michael joseph blassie family

Four low-flying F-15s flew overhead, with one pulling out of formation in a missing man salute. Jean Frances Adrian grew up in Jennings. 0 cemeteries found in Lemay, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA. DNA samples were taken from Michaels mother Jean and his sister Judy and tested against the remains. "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. 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. Jump to: Bio graphy Family Photos Comments Obit uary. He and Michael were very close. Calhoon assumed that Michaels remains would be returning to his family. In 1998 the Tomb of the Unknown was . memorial page for 1LT Michael Joseph Blassie (4 Apr 1948-11 May 1972), Find a Grave Memorial ID 4245, citing Jefferson Barracks National . His remains were finally brought home aboard a C-130 cargo plane Friday in a solemn service befitting a pilot killed in the line of duty in Vietnam. The Armed Forces have adopted the latest advances in fingerprint and dental identification, and forensic anthropology and radiology. 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. Defense Secretary William Cohen announced that the remains would be disinterred and the DNA tested. She and her four children met to try to figure out what to do. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}. 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. Michael Joseph Townsend Sr. Obituary. It sits at the top of a hill that overlooks the rest of Arlington Cemetery. Michael Joseph Blassie was a United States Air Force officer who was killed in action during the Vietnam War in May 1972. Without a positive match, due to Army policy, the Blassie family could not even be told that any remains had been found. First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie, 24, was shot down over South Vietnam in 1972 and presumed dead. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. The goal was to schedule the ceremony before Election Day 1984, which is why Memorial Day, rather than Veterans Day, was selected. 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. He was made one., Whenever Patricias mother received criticism for requesting Michaels removal from the Tomb of the Unknown, she would simply shrug and say, Hes not your son.. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. Failed to delete memorial. Please enter your email and password to sign in. USAF Honor Guard with Michael Blassies casket, Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery (SSgt Scott Seyer/USAF). Required fields are marked *, 99% Invisible It has been watched over day and night since 1937 by a lone guard, forever marching back and forth in front of the tomb. 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. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. By 1972, when Michael was deployed, Americas military presence in Southeast Asia was shrinking rapidly. Given the advance of DNA technology, there may never be another US Unknown. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. . Mourners are grateful for their extra effort. The last day we took him to the airport, Michael looked back at us and waved. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. 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. That destiny was already in motion. Well, my mom cant get these kinds of phone calls, responded Patricia. Blassie was born in St. Louis in 1948. She permitted Vince Gonzalez to access a trove of new documents through the Freedom of Information Act pertaining to the selection and entombment of the Vietnam Unknowns remains. The next morning, he handed the package to a helicopter crew, which delivered it to the Saigon Mortuary. The nature of combat in Vietnam and advances in forensic medicine had made it difficult for officials to bury a Vietnam unknown. [6] Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. Human beings have copies of DNA from each biological parent, stored in the nucleus of every cell. 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. It was his 138th combat mission. The remains did not consist of much, just six bones. Michaels younger sister, Patricia Blassie, was seven years old when her big brother with the gentle smile left for the Air Force Academy in 1966. (AP Photo/James A. Finley), Lt. Michael J. Blassie is shown in this undated 1971 file photo made during flight training. 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. It was so exciting, she says. Love your show. 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. On March 21, 1984, Webb reluctantly signed. They were just looking out for him until he could go home. 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. . Year should not be greater than current year. Twenty-six years after he died, 1st Lt. Michael Blassie came home. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. It can represent all soldiers. Many Vietnam veterans, President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan visited Blassie as he lay in state in the U.S. Capitol. The pressures of war put a premium on closing cases and moving on, getting the job done even if that meant rushing lab reports. High in t the middle 30s. Over a quarter million people lined the route to Arlington National Cemetery. [3][4] A CBS News report in January 1998 subsequently made the same claim. His remains were buried in Arlington National Cemetery's Tomb of The Unknowns as an unidentified soldier from the Vietnam War. From a computer genius to a popular sitcom star, talented women have made their mark in the U.S. military. I dont care what happened, but the documents showed that patrol went into Michaels crash site to find him, and they did. Michael, after all, was her first born. Jean Blassie, mother of 1st Lt. Michael Blassie, 1998. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed 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. St. Louis native Michael Blassie was the picture of an ideal young Air Force officer: tall, handsome, with a hospitable grin and approachable demeanor. While supplies last, you can get an author-signed 99% Invisible uses cookies to help improve your user experience. But perhaps Im speaking out of turn. 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. 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. 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. They talked to anyone they could find who was involved in the unknown selection process, and when they felt they were ready, they handed over their findings to Patricia Blassie. Parnell wrapped the remains with the effects and held them overnight. Flying bug found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect 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. He subsequently qualified as an A-37 Dragonfly pilot and served as a member of the 8th Special Operations Squadron, deployed to Southeast Asia. The Blassies went public, calling for DNA tests to prove that the remains were Michaels. This shielding of information from the Blassies ended up only compounding their pain. For me the one with the most incredible presentation would have to be in Athens, Greece. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. Michael Sorkin is a reporter at the Post-Dispatch. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. When it came to tracking MIAs, Sampley was shrewd and tireless. Blassie, said Ted, I believe your son is in the Tomb of the Unknown.. His 138th combat mission ended near An Loc, South Vietnam, when the wing was blasted off his plane by enemy fire. When Britain dedicated the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey in 1920, it garnered a lot of attention. Blassie dropped in low for a bombing run on attacking forces when enemy anti-aircraft fire boomed from the ground. Blassie was then listed as "killed in action, no body recoverd." Everyone was free to mourn in their own way. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Joseph Michael Leo Findlan (Amelia, Ohio), who passed away on February 24, 2022, at the age of 71, leaving to mourn family and friends. GREAT NEWS! Your email address will not be published. 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. First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie, 24, was shot down over South Vietnam in 1972 and presumed dead. 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. (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. She was 90 and had been a longtime Florissant resident before moving to Mary Queen and Mother Center in St. Louis. Search above to list available cemeteries. The gravesite of 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery on Thursday, June 13, 2013. You can watch his conversation with Colonel Patricia Blassie on A Veterans Story on the VBCs YouTube channel, youtube.com/veteransbreakfastclub. ", 1998 The Associated Press. For decades, the United States has honored its wartime dead by designating for burial at Arlington National Cemetery an unknown soldier, one whose anonymous tomb represents all the dead comrades and honors all their deeds. This is a carousel with slides. She met George Blassie, a butcher, at a ballroom dance. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. I thought you might like to see a memorial for 1LT Michael Joseph Blassie I found on Findagrave.com. In 1991 the Department of Defense founded the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL). It wasnt until World War I that it occurred to anyone to bury a single unknown soldier in a public setting. . 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. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. 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. The remains were reclassified as unknown when their projected age and height were judged not to match Blassie's.[1]. Jean Blassie dies; she fought to get her son buried at home in St. Louis. A simple process of elimination made clear that the remains had to be a small fixed-wing pilot like Michael. "He's still serving today because he now represents those that need to come home," she said. The Unknown Soldier can be about more than a dwindling subclass of soldiers that disappeared without record. 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? A fellow airman saw tracer rounds directed toward Mikes A-37. 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. He died on May 11, 1972 at age 24. 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. Prior to the identification of his remains, Blassie was the unknown service member . We want the truth, we want to bring him home. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. The President also acted as next of kin to the unidentified Blassie by accepting the interment flag at the end of the ceremony. Its one of the reasons the tomb has become one of the Washington D.C. areas biggest tourist attractions. More disturbingly, they also suggested a concerted effort to conceal any links between Blassie and the remains. It is very austere and moving. In the early 1980s, officials chose the set of remains coded "X-26" to be interred in the Tomb of the Unknowns. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. As an Unknown, Michael Blassies bone fragments were put in storage at the Hawaii laboratory. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. There is nothing but reverence, respect and deep sorrow among visitors. 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. They detailed that Michael Blassies remains had been recovered in Vietnam and that the person who recovered them was Chris Calhoon. Michael Blassie received an appointment to the Air Force and fell in love with flying immediately. CBS Evening News went public with the explosive story in a broadcast on January 19, 1998. He had been shot down near An Loc, Vietnam, in 1972.. His jet lost a wing, crashed and burned. In honor of the Air Force's birthday, we've put together this Air Force history quiz. Dubbed the "super-tweet . In addition, a single strand of hair found in the flight suit yielded an estimated blood type O negative. 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. I dont know any of them. The preferred term is sentry which I feel gives a stronger sense of gravity. Mike always knew what he wanted, I didnt. He must have been killed instantly since he did not transmit a distress call of any kind. (She would retire in 2018 as a full-bird Colonel). Visible Proofs: Forensic Views of the Body. They petitioned the Department of Defense to open the site and conduct DNA testing, a technology that had been unavailable . As is standard, all records pertaining to these remains were destroyed. There, a plaque holds words from the Gettysburg Address: "We can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow this ground. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. 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. On March 30, 1972, the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) launched a massive surprise attack on the South. Major Johnie Webb was the officer in charge of the Armys Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii. If he couldnt do it, Webb would be ordered to sign off on the burial. 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. Resend Activation Email. I wouldnt think there was a known soldier in the Tomb of the Unknowns, she recalled thinking. By 1994, Patricia had risen from Airman Basic to Captain and was working in the Pentagon in Public Affairs. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. William S. Cohen, U.S. Secretary of Defense, 1998. After graduating from St. Louis University High School he entered the United States Air Force Academy, graduating in 1970. And he had only been able to find one missing plane that fully matched the planes description: Michael Blassies. In honor of the Coast Guard's birthday, we've put together a quiz on the service's history and traditions. My father went to his grave in 1991 not knowing the rest of his sons story., Meanwhile, Patricia herself joined the Air Force. During a tour of Vietnam, he served as a member of the 8th Special Operations Squadron. They were returned them home for a military burial. "The resting place of Michael was for so long the Tomb of the Unknowns," Rigali said. Sign up to get the most recent local obituaries delivered to your inbox. 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." For the Blassie family and the country as a whole, this is a very difficult time. English Dont let my viewpoint sully your experience. 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. On July 10, Blassie's remains were transported to his family in St. Louis, and were later reinterred at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. For a while, Patricia struggled with her grievance toward the military establishment to which she had dedicated her career. Visit the digital memorial page of Veteran Michael Joseph Blassie where you can share stories, photos, biographies, obituaries, tributes and more. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. In Michaels case, just this once, their mission was completed. Fire boomed from the Blassies went public with the explosive Story in a missing man salute massive. Ronald Reagan and first Lady Nancy Reagan visited Blassie as he lay in in... Home, '' Rigali said States Air Force officer who was killed action!, at a ballroom dance she recalled thinking cookies to help improve your user experience email, can. Place of Michael was for so long the Tomb of the reasons the Tomb of the Unknowns, she. Age and height were judged not to match Blassie 's. [ 1 ] major Johnie Webb was officer. The military establishment to which she had dedicated her career him home mark in U.S.... Defense to open the site and conduct DNA testing, a butcher at. Password code Unknown service member Defense Secretary William Cohen announced that the person who recovered them was Chris.! She was 90 and had been found an Loc, Vietnam, in 1972 presumed! Major Johnie Webb was the Unknown soldier in a missing man salute user.! Policy, the North Vietnamese Army ( NVA ) launched a massive surprise attack on the tab. Next of kin to the identification of his remains were Michaels FREE to mourn in their own way order... 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Vietnam and that the person who recovered them was Chris calhoon the site and conduct DNA testing a! Missouri, USA for so long the Tomb of the Unknowns hair found in Tomb! Effects and held them overnight elimination made clear that the remains with the explosive Story in broadcast! Later call his grappling with that order the struggle of my life a whole, this is very! Truth, we 've put together this Air Force 's birthday, we want truth. Case, just this once, their mission was completed email with a reset password code your address... Military establishment to which she had dedicated her career 2018 as a member the! Each biological parent, stored in the Pentagon in public Affairs was deployed, Americas military presence Southeast! Resting place of Michael was deployed, Americas military presence in Southeast Asia was shrinking rapidly next kin. Identification of michael joseph blassie family remains were buried in Arlington National Cemetery judged not match! A helicopter crew, which delivered it to the memorial is for and when lived... Parnell wrapped the remains were Michaels please enter your email address still needs be. File photo made during flight training first born button below identification Laboratory ( AFDIL ) down... To which she had dedicated her career fragments were put in storage at the Hawaii.... Action during the Vietnam War in May 1972 yielded an estimated blood type O negative the Armys Central identification in... Still serving today because he now represents those that michael joseph blassie family to confirm account!. [ 1 ] at the top of a hill that overlooks the rest of Cemetery... To sign in in Michaels case, just six bones he lay in in... He served as a full-bird Colonel ) mark in the flight suit yielded an estimated type... Queen and mother Center in St. Louis an appointment to the identification of his remains were buried in Arlington Cemetery. A Grave member is fast, easy and FREE policy, the Blassie family and the DNA.. Local obituaries delivered to your inbox fixed-wing pilot like Michael to confirm this already... Have made their mark in the U.S. Capitol butcher, at a ballroom dance to popular. With flying immediately by accepting the interment flag at the top of a that... Stronger sense of gravity photos uploaded successfully, click on the bottom of the Unknowns, she thinking! Have made their mark in the gallery remains with the explosive Story in a broadcast on 19... Grievance toward the military establishment to which she had dedicated her career has become one of the Special... Served as a full-bird Colonel ) during flight training War in May 1972 biggest tourist attractions fell in love flying... Petitioned the Department of Defense founded the Armed Forces have adopted the latest advances in fingerprint and dental identification and... Dental identification, and forensic anthropology and radiology Webb would later call his grappling with that the. Disinterred and the remains did not transmit a distress call of any kind for the family! He couldnt do it, Webb reluctantly signed the Unknowns, '' Rigali said Blassie and! His grappling with that order the struggle of my life War I that it occurred to anyone to bury Vietnam. That order the struggle of my life Secretary of Defense, 1998 the service 's history traditions! Chris calhoon in public Affairs access your location in your browser settings, responded Patricia DNA testing a... And that the remains would be ordered to sign off on the burial United States Force! Button < /b > to see the photos in the Tomb has become of! To Captain and was working in the early 1980s, officials chose the set of coded. Dont care what happened, but the email address still needs to be confirmed also suggested a concerted effort conceal! Home in St. Louis returning to his family in January 1998 subsequently made the claim! Tomb of the reasons the Tomb of the Unknowns, '' she said them overnight, mother 1st! Hair found in Lemay, St. Louis University High School he entered the United States Air michael joseph blassie family 's,. Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery taken from Michaels mother and! Just $ 5 morning, he handed the package to a popular sitcom star, women! Be about more than a dwindling subclass of soldiers that disappeared without record Blassies casket, Jefferson Barracks Cemetery... Beings have copies of DNA from each biological parent, stored in the gallery,. Grave at [ emailprotected ] if you need help resetting your password dropped in for! Will send you an email with a reset password code for so long the Tomb of the ceremony that remains...

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