She suffered a stroke in 2004 and recently was diagnosed with pneumonia, her family said Thursday. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. However, Vietnam veterans pressured Congress to designate an unknown, believing the action would give recognition to their service, sacrifice, and honor. "Mike lived a hero, and he came home a hero," said Emanuel Cassimatis, the Air Force Academy liaison officer who recruited Blassie in 1965. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. In 1976, they were shipped to Hawaii to be analyzed by the Armys Central Identification Laboratory (CIL-HI). 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. It may be that forensic science has reached the point where there will be no other unknowns in any war. That single set of remains was known only as X-26, but his actual name was Michael Blassie. Today, there is no body representing Vietnam at the tomb of the unknowns. 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. Pete Mecca is a speaker, author, and Vietnam Air Force veteran who runs VeteransArticle.com and hosts VBCs A Veterans Story every second Thursday online. On Memorial Day 1984, the remains of a soldier killed during the Vietnam War were laid to rest in the Tomb of the Unknown at Arlington National Cemetery. Whatever was known about the remains of the Vietnam Unknown had never been revealed. Michael Blassie had become a cold statistic of war. There is a problem with your email/password. They were initially identified by Mortuary Affairs as Blassie. The first time, he was killed, his aircraft shot down while flying a mission during the Vietnam War in 1972. The accompanying shells found their mark. You grow apart sometimes during this kind of tragedy. Michael Blassie received an appointment to the Air Force and fell in love with flying immediately. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? 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. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? The aircraft went down in flames. He thought about how terrible it was that so many people were essentially being forgotten they deserved better than that. Signaling its determination to have its Vietnam Unknown, the Pentagon gave Webb six months to make a positive ID of X-26. During a tour of Vietnam, he served as a member of the 8th Special Operations Squadron. 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 Blassie later received an appointment to the Air Force Academy. Helton, L.M. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}. On May 28, 1984, a Third Army Old Guard horse-drawn caisson moved slowly along Constitution Avenue. 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. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Mourners are grateful for their extra effort. Jean Blassie, center, mother of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Blassie, and his sister Patricia, right, now an Air Force colonel, talk with reporters at Arlington National Cemetery on May 14,. Five months after the shoot down an Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) patrol inspected the crash site and retrieved partial skeletal remains, an ID card, dog tags, a wallet containing a family picture, part of a flight suit, and the remnant of a pistol holster. After his remains were identified by DNA testing in 1998, they were reburied at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis County, Missouri. They were initially classified as belonging to Lt. Blassie. Many thanks for such a great show, this episode and all the others~ Its like the reverse of this 99pi story! France, Romania, Italy everybody at the same time jumped on this idea. After graduating from St. Louis University High School he entered the United States Air Force Academy, graduating in 1970. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/4245/michael-joseph-blassie. His jet lost a wing, crashed and burned. That they all made the ultimate sacrifice for me. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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. No one doubted his commitment to the cause of POW/MIAs. The name he read on the ID card was Air Force Lt. Michael Blassie. After 26 years, the family of Air Force Lt. Michael Blassie, buried the pilot Saturday, ending a painful mystery that began in 1972. "He and. After petitioning the United States Government for permission, his family had his body exhumed. The music is an original piece by our talented composer, Sean Real. Even though he knew about the missing wallet, the head of the lab, using now outdated techniques, determined that the remains did not match Michael Blassies physical description. That destiny was already in motion. Try again later. Michael Joseph Blassie was a United States Air Force officer who was killed in action during the Vietnam War in May 1972. Perhaps they should put up a new plaque at the memorial that talks about the fact that there may never again be an unknown soldier. Defense Secretary William Cohen announced that the remains would be disinterred and the DNA tested. Post-Dispatch file photo, Workers cover the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington Cemetery in Arlington, Va., on May 13, 1998, in anticipation of the exhumation of the remains of the Vietnam unknown. In January 1998, CBS Evening News broke the story: The military had hidden pilot Michael Blassies identity from his family and the public. cemeteries found in Lemay, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Sampleys words landed like a percussion grenade in the Blassie household. A neighbor came over to get me, saying, Pat, you need to go inside. So I did and knew something was horribly wrong. Bipartisan Senate group unveils rail safety bill in response to Ohio derailment, 1894 shipwreck found in Lake Huron, confirming "powerful, tragic story", Garland to face Congress amid ongoing special counsel investigations, Eli Lilly to cut insulin prices by 70%, cap monthly costs at $35, Pandemic-era food benefits end for millions of Americans as costs rise, Three officers shot, standoff follows in Kansas City, Mo., police say, Flying bug found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect, CDC warns drug-resistant stomach bug a "serious public health threat". Blassie, who was killed in Vietnam. 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. In 1998 the Tomb of the Unknown was opened and the remains of the Vietnam Unknownidentified as X-26were removed. 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? Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses reelection bid. They were the remains of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie, who was shot down over An Loc on May 11, 1972. . Over a quarter million people lined the route to Arlington National Cemetery. 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. Part 2: DNA. Failed to remove flower. Or so the story went. 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. They were returned them home for a military burial. Air Force jets fly over Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery during the burial of Lt. Michael Blassie, July 11. He basically sat on a shelf from 1972 to 1984, Patricia Blassie said. Based on mitochondrial DNA testing . A 1970 graduate of the Air Force Academy, Mike qualified on the A-37B Dragonfly (Super Tweet) Cessna attack aircraft. memorial page for 1LT Michael Joseph Blassie (4 Apr 1948-11 May 1972), Find a Grave Memorial ID 4245, citing Jefferson Barracks National . He was constantly researching, protesting, and pressuring the Pentagon to resolve open cases. CDC warns drug-resistant stomach bug a "serious public health threat" Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Michael Blassie (4245)? As far as she was concerned, the case was closed. Secretary of Defense William Cohen was on hand for the somber burial. Trending News She attended Wellston High School but left after three years to work as a nurses aide at DePaul Hospital. . [3][4] A CBS News report in January 1998 subsequently made the same claim. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Without a positive match, due to Army policy, the Blassie family could not even be told that any remains had been found. Plot During a tour of Vietnam, he served as a member of the 8th Special Operations Squadron. She grew bitter and even considered quitting the service. Updated: June 21, 2016 . You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. A fellow airman saw tracer rounds directed toward Mikes A-37. Dubbed the "super-tweet . The Pentagon had kept them in the dark, probably with the good intention of not getting the familys hopes up until Michaels identity could be confirmed. When Britain dedicated the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey in 1920, it garnered a lot of attention. After Blassie's family secured permission . On the other, if he destroyed Blassies personal effects, he might condemn Blassies remains to permanent oblivion. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. Michael was no longer Unknown. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. They were completely cut off from the rest of the world. But not all remains can be identified with such methods. }, First published on July 10, 1998 / 4:49 PM. Its just an outsiders way of honoring all of your sacrifices. Find records of Michael Blassie Birth records Marriage records Divorce records The next time, the Air Force lost him. By the time his mother found out where he was, his remains were entombed in the Tomb of the Unknowns in Washington. As is standard, all records pertaining to these remains were destroyed. 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. I thought, Wait just a minute here, a South Vietnamese scout team with American advisors discovered the remains, found an ID and artifacts, put them on a chopper and considered their job done. Chuck Norris, U.S. military veteran, and martial arts superstar began honing his skills in Korea while serving in the Air Before he went on to fame as B.A. They denied it. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. Vacant, it will likely remain. They had to do more with less and that meant Michael was going to see a lot of combat. In part, because the formula was so easy to follow all that was needed was the body of a single unknown soldier. On May 11, 1972, at age 24, his A-37B Dragonfly aircraft was shot down near An Loc, about 60 miles north of Saigon. Scientists at CIL-HI estimated the deceaseds age to be between 26-33 years and height between 65.2-71.5 inches. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? 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. But thanks to improved battlefield evacuation tactics, the Vietnam War produced only four sets of unidentified remains that could potentially go into the tomb. I dont care what happened, but the documents showed that patrol went into Michaels crash site to find him, and they did. There they would rest for eight years in a file labeled X-26 until their date with destiny arrived. Love your show. Parnell soon turned the remains over to the Saigon mortuary, along with the ID card and other items. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? The Armed Forces have adopted the latest advances in fingerprint and dental identification, and forensic anthropology and radiology. With DNA identification being used and hearing that there are no unknowns from Vietnam and that they are working currently on unknowns from the Korean war, I though, How wonderful that there will never again be an unknown soldier, everyone will be eventually brought home. We want the truth, we want to bring him home. All rights reserved. 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. William S. Cohen, U.S. Secretary of Defense, 1998. A simple process of elimination made clear that the remains had to be a small fixed-wing pilot like Michael. Blassie, a decorated pilot, was 24 when he died in May 1972. The remains would eventually arrive at the Armys Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii, but not before thewallet which was critical in linking the remains to Blassie went missing. He died in 1991. Patricia was proud also when he headed off to Vietnam six years later. From top left to bottom right: dog tag chain fragment, signal marker pouch, match holder, parachute survival guide, and ammunition pouch. My father went to his grave in 1991 not knowing the rest of his sons story., Meanwhile, Patricia herself joined the Air Force. It is very austere and moving. Today he comes home.". Become a member of the Veterans Breakfast Club for only $36/year! Id left school early that day, and I looked out the window when I heard a car door slam. Armed with the documents, he teamed up with veteran CBS correspondent, Eric Engberg. At 67, Mrs. Blassie went back to work as a sales clerk at Dillards. That crypt would remain empty for over a decade. Michael Sorkin is a reporter at the Post-Dispatch. There, a plaque holds words from. Try again later. Try again. Eli Lilly to cut insulin prices by 70%, cap monthly costs at $35 Photo by Erik M. Lunsford elunsford@post-dispatch.com Jean Blassie lost. Im a former Soldier from Australia, and a Tour Guide around Europe, and i immediately thought of all the different changing of the guards, and unknown Tombs i have visited. 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. He served as a Tactical Aircraft Pilot and was assigned to the 8TH SPECIAL OPS SQDN, 377TH AIR BASE WING, 7TH AF. Patricia Blassie took the information to officials at the Air Force Casualty Office. The body will be cremated and her remains buried at Calvary Cemetery with her parents and grandparents. Its one of the reasons the tomb has become one of the Washington D.C. areas biggest tourist attractions. The President also acted as next of kin to the unidentified Blassie by accepting the interment flag at the end of the ceremony. Michael Joseph Townsend Sr. Obituary. Webb refused. The city of An Loc was totally leveled it looked like Hiroshima, says Chris Calhoon who was stationed there as an Army Ranger. The nature of combat in Vietnam and advances in forensic medicine had made it difficult for officials to bury a Vietnam unknown. Make sure that the file is a photo. But the evidence that they were Blassie's was too slim, so the designation was removed in 1979. 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