Michael Joseph Blassie (April 4, 1948 - May 11, 1972) was a United States Air Force officer who was killed in action during the Vietnam War in May 1972. Verify and try again. Dont let my viewpoint sully your experience. Ted Sampley was, you might say, a divisive figure in the veterans community. First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie (April 4, 1948 - May 11, 1972) was an officer in the United States Air Force. Michael, after all, was her first born. 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. Michael Blassie was therefore ruled out as a possible match. Patricia is on Michaels right (Blassie family). I want to bring my son home.. display: none; At the request of Blassie's family, the Department of Defense exhumed the remains from the Vietnam Unknown's crypt on May 14, 1998. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Michael Blassie (4245)? The remains and associated materials were eventually turned over to the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii for analysis and identification. Webb refused. By 1972, when Michael was deployed, Americas military presence in Southeast Asia was shrinking rapidly. There was an error deleting this problem. Air Force jets fly over Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery during the burial of Lt. Michael Blassie, July 11. 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. 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. By the time his mother found out where he was, his remains were entombed in the Tomb of the Unknowns in Washington. Try again later. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. After 26 years, the family of Air Force Lt. Michael Blassie, buried the pilot Saturday, ending a painful mystery that began in 1972. It wasnt until World War I that it occurred to anyone to bury a single unknown soldier in a public setting. Jean Blassie lost her son twice. Trending News He related his story of wrapping the remains, with the dog tags, in plastic. My parents marriage did not survive. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses reelection bid They said Michael had been killed. 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." Mourners included military personnel, veterans and civilians. 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. There is a problem with your email/password. but and theres always a but the nerd in me must comment that term guard was used throughout to story. Real soldiers visiting the tomb have a very different perspective on this memorial than I could hope to imagine. Michael was no longer Unknown. "Today was a significant day for us," Blassie's brother, George Blassie said during Friday's service. 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 sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. Many Vietnam veterans, President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan visited Blassie as he lay in state in the U.S. Capitol. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. Morphological approximation, worthless though it was, provided quick answers and a veneer of scientific validation. Western reporters called it a mini-Stalingrad, the ugliest kind of siege warfare. The bones were taken to the Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii, where officials said they were "believed to be" those of Blassie. The Easter Offensive was the largest and most conventional ground invasion of the Vietnam War. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. The remains were confirmed to be those of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Blassie. He had been shot down near An Loc, Vietnam, in 1972.. In honor of the Coast Guard's birthday, we've put together a quiz on the service's history and traditions. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Parnell soon turned the remains over to the Saigon mortuary, along with the ID card and other items. 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. George, the youngest son, said that being buried in the Tomb of the Unknowns was a great honor and that maybe the family should leave Michael there. "Mike lived a hero, and he came home a hero," said Emanuel Cassimatis, the Air Force Academy liaison officer who recruited Blassie in 1965. memorial page for 1LT Michael Joseph Blassie (4 Apr 1948-11 May 1972), Find a Grave Memorial ID 4245, citing Jefferson Barracks National . 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. 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. Today, said President Reagan at the Tomb, we pause to embrace him and all who served so well in a war whose end offered no parades, no flags, and so little thanks. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. 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. 99pi keep up the great work. We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. With the conflicting information between the forensic analysis and the physical evidence, the remains were designated as "Unknown" and assigned the number "X-26.". An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. The Flag: Revd David Railton MC and the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, Excerpts and links to latest episodes and articles, Periodic, exclusive updates on 99PI goings-on. Air Force jets fly over Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery during the burial of Lt. Michael Blassie, July 11. Please reset your password. "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. 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. In part, because the formula was so easy to follow all that was needed was the body of a single unknown soldier. Search above to list available cemeteries. The changing of the guard is quite ceremonial there and is well worth a look. After Blassie's family secured permission, the remains of Blassie were exhumed on May 14, 1998. After Years As Vietnam 'Unknown,' Pilot Now Buried At Home. That simple, tragic explanation would be the only one that Blassies parents ever heard for 26 years. Michael Blassie had become a cold statistic of war. 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. 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. 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. Serving as next-of-kid, President Ronald Reagan received the folded flag and made brief remarks. It has been watched over day and night since 1937 by a lone guard, forever marching back and forth in front of the tomb. Talk to the Veterans Crisis Line now Four low-flying F-15s flew overhead, with one pulling out of formation in a missing man salute. . Your email address will not be published. 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. Theyre too upsetting. They were completely cut off from the rest of the world. And he had only been able to find one missing plane that fully matched the planes description: Michael Blassies. They married in 1947 and had five children. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. 1894 shipwreck found in Lake Huron, confirming "powerful, tragic story" We wanted the entire truth, but they couldnt tell us that., The official designation was KIABNRKilled in Action, Body not Recovered., My father served in Normandy during World War II and he never got over losing Michael, Patricia recalls. The president meant to assure families of soldiers with MIA status that their loved ones would not be forgotten, but his words were prescient of the Vietnam unknown's fate. After petitioning the United States Government for permission, his family had his body exhumed. I know about Ted Sampleys past, he told her, but I believe its true.. Over fifty countries would end up building similar memorials. As far as she was concerned, the case was closed. She was 90 and had been a longtime Florissant resident before moving to Mary Queen and Mother Center in St. Louis. President Reagan presided over the funeral and presented the Medal of Honor to the Vietnam Unknown. Michael Blassie in his Air Force Academy cadet uniform. No other MIA or KIA even remotely near the An Lc location would have possessed a life raft, parachute, and pistol holster. At least he went into a place of honor.. They had to do more with less and that meant Michael was going to see a lot of combat. But instead of giving closure, the remains endured one of the most baffling episodes of misidentification in military history. Please try again later. 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. Michael Joseph Blassie was born on April 4, 1948. [6] In January 1998, CBS Evening News broke the story: The military had hidden pilot Michael Blassies identity from his family and the public. The first time, he was killed, his aircraft shot down while flying a mission during the Vietnam War in 1972. 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. 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. Over a quarter million people lined the route to Arlington National Cemetery. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? At 67, Mrs. Blassie went back to work as a sales clerk at Dillards. Plot From top left to bottom right: dog tag chain fragment, signal marker pouch, match holder, parachute survival guide, and ammunition pouch. Sampley was a former Green Beret who had served in Vietnam. 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. In 1991 the Department of Defense founded the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL). But perhaps Im speaking out of turn. DNA tests determined that the remains in the tomb were those of Blassie. Jump to: Bio graphy Family Photos Comments Obit uary. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. The dedication alone attracted so many mourners, the line for viewing lasted ten days. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. This shielding of information from the Blassies ended up only compounding their pain. Instead of moving Michaels remains to the burial ground at Arlington, the family decided to have Michael re-interred at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery along the Mississippi River just south of the city. For a while, Patricia struggled with her grievance toward the military establishment to which she had dedicated her career. 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. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Jean Blassie dies; she fought to get her son buried at home in St. Louis. He believed, for example, that Senator John McCain had been brainwashed at the Hanoi Hilton and was sent back to the US to orchestrate official coverups of living POWs in Southeast Asia. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}. }, First published on July 10, 1998 / 4:49 PM. Prior to the identification of his remains, Blassie was the unknown service member . They interviewed Parnell, by then a retired Colonel living in Florida. I think that barring a complete abolition of war, this is a small consolation. Because mtDNA is passed along the maternal line, scientists compared the Unknown Soldier's DNA against two samples submitted by First Lieutenant Blassie's mother and sister and found a match. Calhoon assumed that Michaels remains would be returning to his family,but that wasnt the case. Its conceivable that they could soon use the same techniques on the unknown serviceman inside the tomb. In 1997, Gonzalez contacted Patricia. Records can get damaged or destroyed, and post-mortem materials can be affected by decomposition, body fragmentation and exposure to heat. Britains unknown warrior wasnt the only one. Make sure that the file is a photo. It didnt matter if you wanted to honor all those who served or merely those who died, those who volunteered or those who were drafted, or even whether you were for the war or against it. Oops, something didn't work. 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. Pilots loved itbecause being that close the ground heightened the sense of flight and speed. When Britain dedicated the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey in 1920, it garnered a lot of attention. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Defense Secretary William Cohen announced that the remains would be disinterred and the DNA tested. Blassie's unidentified remains were designated as the Vietnam Unknown service member by Medal of Honor recipient U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Blassie, a decorated pilot, was 24 when he died in May 1972. "My father, who served in Normandy during World War II, never got over losing Michael," says Patricia Blassie, who was 13 years old when her brother, the oldest of five siblings, died. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. You can always change this later in your Account settings. DNA samples were taken from Michaels mother Jean and his sister Judy and tested against the remains. "This shrine was still distant from his house, the soil of Missouri, the banks of the Mississippi. The aircraft went down in flames. In the early 1990s, Blassie's family received word that his remains might be buried in the Tomb of the Unknown. And so it would have remained if a rookie CBS reporter named Vince Gonzalez hadnt run across Sampleys article about Blassie on the Internet. Michael Blassie received an appointment to the Air Force and fell in love with flying immediately. But Mrs. Blassie also had a hunch. By the time the package arrived in Hawaii, the wallet and ID were missing, presumed stolen during storage or transit. A helicopter team tried to get to the crash site, but due to heavy enemy fire, they had to leave after just a few minutes empty-handed. One British chaplain named David Railton saw some of the worst of the fighting on the front lines. It turns out that, unlike previous wars, the Vietnam War didnt produce many Unknowns. An honor guard was fired a 21-gun salute and F-15 Eagle fighters flew overhead in the "missing man" formation as Blassie was buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis in a ceremony presided over by the eldest sibling, Pat Blassie, a captain in the Air Force Reserve. However, Vietnam veterans pressured Congress to designate an unknown, believing the action would give recognition to their service, sacrifice, and honor. Visible Proofs: Forensic Views of the Body. This browser does not support getting your location. For 14 years, the remains of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie lay beneath the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington. They were a match and Michael Blassies remains were returned to his family. After hours of discussion, Jean Blassie looked at her children and said, For 26 years, we have been told that Michael was never found, according to an article in Checkpoints magazine. After petitioning the United States Government for permission, his family had his body exhumed. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. The gravesite of 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery on Thursday, June 13, 2013. In 1976, they were shipped to Hawaii to be analyzed by the Armys Central Identification Laboratory (CIL-HI). Even the thought that remains had been discovered near the crash site seemed preposterous. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. Some evidence suggests that the remains ceremonially laid to rest by President Reagan 14 years ago belong to 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie, a decorated flier still officially listed as missing in . It is very austere and moving. But his tactics were confrontational and often involved outrageous claims and conspiracy theories. [1] He then attended Undergraduate Pilot Training, receiving his aeronautical rating as an Air Force pilot in 1971. Flying bug found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect She stood strong, did what was right and led the family.. I assume now he was meaning in America but i immediately thought to other Countries national Monuments. By no means, the office reported back, is there anything to substantiate that your brother is in the Tomb of the Unknown.. Based on mitochondrial DNA testing, Department of Defense scientists were able to identify Blassie's remains. Blassie's mother, three sisters and brother each carried small American flags during the service.