michael joseph blassie family

The enemy threw up what was described as a murderous hail of fire which prevented any rescue or recovery attempt. 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. 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. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. The Armed Forces have adopted the latest advances in fingerprint and dental identification, and forensic anthropology and radiology. 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. There, a plaque holds words from the Gettysburg Address: "We can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow this ground. Air Force jets fly over Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery during the burial of Lt. Michael Blassie, July 11. The remains were then sent to Travis Air Force Base on May 24 and arrived at Andrews Air Force Base the following day. Follow him on Facebook. There they would rest for eight years in a file labeled X-26 until their date with destiny arrived. Trending News The goal was to schedule the ceremony before Election Day 1984, which is why Memorial Day, rather than Veterans Day, was selected. His body wouldnt be coming home. 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. Pilots loved itbecause being that close the ground heightened the sense of flight and speed. Blassie, who was killed in Vietnam. St. Louis native Michael Blassie was the picture of an ideal young Air Force officer: tall, handsome, with a hospitable grin and approachable demeanor. . Tonight: Occasional mixed rain and snow. Whatever the case, other aircraft were dispatched to the area to provide cover for an Army chopper rescue team, all for naught. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. At least he went into a place of honor.. 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. I didnt even know how to go about college. This account has been disabled. 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. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. A hunch told him there might be something to Sampleys claims, and he began his own investigation. Mourners included military personnel, veterans and civilians. #HonorVeterans #VetLegacies. "Mike lived a hero, and he came home a hero," said Emanuel Cassimatis, the Air Force Academy liaison officer who recruited Blassie in 1965. #inline-recirc-item--id-91b39784-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-91b39784-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { Unidentified remains from that war had been analyzed over a decade and a half. 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. There is nothing but reverence, respect and deep sorrow among visitors. Jean Frances Blassie died 15 years later, on Tuesday (June 11, 2013), at Mercy Hospital St. Louis in Creve Coeur. A decade later, however, questions began to arise about the identity of this unknown soldier. High in t the middle 30s. & Spitz, D.J. No one wanted to inter someone who might eventually be identified. Hurtful also were the objections she and her family received from Vietnam veterans, who resented the Blassies for taking away their Unknown. ADVERTISEMENT BY ANCESTRY.COM. In 1998 the Tomb of the Unknown was opened and the remains of the Vietnam Unknownidentified as X-26were removed. Members of Blassie's family could not be reached immediately for comment yesterday. She grew bitter and even considered quitting the service. Many thanks for such a great show, this episode and all the others~ On July 10, Blassie's remains were transported to his family in St. Louis, and were later reinterred at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. 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. display: none; They brought him home for burial in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery near St. Louis. From a computer genius to a popular sitcom star, talented women have made their mark in the U.S. military. "We write no last chapters, we close no books," Reagan said. Secretary of Defense William Cohen was on hand for the somber burial. His jet lost a wing, crashed and burned. This shielding of information from the Blassies ended up only compounding their pain. You have permission to edit this article. First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie, 24, was shot down over South Vietnam in 1972 and presumed dead. The ability to match mtDNA between related individuals, and the fact that it does not degrade as rapidly as nuclear DNA, makes it a valuable tool in the identification of human remains. 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. It may be that forensic science has reached the point where there will be no other unknowns in any war. The aircraft went down in flames. 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. It was all part of the effort to make sure that the Unknown could represent everyone who ever fought in the war. 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 . Four low-flying F-15s flew overhead, with one pulling out of formation in a missing man salute. Everyone was free to mourn in their own way. On July 10, 1998, Michael Blassie's body was released to his family. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. 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. So were dozens of Michaels old friends, classmates, and comrades in arms, along with thousands of others, including Vietnam veterans, who came to commemorate the return of a lost brother. A neighbor came over to get me, saying, Pat, you need to go inside. So I did and knew something was horribly wrong. The remains were reclassified as unknown when their projected age and height were judged not to match Blassie's.[1]. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. The name he read on the ID card was Air Force Lt. Michael Blassie. "Today was a significant day for us," Blassie's brother, George Blassie said during Friday's service. 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. The pressures of war put a premium on closing cases and moving on, getting the job done even if that meant rushing lab reports. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Human beings have copies of DNA from each biological parent, stored in the nucleus of every cell. He also added the critical notation: BTB [Believed to Be] Lt. Blassie, Michael Joseph.. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Talk to the Veterans Crisis Line now 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. The gravesite of 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery on Thursday, June 13, 2013. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. During my only visit to the Tomb of the Unknowns, during the changing of the guard, I witnessed what may be a rare event. Michael Blassie received an appointment to the Air Force and fell in love with flying immediately. Blassie, 24, an Air Force Academy graduate and the oldest of the five children of a St. Louis meat cutter, was flying an A-37 when he was shot down over An Loc, about 60 miles north of Saigon in South Vietnam, on May 11, 1972. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. From top left to bottom right: dog tag chain fragment, signal marker pouch, match holder, parachute survival guide, and ammunition pouch. (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. Make sure that the file is a photo. Michael was no longer Unknown. At the request of Blassie's family, the Department of Defense exhumed the remains from the Vietnam Unknown's crypt on May 14, 1998. ). Many Vietnam veterans, President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan visited Blassie as he lay in state in the U.S. Capitol. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed 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. Blassie was killed during the Vietnam war in 1972 and his remains were entombed in the Tomb of the Unknowns. As an Unknown, Michael Blassies bone fragments were put in storage at the Hawaii laboratory. Patricia was 13 years old when the Air Force chaplain knocked on their door to deliver the news of Michaels death. Oops, something didn't work. 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. Based on mitochondrial DNA testing, Department of Defense scientists were able to identify Blassie's remains. The unknowns from World War I and World War II are another story for now, but anything is possible. Just to eliminate doubt, Patricia traveled to the Air Force Casualty Office at Randolph AFB in San Antonio to ask if there might be any truth to Sampleys claims. With the conflicting information between the forensic analysis and the physical evidence, the remains were designated as "Unknown" and assigned the number "X-26.". His sister Pat described the evidence succinctly: "The trail leads to the tomb." Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. The city of An Loc was totally leveled it looked like Hiroshima, says Chris Calhoon who was stationed there as an Army Ranger. They were the remains of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie, who was shot down over An Loc on May 11, 1972. . (2006): Identification of Human Remains. The remains did not consist of much, just six bones. [5] On June 30, 1998, the Defense Department announced that the Vietnam Unknown had been identified. President Ronald Reagan bestowed the Medal of Honor upon the Vietnam unknown. CBS Evening News went public with the explosive story in a broadcast on January 19, 1998. After graduating from St. Louis University High School he entered the United States Air Force Academy, graduating in 1970. Michael Blassie in his Air Force Academy cadet uniform. Michael Sorkin is a reporter at the Post-Dispatch. On March 30, 1972, the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) launched a massive surprise attack on the South. Its conceivable that they could soon use the same techniques on the unknown serviceman inside the tomb. Mrs. The dedication alone attracted so many mourners, the line for viewing lasted ten days. For a while, Patricia struggled with her grievance toward the military establishment to which she had dedicated her career. (eds): Last edited on 17 February 2023, at 18:50, "Soldier In Tomb Of Unknowns May Actually Be Known", "The Vietnam Unknown Soldier Can Be Identified", "Defense.gov News Article: Vietnam Unknown's Medal of Honor Transfer Denied", "The Evolution of the Tomb of the Unknowns", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michael_Blassie&oldid=1139961298, This page was last edited on 17 February 2023, at 18:50. Year should not be greater than current year. 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. France, Romania, Italy everybody at the same time jumped on this idea. It represents all soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for the rest of us. The recruiters said if I joined the Air Force, Id travel, get excellent training,and an education. She took on the military, won, and brought him back for burial in his hometown of St. Louis. That they all made the ultimate sacrifice for me. But the evidence that they were Blassie's was too slim, so the designation was removed in 1979. 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. 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.. I know about Ted Sampleys past, he told her, but I believe its true.. And you didnt mention the shoes the specially designed shoes the sentries wear are pretty cool. Thanks to improved forensics, there will likely never be an unknown from Iraq or Afghanistan or any future war. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}. Try again later. He served as a Tactical Aircraft Pilot and was assigned to the 8TH SPECIAL OPS SQDN, 377TH AIR BASE WING, 7TH AF. USAF Honor Guard with Michael Blassies casket, Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery (SSgt Scott Seyer/USAF). Learn more about managing a memorial . Signaling its determination to have its Vietnam Unknown, the Pentagon gave Webb six months to make a positive ID of X-26. 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. 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. 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. I never dreamed Id never see Michael again., The Blassie siblings, 1961. (She would retire in 2018 as a full-bird Colonel). They were initially classified as belonging to Lt. Blassie. Sorry! We were all so proud of him. 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. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. He died on May 11, 1972 at age 24. 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. He thought about how terrible it was that so many people were essentially being forgotten they deserved better than that. He was shot down and killed while piloting his A-37B Dragonfly aircraft in the vicinity of An Loc, in South Vietnam. Silver StarDistinguished Flying CrossPurple HeartAir Medal & 4 Oak Leaf Clusters (OLC)Killed In Action, Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. Of those, 470 are considered non-recoverable. That is, death has been determined, but no remains can be recovered. Sign up to get the most recent local obituaries delivered to your inbox. No other MIA or KIA even remotely near the An Lc location would have possessed a life raft, parachute, and pistol holster. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. He and Michael were very close. I dont care what happened, but the documents showed that patrol went into Michaels crash site to find him, and they did. They were completely cut off from the rest of the world. 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. 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. Id left school early that day, and I looked out the window when I heard a car door slam. 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 next morning, he handed the package to a helicopter crew, which delivered it to the Saigon Mortuary. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). We've created a quiz to test your ability to recognize military aircraft. } Dont let my viewpoint sully your experience. It is very austere and moving. 99pi keep up the great work. The body will be cremated and her remains buried at Calvary Cemetery with her parents and grandparents. While supplies last, you can get an author-signed 99% Invisible uses cookies to help improve your user experience. 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. All rights reserved. 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. "He's still serving today because he now represents those that need to come home," she said. 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). A funeral Mass will be at 9:30 a.m. today at Rose Philippine Duchesne Church, 2560 Parker Road, Florissant. To many Vietnam veterans, Patricia explains, it was pretty upsetting to have the Vietnam Unknown disinterred. He was convinced the government wasnt telling veterans everything it knew, and he was calling Patricia Blassie with an outlandish theory about Michaels death. In World War I there were around 1,648 Unknowns, in World War II there were 8,526, the Korean war there were 848. The Blassie family wasnt in attendance. Actually, they had his remains and his military I.D. For the Blassie family and the country as a whole, this is a very difficult time. That crypt would remain empty for over a decade. Flying at a low altitude to drop napalm, he would have been propelled into the ground. They never got updates on recovery efforts. Love your show. I signed up the next day. Whatever was known about the remains of the Vietnam Unknown had never been revealed. Blassie, a decorated pilot, was 24 when he died in May 1972. See http://www.virtualwall.org/db/BlassieMJ01a.htm read more 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. Parnell soon turned the remains over to the Saigon mortuary, along with the ID card and other items. 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight. First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie (April 4, 1948 - May 11, 1972) was an officer in the United States Air Force. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. 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. But his tactics were confrontational and often involved outrageous claims and conspiracy theories. Part 2: DNA. By 1994, Patricia had risen from Airman Basic to Captain and was working in the Pentagon in Public Affairs. His remains were buried in Arlington National Cemetery's Tomb of The Unknowns as an unidentified soldier from the Vietnam War. Resend Activation Email. Today, there is no body representing Vietnam at the tomb of the unknowns. Verify and try again. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/4245/michael-joseph-blassie. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. 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. Updated: June 21, 2016 . based on information from your browser. We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. In honor of the Air Force's birthday, we've put together this Air Force history quiz. Railton would spend his nights conducting funeral services over the often unidentifiable remains of soldiers ripped apart by shellfire, sometimes burying them on the spot or en masse in the giant craters the shells had left behind. Web Policies, Careers, Accessibility, HHS Vulnerability Disclosure NLM, 8600 Rockville Pike Bethesda MD 20894 NIH, HHS, FOIA, NLM Support Center, Last reviewed: 03 December 2014Last updated: 05 June 2014First published: 16 February 2006, Air Force equipment found with Michael Blassie. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Michael was 24 years old and 72 inches tall when he died. Jean Blassie lost her son twice. That is, he fell outside the approximated ranges on both counts. Michael Blassies C-37 Dragonfly was part of that defense flying support for allied South Vietnamese ground units. 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. 0 cemeteries found in Lemay, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA. [1] He then attended Undergraduate Pilot Training, receiving his aeronautical rating as an Air Force pilot in 1971. Sampley was a former Green Beret who had served in Vietnam. Over the next month, enemy forces cinched the noose, pounding the city with artillery and attempting to starve out the population. Interestingly, the soldiers identities *were* known and the Danes made an effort to give each soldier his last rites. Patricia is on Michaels right (Blassie family). If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. When Britain dedicated the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey in 1920, it garnered a lot of attention. 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. World War II, Korea, and Vietnam each would get their own Unknown. Sampleys words landed like a percussion grenade in the Blassie household. 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. Subscribe with this special offer to keep reading, (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). With the invention of the polymerase chain reaction in 1985, DNA analysis moved to the forefront of forensic technologies. 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. But Mrs. Blassie also had a hunch. On July 11, 1998, Michael Blassie was buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis. "We were all so proud of him. 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. display: block; The music is an original piece by our talented composer, Sean Real. Her father died in a traffic accident when she was 9 or 10. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. In Michaels case, just this once, their mission was completed. At one point he described the wounded, with their meager medical support, as looking like something out of the Civil War. Jean Blassie called the family together for a round-the-table discussion. And he had only been able to find one missing plane that fully matched the planes description: Michael Blassies. Theyre too upsetting. When it came to tracking MIAs, Sampley was shrewd and tireless. This browser does not support getting your location. DNA tests confirmed that the previously unknown soldier was, in fact, Michael Blassie. To use this feature, use a newer browser. The accompanying shells found their mark. More disturbingly, they also suggested a concerted effort to conceal any links between Blassie and the remains. Records can get damaged or destroyed, and post-mortem materials can be affected by decomposition, body fragmentation and exposure to heat. In part, because the formula was so easy to follow all that was needed was the body of a single unknown soldier. Real soldiers visiting the tomb have a very different perspective on this memorial than I could hope to imagine. It was so exciting," she says. 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. 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. , as looking like something out of the Unknown could represent everyone who ever fought in the U.S... So proud of him tracking MIAs, sampley was shrewd and tireless `` 's... Explosive story in a missing man salute volunteer list his Air Force and in! And presumed dead and killed while piloting his A-37B Dragonfly aircraft in the Pentagon gave Webb six months to a... Dna testing, Department of Defense scientists were able to identify Blassie 's brother, George Blassie said during 's! 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He 's still serving today because he now represents those that need to go inside quitting the service I... Blassie was killed during the Vietnam Unknown disinterred was stationed there as an Army chopper rescue team all!, USA cinched the noose, pounding the city of an Loc was totally leveled it looked Hiroshima. The Vietnam War in 1972 and presumed dead volunteer list Defense William Cohen was on hand for rest!, questions began to arise about the identity of this Unknown soldier will send an...
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