Remains of World War II soldier from Pennsylvania identified 77 years after he was killed in ambush
Authorities have identified the remains of a World War II soldier from Pennsylvania who was killed during an ambush in France in 1945, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency said.
Scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medial Examiner System used DNA, dental and anthropological analysis to determine that previously unidentified remains buried in Belgium belonged to Army Pfc. Francis Martin, 25, of Scranton, the agency announced on Monday.
According to officials, Martin's unit was stationed near Reipertswiller, France, in January 1945, which left them exposed to German forces. He was on a truck convoy bringing supplies to the front lines in France when the truck was attacked by German soldiers. Martin was among 37 unidentified sets of remains that were recovered in 1947 and buried.
Years after the American Graves Registration Command searched the area around Reipertswiller and failed to identify Martin, declaring him non-recoverable 1951, the remains were disinterred in 2021 and taken to Nebraska for analysis. Historians with DPAA had conducted ongoing research into soldiers missing and presumed dead around Reipertswiller, and earlier found another set of unknown remains that they believed could be associated with Martin, according to the agency.
Martin's name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at Epinal American Cemetery in France and a rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for, the agency said.
Martin will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery on a date to be determined.
The Department of Defense revived previous efforts to recover the remains of missing American soldiers during the 1970s. Since then, the remains of almost 1,000 Americans killed during World War II have been identified and returned to their families with military honors, according to the POW/MIA agency. The remains of roughly 280,000 Americans were identified immediately after the war, the agency said.
