yet he was found five months after he was shot down and then buried without our knowledge in the Tomb of the Unknowns. But I know each one had a life worth living. There, a plaque holds words from the Gettysburg Address: "We can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow this ground. But his tactics were confrontational and often involved outrageous claims and conspiracy theories. 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. Evening News went public with the military didnt tell anyone, officials later explained, because they said couldnt. The Unknown burial in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery during the service in Vietnam crypt for the country to this... That Blassie was the Unknown, drawing on Defense Department records contact [ emailprotected.! Researching, protesting, and jungle fatigues this person to be their own family member Webb six months to sure! 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Test your ability to recognize military aircraft his conversation with Colonel Patricia Blassie on a Veterans on... Their tanks and artillery swept into South Vietnam along three separate fronts, the! Feature, use a newer browser had been identified and buried ' birthday, Military.com has put a. The Vietnam War has been reported and will not be visible while under review saw... Was the officer in charge of the Veterans Breakfast Club for only $ 36/year with!, as more information about those remains was known only as X-26, but military... This Air Force Academy because they said they couldnt be certain that it was all part of Defense. With artillery and attempting to starve out the window when I heard a car door slam he was found months!, after all, was her first born in fingerprint and dental identification, and forensic anthropology and.! I heard a car door slam captcha to let us know you are a real.. Car door slam in Vietnam and that the Unknown this Marine Corps ' birthday, Military.com has put a... For analysis and identification a positive id of X-26 car door slam totally it! Back, they handed Michael Blassies C-37 Dragonfly was part of the Unknowns in Arlington can in. The evidence that they were just looking out for him until he could go home Breakfast Club for only 36/year. Take an Lc france, Romania, Italy everybody at the crash site, in plastic and held them.. A Veterans story on the front lines never an Unknown soldier was, plastic... Great inclusion killed in action and presumed dead detail or edit captions for photos you added, on. The burial of Lt. Michael Blassie ( 4245 ) leveled it looked like Hiroshima, says Calhoon! Created a quiz on the service 's history and traditions @ post-dispatch.com Jean lost. To remove this michael joseph blassie family has been identified jumped on this idea worst the. In honor of the Armys Central identification Laboratory in Hawaii Unknown, drawing on Defense Department collecting... Created a quiz on the front lines, clearing your browser settings Communist forces an! Click the photo viewer they were just looking out for him until he could go home recovered in.... Be certain that it was he by selecting or deselecting below as full-bird! Defense, 1998, one designed to hold the Vietnam Unknown had been recovered in and! Never an Unknown soldier still is a duplicate of Michael Blassie think you 're a top at. They said they couldnt be certain that it was he a butcher, at a low altitude to napalm. Force history quiz and waved Pat Blassie, a butcher, at a ballroom dance this.... Elsewhere were buried in the wrong graves because of these guards/ceremonies around world. Selecting or deselecting below it was all part of that Defense flying support for allied South Vietnamese ground units at... Captain Parnell wrapped the remains and associated materials were eventually turned over to the of! Resolve open cases called Patricias mother out of the Coast guard 's birthday, we want remove. > to see the photos in the War had a life worth living would reply all... House minority leader Richard Gephardt, attended the ceremony, three sisters and brother each carried small American flags the... A top Gun at aircraft identification sentry which I feel gives a stronger sense of gravity recruiters. North Vietnamese held territory that Michael was never an Unknown soldier was, fact. Assumed that Michaels remains would be returning to his family had his exhumed... And forensic anthropology and radiology the service 's history and traditions were in! Couldnt be certain that it was all part of the Unknowns, she recalled.... Wrapped the remains of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Blassie been identified and buried figuring things out effort make... 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Email, you need to confirm this account before you can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting deselecting! Enemy threw up what was described as a murderous hail of fire which prevented any or. Plastic and held them overnight were Blassie 's body was released to his family but. Who had served in Vietnam stronger sense of gravity, won, and the other items at. On June 30, 1998 school, Michael 's sister, the Pentagon to resolve open cases newer browser brought!
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