Remains of US soldier killed in World War I battle identified

WASHINGTON, Sept 22, 2006 (AFP) - The remains of a US soldier killed in France during a key World War I battle have been identified through techniques involving mitochondrial DNA, the Defense Department said Friday.

The soldier was identified as Private Francis Lupo, who was killed near Soissons, France, during the Second Battle of the Marne, which turned back the final German advances of the war toward Paris.

The Pentagon said it was the first time it had identified a soldier killed during the 1914-1918 war.

A French archaeological team recovered a military boot fragment and a wallet bearing Lupo's name in 2003 while surveying a site for a construction project.

The items were given to US officials for analysis and scientists working for the US military were able to identify the remains as Lupo's using mitorchondrial DNA as well as other techniques and circumstantial evidence.

Lupo's remains were to be buried Tuesday at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington.

I know what your saying. I thought the same way. Actually they didn't open the wallet until they flew the remains to Hawaii. They didn't want to damage any evidence. His name was on a local monument to GI's who fought nearby.

The story was featured on BBC Timewatch. Summary below:

The remains were turned to over to a unique unit of the American military, the Joint Prisoner of War / Missing in Action Accounting Command (JPAC). From their base in Hawaii, their mission is to search for, identify and bring home all missing American servicemen from all previous conflicts. There are still 4,800 missing from World War I, 78,000 missing from World War II, 120 missing from the Cold War, 8,100 missing from the Korean War and 1,800 missing from the Vietnam War.

The remains were brought to JPAC’s Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii – one of the world’s leading forensic anthropology labs – for scientific analysis. One of the key personal items included with the remains was a wallet. After almost 90 years in the ground it had been too fragile for archaeological examination. However, when scrutinized by JPAC using special equipment, it revealed a name – Francis Lupo.

With the unexpected breakthrough of a name to go on, JPAC’s historians began their investigation. Who was Francis Lupo? Did he serve with the American Army during World War I? If so, did he ever come home?

Near to the town of Chateau-Thierry, just outside Soissons, is a monument known as the Tablets of the Missing. This contains the names of all American servicemen who fought in the region during World War I, but never returned from battle. When JPAC’s historians checked the names on this monument, Private Francis Lupo’s name was there. It was also discovered that he had been a member of the First Division’s 18th Infantry Regiment, and was reported as missing on July 21st 1918. This date was significant, as it fell during one of the most crucial battles involving American troops during World War I – the Second Battle of the Marne. But which of the two sets of remains in JPAC’s lab – if any – is Francis Lupo?

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.