Dec. 9, 2011 - Arrival ceremony welcomes fallen U.S. military members home

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Service members load unaccounted-for Americans from World War II onto a bus during an arrival ceremony at Hangar 35 of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Dec. 9, 2011. The remains received full military honors and represent losses associated from World War II and the Vietnam War. The individuals unaccounted for from World War II were recovered from the United Kingdom, Canada, the Republic of Vanuatu, the Federal Republic of Germany and the Independent State of Papua New Guinea. The final transfer case was recovered from the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and represents Vietnam War losses. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Gustavo Gonzalez/Released)

Six unidentified American heroes returned from war Dec. 9th, 2011 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. They were honored by friends and fellow service members, with full military honors.  The fallen heroes from Vietnam and World War II, paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country, and have finally been brought home to be identified and laid to rest.

The arrival ceremony, hosted by U.S. Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command officials, represents the success of JPAC's mission: to achieve the fullest possible accounting of Americans lost during the nation's past conflicts.

The ceremony began with a salute to the American flag rendered with full honors by the honor guard whom were represented from separate military services. The crowd then stood silent as the six flag-draped cases passed while being carried by pallbearers from the plane they arrived in, to vehicles for transfer. 

A Marine bugler was seen in the distance standing rigid and began to play ‘Taps’ as all the cases were being properly prepared for transfer. The homecoming was somber, yet bittersweet, as some members from the crowd expressed their gratitude and sadness for the fallen. 

After the ceremony, the transfer cases were brought to the JPAC Central Identification Laboratory for forensic identification, according to the JPAC press release. If and when identifications are established, the names will be announced following notification of next of kin.

Falling directly under the U.S. Pacific Command, JPAC is a jointly-manned organization of more than 400 military and civilian specialists who research, investigate, recover and identify Americans who remain unaccounted-for from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Cold War. 

Since 2003, JPAC has identified more than 608 Americans. The heritage of the U.S. Government accounting effort began in the 1970s, and since then, approximately 1,770 Americans have been identified and returned home to their families.  

“Until They Are Home”

For more details go to : http://www.jpac.pacom.mil/ 

Blog posted by PA Specialist Mrs. Venetia Gonzales