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. 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. And so it would have remained if a rookie CBS reporter named Vince Gonzalez hadnt run across Sampleys article about Blassie on the Internet. But his tactics were confrontational and often involved outrageous claims and conspiracy theories. A fellow airman saw tracer rounds directed toward Mikes A-37. It can represent all soldiers. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Trailing the procession were Vietnam veterans, comparatively disheveled with beards, long hair, and jungle fatigues. Then, as more information about those remains was discovered, only one set of remains remained unknown. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. Gonzales began filing FOIA requests and eventually got back a thick envelope with military documents showing the entire process of the Unknown Soldier selection process. A system error has occurred. After Years As Vietnam 'Unknown,' Pilot Now Buried At Home. Michael Blassie received an appointment to the Air Force and fell in love with flying immediately. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Michael Sorkin is a reporter at the Post-Dispatch. First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie, 24, was shot down over South Vietnam in 1972 and presumed dead. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. As the Medal of Honor was ceremoniously presented to the unidentified remains, it did not transfer to Blassie who did receive four awards, including the Silver Star (see above), on his own merit for documented valor, heroism and achievements during his actions in combat in Vietnam. On May 28, 1984, a Third Army Old Guard horse-drawn caisson moved slowly along Constitution Avenue. She met George Blassie, a butcher, at a ballroom dance. For the Blassie family and the country as a whole, this is a very difficult time. 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. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. At one point he described the wounded, with their meager medical support, as looking like something out of the Civil War. I dont know any of them. Failed to report flower. Visit the digital memorial page of Veteran Michael Joseph Blassie where you can share stories, photos, biographies, obituaries, tributes and more. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. The remains in the tomb are not even technically referred to as an unknown soldier. No one knows which service theyre from, so instead of soldier or sailor or marine, theyre simply referred to as the Unknown. In fact, anything that narrows the scope of who this person could be including where exactly they were found is purposely withheld from the public in order to make sure that they represent every possible service member. Michaels younger sister, Patricia Blassie, was seven years old when her big brother with the gentle smile left for the Air Force Academy in 1966. Michael's younger sister, Patricia Blassie, was seven years old when her big brother with the gentle smile left for the Air Force Academy in 1966. Remains identification bordered on guesswork. } This is a carousel with slides. It was so exciting, she says. The saga of the Vietnam crypt of the Tomb of the Unknown is perhaps the darkest chapter of the US Department of Defenses long-running effort to account for POW/MIAs. At flight school, Michael was assigned to fly a ground attack aircraft known as the A-37. 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. (AP Photo/James A. Finley), Pat Blassie (second from left) points out to her mother Jean Blassie (third from left) and her sister Mary Hart (right) the C-130 Hercules plane as it arrives at Scott Air Force Base with their brother Michael Blassie's remains. That's where he fell in love with flying, Pat Blassie said. We were all so proud of him. The changing of the guard is quite ceremonial there and is well worth a look. Resend Activation Email. One of the most memorable actors ever almost gave it up to be an Air Force pilot. [3][4] A CBS News report in January 1998 subsequently made the same claim. They never got updates on recovery efforts. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. She stood strong, did what was right and led the family.. But the evidence that they were Blassie's was too slim, so the designation was removed in 1979. "We write no last chapters, we close no books," Reagan said. The American memorial is especially beautiful. Make sure that the file is a photo. Search above to list available cemeteries. Today, there is no body representing Vietnam at the tomb of the unknowns. "We were all so proud of him. They were returned them home for a military burial. President Reagan presided over the funeral and presented the Medal of Honor to the Vietnam Unknown. In 1998 the Tomb of the Unknown was . The DNA technology that could conclusively identify the remains was just around the corner, but in 1984 they were ordered to prepare X-26 for burial. The guards coming on duty are inspected for perfection in uniform, and inspector found some problem with the new guards blouse. The Blassies went public, calling for DNA tests to prove that the remains were Michaels. In my 17-year-old mind, that sounded like a good deal.. He was shot down and killed while piloting his A-37B Dragonfly aircraft in the vicinity of An Loc, in South Vietnam. There they would rest for eight years in a file labeled X-26 until their date with destiny arrived. There, a plaque holds words from the Gettysburg Address: "We can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow this ground. There, a plaque holds words from. It was around this time that David Railton came across a temporary grave, a few miles behind the front, marked only by a cross bearing the name of a regiment and the words: An unknown British soldier.. Dubbed the "super-tweet . 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. For 14 years, the remains of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie lay beneath the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Last chance! There is a problem with your email/password. On July 10, 1998, Michael Blassie's body was released to his family. He was convinced the government wasnt telling veterans everything it knew, and he was calling Patricia Blassie with an outlandish theory about Michaels death. Unidentified remains from that war had been analyzed over a decade and a half. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Then, according to Webb, the Pentagon issued a second order: destroy any evidence linking file X-26 to Michael Blassie, including the personal artifacts from the crash site. Hey there beautiful nerd! display: block; The unknowns from World War I and World War II are another story for now, but anything is possible. DNA tests confirmed that the previously unknown soldier was, in fact, Michael Blassie. The Medal of Honor bestowed upon him as the Vietnam Unknown was not transferred to Blassie after his remains were identified.[6]. As far as she was concerned, the case was closed. How to honor unidentified remains has always been one of the great conundrums of war. 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. But not all remains can be identified with such methods. 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. Try again later. Without a positive match, due to Army policy, the Blassie family could not even be told that any remains had been found. After 26 years, the family of Air Force Lt. Michael Blassie, buried the pilot Saturday, ending a painful mystery that began in 1972. } Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses reelection bid. However, analysis at the time suggested that the remains were not a compelling match to Blassie's age and height. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Twenty-six years after he died, 1st Lt. Michael Blassie came home. When they came back, they handed Michael Blassies remains toCalhoon. Today he comes home.". "This shrine was still distant from his house, the soil of Missouri, the banks of the Mississippi. The Armed Forces have adopted the latest advances in fingerprint and dental identification, and forensic anthropology and radiology. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Joseph Michael Leo Findlan (Amelia, Ohio), who passed away on February 24, 2022, at the age of 71, leaving to mourn family and friends. They must have never actually been there. They were the remains of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie, who was shot down over An Loc on May 11, 1972. . The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have hallowed it far above our poor power to add or detract.". Pilots loved itbecause being that close the ground heightened the sense of flight and speed. That they all made the ultimate sacrifice for me. 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. Think you're a Top Gun at aircraft identification? "The resting place of Michael was for so long the Tomb of the Unknowns," Rigali said. Test your knowledge! At least he went into a place of honor.. For Pat Blassie, Michael's sister, the once unknown soldier still is a symbol for the country. Id left school early that day, and I looked out the window when I heard a car door slam. I saluted smartly and put the thought aside. World War II, Korea, and Vietnam each would get their own Unknown. 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. Try again later. She and her four children met to try to figure out what to do. He died in 1991. Now that DNA samples are taken from everyone who joins the U.S. Armed Forces, there may never be another American "unknown soldier.". But thanks to improved battlefield evacuation tactics, the Vietnam War produced only four sets of unidentified remains that could potentially go into the tomb. Arlington got to work building a special new crypt for the Tomb, one designed to hold the Vietnam War remains. Even the thought that remains had been discovered near the crash site seemed preposterous. I missed the names of the two announcers who discussed the Arlington Tomb of the Unknown Soldier monument and chuckled together over some of the changing of the guard ceremony and sentry duties. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. From a computer genius to a popular sitcom star, talented women have made their mark in the U.S. military. 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. The pressures of war put a premium on closing cases and moving on, getting the job done even if that meant rushing lab reports. There was no question, the remains were Michaels. 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. We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. Sampley told them that remains had been discovered near Michaels crash site, along with items belonging to an Air Force pilot. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. They were initially identified by Mortuary Affairs as Blassie. Michael Blassies skeletal chart, VBC Happy Hour screenshot, 2021. He basically sat on a shelf from 1972 to 1984, Patricia Blassie said. I find meaning in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier monument. Hundreds, including Secretary of Defense William Cohen and House minority leader Richard Gephardt, attended the ceremony. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. "He's still serving today because he now represents those that need to come home," she said. After Blassie's family secured permission . Instead, they were simply designated as BTB believed to be Michael Blassie. An Army band played mournfully while 21-gun salutes cracked in the distance. (AP Photo/James A. Finley), Lt. Michael J. Blassie is shown in this undated 1971 file photo made during flight training. First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie, 24, was shot down over South Vietnam in 1972 and presumed dead. Michael was 24 years old and 72 inches tall when he died. "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. During a tour of Vietnam, he served as a member of the 8th Special Operations Squadron. Michael flew as an Air Commando, probably running covert missions into Laos and Cambodia, in addition to his official duties as forward air controller and counterinsurgency operations pilot in South Vietnam. The bones were taken to the Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii, where officials said they were "believed to be" those of Blassie. His remains were buried in Arlington National Cemetery's Tomb of The Unknowns as an unidentified soldier from the Vietnam War. Five months later, during a sweep of the area, a South Vietnamese Army patrol recovered a pelvis, an upper arm bone, and some ribs, as well as the remnants of a flight suit, a life raft, pieces of a parachute, and part of a USAF holster. A funeral Mass will be at 9:30 a.m. today at Rose Philippine Duchesne Church, 2560 Parker Road, Florissant. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. (2006): Identification of Human Remains. . 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. #HonorVeterans #VetLegacies. France, Romania, Italy everybody at the same time jumped on this idea. I never dreamed Id never see Michael again., The Blassie siblings, 1961. Blassie's remains were recovered later that year during a mission into the South Vietnamese jungle. After graduating from St. Louis University High School he entered the United States Air Force Academy, graduating in 1970. The name he read on the ID card was Air Force Lt. Michael Blassie. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Michael Blassie (4245)? On July 11, 1998, Michael Blassie was buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? In addition, a single strand of hair found in the flight suit yielded an estimated blood type O negative. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. He subsequently qualified as an A-37 Dragonfly pilot and served as a member of the 8th Special Operations Squadron, deployed to Southeast Asia. (AP Photo/Brian K. Diggs), In thisJune, 30, 1998, photo,Joan Blassie, right, the mother of the Michael Blassie reacts to the news that the remains in the Tomb of Unknowns were confirmed by DNA testing as belonging to her son Lt. Michael Blassie, who was shot down over Vietnam. Historical Person Search Search Search Results Results Michael Joseph Blassie (1948 - 1972) Try FREE for 14 days Try FREE for 14 days How do we create a person's profile? The Blassie family in St. Louis didnt know Michael had been misidentified because they were never told thered been remains and effects recovered in the first place. "Today was a significant day for us," Blassie's brother, George Blassie said during Friday's service. Silver StarDistinguished Flying CrossPurple HeartAir Medal & 4 Oak Leaf Clusters (OLC)Killed In Action, Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. Three years later, in 1997, Vince Gonzales, a young correspondent with CBS News, contacted the Blassies. Blassie's remains, which had been buried in the Tomb of the . The remains were exhumed in May; DNA tests that were not available 26 years ago confirmed the remains were Blassie's. I thought this is the best example of internet conspiracy garbage Ive seen to date, says Vince Gonzales, a reporter for CBS Denver who came across the story three years later in 1997. Vacant, it will likely remain. Blassie was born in St. Louis in 1948. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/4245/michael-joseph-blassie. Jean Frances Blassie died 15 years later, on Tuesday (June 11, 2013), at Mercy Hospital St. Louis in Creve Coeur. 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