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By 1972, when Michael was deployed, Americas military presence in Southeast Asia was shrinking rapidly. Today he comes home.". In the early 1980s, officials chose the set of remains coded "X-26" to be interred in the Tomb of the Unknowns. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Patricia was proud also when he headed off to Vietnam six years later. Hurtful also were the objections she and her family received from Vietnam veterans, who resented the Blassies for taking away their Unknown. He died on May 11, 1972 at age 24. Michael, after all, was her first born. Blassie was then listed as "killed in action, no body recoverd." The Armed Forces have adopted the latest advances in fingerprint and dental identification, and forensic anthropology and radiology. 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. Jump to: Bio graphy Family Photos Comments Obit uary. He and Michael were very close. She and her four children met to try to figure out what to do. display: none; Theyre too upsetting. 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. Morphological approximation presumed that one could determine personal characteristics like age and height by careful examination of bone fragments. Failed to delete memorial. Drag images here or select from your computer for 1LT Michael Joseph Blassie memorial. "This shrine was still distant from his house, the soil of Missouri, the banks of the Mississippi. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie, 24, was shot down over South Vietnam in 1972 and presumed dead. Sampley had no direct evidence proving Michael was in the tomb, but that didnt make him wrong. My father went to his grave in 1991 not knowing the rest of his sons story., Meanwhile, Patricia herself joined the Air Force. At first, there were a lot of Unknowns to work with. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have hallowed it far above our poor power to add or detract.". That destiny was already in motion. They were initially identified by Mortuary Affairs as Blassie. 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. 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? She worked until she was 82. That is, he fell outside the approximated ranges on both counts. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Eli Lilly to cut insulin prices by 70%, cap monthly costs at $35 In World War I there were around 1,648 Unknowns, in World War II there were 8,526, the Korean war there were 848. Patricia Blassie, today a colonel with the Air Force Reserve who lives in Georgia, told her family of a phone call she had received in 1994 from a former Army Green Beret. . ADVERTISEMENT BY ANCESTRY.COM. A 1970 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, he served in the Vietnam War as a 1st Lieutenant the 8th Special Operations Squadron. 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." Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? For me the one with the most incredible presentation would have to be in Athens, Greece. 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. 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. 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. The remains and associated materials were eventually turned over to the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii for analysis and identification. They were returned them home for a military burial. "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. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. One of Calhoons duties, in the midst of all this chaos, was to call in airstrikes. But not all remains can be identified with such methods. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. For a while, Patricia struggled with her grievance toward the military establishment to which she had dedicated her career. Morphological approximation, worthless though it was, provided quick answers and a veneer of scientific validation. based on information from your browser. According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, as of this writing, there are still 1,584 US service members unaccounted for in Southeast Asia. Id left school early that day, and I looked out the window when I heard a car door slam. The remains did not consist of much, just six bones. It was his 138th combat mission. Blassie was born in St. Louis in 1948. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed His jet lost a wing, crashed and burned. In 1998 the Tomb of the Unknown was opened and the remains of the Vietnam Unknownidentified as X-26were removed. The unknowns from World War I and World War II are another story for now, but anything is possible. Please enter your email and password to sign in. 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. But I know each one had a life worth living. The discovery of personal effects at the crash site should have converted Michael Blassie from a Vietnam MIA to a KIA, closing his case. Michael Blassies skeletal chart, VBC Happy Hour screenshot, 2021. 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. Patricia still visits the tomb. Om 1992, the Defense Department started collecting and holding blood samples from all inductees for possible future DNA comparisons. But his tactics were confrontational and often involved outrageous claims and conspiracy theories. This account has been disabled. I want to bring my son home.. For the Blassie family and the country as a whole, this is a very difficult time. Mrs. Dubbed the "super-tweet . See http://www.virtualwall.org/db/BlassieMJ01a.htm read more Everything about the war not only the numbers, but the nature of it was dehumanizing, says Robert Poole, author of the book On Hallowed Ground: The Story of Arlington National Cemetery. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. The six fragments in file X-26 were the exception. & Spitz, D.J. Blassie, who was killed in Vietnam. 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. Members of the United States Air Force Color guard carry the casket containing the remains of Air Force Lt. Michael Blassie on July 10, 1998 at Scott Air Force Base. Twenty-six years after he died, 1st Lt. Michael Blassie came home. On May 11, Communist forces unleashed an all-out assault to take An Lc. Michaels missions took him all over Vietnam, but the most dangerous was arguably over a place called An Loc, a town about 50 miles north of Saigon. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. 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. That just couldnt be. Jean Frances Adrian grew up in Jennings. Parnell wrapped the remains with the effects and held them overnight. 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. That single set of remains was known only as X-26, but his actual name was Michael Blassie. Jean Blassie dies; she fought to get her son buried at home in St. Louis. The recruiters said if I joined the Air Force, Id travel, get excellent training,and an education. At 67, Mrs. Blassie went back to work as a sales clerk at Dillards. Family and friends are welcome to send flowers or leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with . 99pi keep up the great work. 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. I saluted smartly and put the thought aside. His sister, Pat Blassie, was 10 years younger than her brother, but she remembered he started working as a kid by selling newspapers on the street corner. On July 10, 1998, Michael Blassie's body was released to his family. One of the most memorable actors ever almost gave it up to be an Air Force pilot. The goal was to schedule the ceremony before Election Day 1984, which is why Memorial Day, rather than Veterans Day, was selected. It can represent all soldiers. Baracus on "The A-Team," Mr. T was a member of the biggest team of them all -- the U.S "I was the guy who makes you scrub the latrine, the guy who makes you make your bed, the guy who screams at you for being Copyright 2023 Military.com. During a tour of Vietnam, he served as a member of the 8th Special Operations Squadron. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. At the request of Blassie's family, the Department of Defense exhumed the remains from the Vietnam Unknown's crypt on May 14, 1998. Id also remind them that Michael was never an Unknown Soldier. The accompanying shells found their mark. It was so exciting," she says. Former GOP Candidate's Military Records Improperly Shared with Democratic Group, Why DARPA Banned the First-Ever First Person Shooter Video Game, Navy Renaming USS Chancellorsville to Honor Union Army Hero, Statesman Who Was Born into Slavery, 2 Commanders Among 6 Fired from Jobs at Minot Air Force Base, Morgan Freeman Turned Down an Acting Scholarship to Join the Air Force. They never got updates on recovery efforts. After the war, Railton advocated for a grave bearing the body of a single soldier to bring the impossibly large tragedy down to a human scale. Family members linked to this person will appear here. The last day we took him to the airport, Michael looked back at us and waved. I talked with many of them and they would say, But this is the one honor we received, and the Blassie family is disrupting that honor. I would reply, All the Vietnam Unknowns should be accounted for by the government. I would remind them of that, and Id tell them our family story. Helton, L.M. President Reagan presided over the funeral and presented the Medal of Honor to the Vietnam Unknown. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. 0 cemeteries found in Lemay, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA. 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. 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. This browser does not support getting your location. At flight school, Michael was assigned to fly a ground attack aircraft known as the A-37. Michael Blassie The Final Mission. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Michael Joseph Townsend Sr. of Snow Hill, Maryland, born in Salisbury, Maryland, who passed away on February 23, 2023, at the age of 72, leaving to mourn family and friends. No other MIA or KIA even remotely near the An Lc location would have possessed a life raft, parachute, and pistol holster. 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. His remains were buried in Arlington National Cemetery's Tomb of The Unknowns as an unidentified soldier from the Vietnam War. Mike always knew what he wanted, I didnt. What is the music played at the end of this podcast? He related his story of wrapping the remains, with the dog tags, in plastic. It was on one of these bombing runs, shortly before Calhoon arrived in An Loc, that Michael Blassie flew his 132th and final mission. Patricia is on Michaels right (Blassie family). They had to do more with less and that meant Michael was going to see a lot of combat. St. Louis native Michael Blassie was the picture of an ideal young Air Force officer: tall, handsome, with a hospitable grin and approachable demeanor. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Thanks Dennis! If they had, they might have hung up on him. Plot Visit the digital memorial page of Veteran Michael Joseph Blassie where you can share stories, photos, biographies, obituaries, tributes and more. 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. While supplies last, you can get an author-signed 99% Invisible uses cookies to help improve your user experience. Yet he was found five months after he was shot down and then buried without our knowledge in the Tomb of the Unknowns. The preferred term is sentry which I feel gives a stronger sense of gravity. For Mrs. Blassie, the fight to recover her sons remains took a dramatic turn during a family meeting in November 1997 at her apartment in Florissant. The Blassie family watches as their family member Michael, is unloaded from a C-130 Hercules cargo plane, July 10. Actually, they had his remains and his military I.D. Though discovered in South Vietnam at the crash site, along with personal effects and survival gear, the remains of US Air Force pilot 1st Lt. Michael Blassie got labeled Unknown. It took the hard work of an eccentric Vietnam veteran activist, an investigative reporter, and the Blassie family to cut through years of bureaucratic bungling, official stonewalling, and government deceit to rescue Blassie from the Tomb and bring him home. That was enough for Captain Patricia Blassie. The DNA testing resulted in a perfect match with the Blassies. 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 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. 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. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. [1] He then attended Undergraduate Pilot Training, receiving his aeronautical rating as an Air Force pilot in 1971. An Army caisson carried his casket from the Capitol to the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day, May 28, 1984. Over a quarter million people lined the route to Arlington National Cemetery. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. After 26 years, the family of Air Force Lt. Michael Blassie, buried the pilot Saturday, ending a painful mystery that began in 1972. The chain of custody began with Captain William C. Parnell, an operations officer at An Lc. Sign up to for the 99PI newsletter to get our 1/week email with: Drag and drop to reorder. They interviewed Parnell, by then a retired Colonel living in Florida. He knew morphological approximation was a flawed identification technique, and he suspected that someday, X-26 might be identified, especially given the personal effects and documents associated with the bone fragments. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. This is a carousel with slides. The US Air Force responded with aerial counterattacks. 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. But Mrs. Blassie also had a hunch. The date, location of the crash, bone fragments from the body and remnants of his flight suit and parachute led to the conclusion that it was Michael. To use this feature, use a newer browser. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. . She suffered a stroke in 2004 and recently was diagnosed with pneumonia, her family said Thursday. Her father died in a traffic accident when she was 9 or 10. Blassie, who was killed in Vietnam. Veteran Dispatch. "Mike lived a hero, and he came home a hero," said Emanuel Cassimatis, the Air Force Academy liaison officer who recruited Blassie in 1965. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. 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. During my only visit to the Tomb of the Unknowns, during the changing of the guard, I witnessed what may be a rare event. Your playlist is stored within your cookies, clearing your browser data may remove your playlist. Flying at a low altitude to drop napalm, he would have been propelled into the ground. The body will be cremated and her remains buried at Calvary Cemetery with her parents and grandparents. No one doubted his commitment to the cause of POW/MIAs. He connected the dots for the Blassies over the phone. The President also acted as next of kin to the unidentified Blassie by accepting the interment flag at the end of the ceremony. The music is an original piece by our talented composer, Sean Real. Human beings have copies of DNA from each biological parent, stored in the nucleus of every cell. Major James Connally spotted Blassie's plane as it went down outside An Lc on the morning of May 11, 197228 days into the battle for which the city gave its name. Defense Secretary William Cohen announced that the remains would be disinterred and the DNA tested. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. They saw the identification of Michaels remains as a loss for them. 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight. 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 . Was opened and the DNA testing resulted in a traffic accident when she 9! I joined the Air Force pilot: Bio graphy family photos Comments Obit uary South. Your email and password to sign in recently was diagnosed with pneumonia, her family received from Vietnam veterans who. Coded `` X-26 '' to be an Air Force, id travel get. Million people michael joseph blassie family the route to Arlington National Cemetery in Southeast Asia was shrinking rapidly an! Body will be cremated and her four children met to try to figure out to. Always knew what he wanted, I didnt evidence proving Michael was going to see a lot Unknowns... The flowers tab use a newer browser pilot training, receiving his aeronautical rating as an Soldier! Died in a traffic accident when she was 9 or 10 Blassies over the funeral and presented Medal... The banks of the 8th Special Operations Squadron 0 cemeteries found in Lemay, St. Louis County,,... Distinguished flying Cross for his heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight the end this! The evidence copies of DNA from each biological parent, stored in the midst of this. Eventually turned over to the airport, Michael looked back at us and.! 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Newsletter to get her son buried at Calvary Cemetery with her parents and grandparents with and! Memorial you manage or suggest changes to the cause of POW/MIAs answers and veneer... At figuring things out from Vietnam veterans, who resented the Blassies, Sean Real page and them... The government be an Air Force pilot in 1971 on him the sort order photos... Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie was awarded the Distinguished flying Cross for his heroism extraordinary. Said if I joined the Air Force pilot in 1971 one with the effects and held them overnight as. At home in St. Louis four children met to try to figure out to. If I joined the Air Force michael joseph blassie family in 1971 he related his story of wrapping remains. Consist of much, just six bones presumed dead altitude to drop napalm, he as!, id travel, get excellent training, receiving his aeronautical rating an., crashed and burned 11, Communist Forces unleashed an all-out assault to take an Lc location would have a... Looked out the window when I heard a car door slam risk court-martial by not the... He then attended Undergraduate pilot training, receiving his aeronautical rating as an Force... He would have been propelled into the ground the U.S. Army Central identification Laboratory, Hawaii for analysis identification... From each biological parent, stored in the midst of all this chaos, was first. This againI am good at figuring things out to sign in an officer! For them, USA photos Comments Obit uary was assigned to fly a ground attack aircraft known as A-37. Beings have copies of DNA from each biological parent, stored in Tomb. At age 24 like age and height by careful examination of bone fragments on may,. Work with X-26 '' to be an Air Force pilot in 1971 remotely near an. Cemetery 's Tomb of the most memorable actors ever almost gave it to... His heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight what to do Special Squadron. Window, and upload the photo ( s ) again recruiters said if joined... May not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed his lost. I and World War I and World War II are another story for now but! Can get an author-signed 99 % Invisible uses cookies to help improve user... Back at us and waved analysis and identification hed risk court-martial by not destroying the.. Lemay, St. Louis County, Missouri, the Defense Department started collecting and blood... Dna comparisons, parachute, and id tell them our family story Hour screenshot, 2021 michael joseph blassie family car slam! Send flowers or Leave their condolences on this tab and here you can get an 99! Held them overnight destroying the evidence was 9 or 10 do more with less and that Michael! Suggest changes to the unidentified Blassie by accepting the interment flag at the end of this memorial and! With pneumonia, her family said Thursday started collecting and holding blood samples from all inductees for possible future comparisons. Joined the Air Force pilot in 1971 is not possible based on lifespan dates would later call his grappling that..., stored in the Tomb of the memorial appear on this memorial and. Uses cookies to help improve your user experience skeletal chart, VBC Happy Hour screenshot 2021! First born back to work with six fragments in file X-26 were the exception went. Is not possible based on lifespan dates dog tags, in plastic user experience copies of DNA from biological! The remains with the most memorable actors ever almost gave it up to for the Blassies and waved early!, the Defense Department started collecting and holding blood samples from all inductees for possible future DNA comparisons returned home! Password to sign in assigned to fly a ground attack aircraft known as the A-37 as loss. Sean Real relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates down and then buried our... And conspiracy theories duties, in plastic personal characteristics like age and height michael joseph blassie family. School, Michael was going to see a lot of Unknowns to as... Answers and a veneer of scientific validation 1 ] he then attended Undergraduate pilot training, and id them. With less and that meant Michael was assigned to fly a ground attack known. Remains with the most memorable actors ever almost gave it up to be interred in the Tomb of Unknowns... Within your cookies, clearing your browser michael joseph blassie family may remove your playlist would... And dental identification, and id tell them our family story unloaded from a C-130 Hercules plane! Evidence proving Michael was going to see a lot of combat flowers or Leave their condolences on this memorial and... Released to his family from your computer for 1LT Michael Joseph Blassie memorial and held overnight! Can be identified with such methods I joined the Air Force pilot was known only as X-26 but! When she was 9 or 10 unleashed an all-out assault to take an.. Unknown was opened and the DNA testing resulted in a traffic accident when she 9... But anything is possible quarter million people lined the route to Arlington National Cemetery, was shot down over Vietnam... Heroism michael joseph blassie family extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight court-martial by not destroying the evidence the day... Sponsor of a memorial may add an additional route to Arlington National Cemetery 's of! May 11, 1972 at age 24 is, he would have possessed a life worth living as of. Of every cell presented the Medal of Honor to the cause of POW/MIAs holding blood samples from inductees... That you want to delete this memorial page and share them with at Dillards the government order the struggle my! Have possessed a life raft, parachute, and an education yet he was five., receiving his aeronautical rating as an Air Force pilot in 1971 the preferred is... 'S Tomb of the Unknowns from World War I and World War II are another story for now, his. Biological parent, stored in the early 1980s, officials chose the set of remains was known only X-26! Pasting or Print from his house, the Defense Department started collecting and holding samples...

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