MIA Update, June 28, 2019

[boardman]

MIA Update: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency has announced the identifications of two American servicemen who had been missing and unaccounted for from WWII and the Korean War. Returning home for burial with full military honors are:

-- Army Sgt. Vernon R. Judd was a member of Company D, 89th Medium Tank Battalion, 25th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on Nov. 28, 1950, when he was captured by enemy forces in the vicinity of Ipsok, North Korea. According to reports, Judd died at Hofong Prisoner of War camp on Feb. 15, 1951. Interment services are pending. Read about Judd https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/News-Releases/PressReleaseArticleView/Article/1888872/soldier-accounted-for-from-korean-war-judd-v/.
-- Army Air Forces Sgt. Howard F. Gotts was a radio operator assigned to the 66th Bombardment Squadron, 44th Bombardment Group. On Aug. 1, 1943, the B-24D aircraft on which Gotts served, crashed during the largest bombing mission against the oil fields and refineries at Ploiesti, north of Bucharest, Romania. The Romanian government announced they had recovered and buried 216 Americans killed in the bombing raid, but could only identify 27 of the men at the time of the recovery. The remaining casualties were said to have been buried as Unknowns in the Hero Section of the Civilian and Military Cemetery of Bolovan, Ploiesti, Prahova, Romania. Interment services are pending. Read about Gotts https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/News-Releases/PressReleaseArticleView/Article/1887771/airman-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-gotts-h/.