B-24 wreck in the Adriatic identified

Photos from the ceremony for Harry McGuire
http://www.ksdk.com/picture-gallery/news/local/2015/06/04/remains-of-world-war-ii-airman-laid-to-rest-70-years-later/28455865/

 

Per this Italian article dated 8/24, a US Navy salvage ship has arrived on station and will begin operations to recover remains of the Hanson crew. The mission is scheduled to last 30 days with the possibility of extending the time if necessary.

http://ilpiccolo.gelocal.it/trieste/cronaca/2015/08/24/news/i-resti-dei-piloti-usa-tornano-a-casa-1.11979741

This link will bring up a Google Translate version of the article, click on the 4th link down the page.

https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=it&u=http://ilpiccolo.gelocal.it/trieste/ricerca%3Flocation%3Dgrado&prev=search

 

It would be nice for the families to be kept up to date by JPAC. It is unfortunate that the connections in Italy are the sources for information. All everyone wants is for the men to be brought home and all are at peace. Thank you to all who work to this end. I wish I was able to attend the reunion.
Lydia (Fermano) Nelson
Tony Fermano's daughter

 

Lydia,
Thank God for are great contacts in Grado Italy. At times they are more American and truer patriots than what we find here on American soil. Please remember that Grado and all of Europe experienced this terrible war first hand and it is stamped into their collective memory. We (America) on the other hand have forgotten this past travesty on the worlds freedom because we were never invaded and bombed on a daily basis like our Allies. We provided the men, material support and the might of American leadership at a time when it was most needed. With the loss of the Greatest Generation we also lose those who remember and fought both overseas and hear stateside.
With the exception of Pearl Harbor this war never crossed into America boundaries or mainland. We suffered during WW2 at home in so many other ways and it was this generation that saw us thru it. But, we as a nation have forgotten this period and put it very nicely in the history books and forgotten those that saved this world from an evil that by God's grace was destroyed. If you look at the collective consciousness of America for The civil War, 9/11 and many others you would see that it was because it hit us at HOME.
WW2 never hit us at home. These brave men and woman fought so hard to keep this war away from are shores and did such a great job that now they are forgotten for doing what America asked them to do. KEEP THIS WAR AWAY FROM AMERICAN SOIL. And we are also talking about the men and woman at home in America working to make this a reality so that we will not become another bombed out country like all of Europe. HOW IRONIC CAN YOU GET. THEY ARE FORGOTTEN BECAUSE THEY STEPPED UP AND DID MORE THAN THEY WERE ASKED FOR!
God Bless Grado,
Jim Fox

 

For some reason I hadn't looked into this thread previoiusly.

An amazing one you are all to be congratulated for the information you have presented and the wilingess to help and share.

 

The USNS Grasp has been station keeping over the Hanson aircraft for several days. This site shows its current location. Zoom the map out to see the relative position from Grado:

https://www.vesselfinder.com/vessels/GRASP-IMO-8434324-MMSI-338842000

Photo from the operation:
https://www.facebook.com/MSCdelivers?fref=nf

Another photo:

https://www.dvidshub.net/image/2147963/usns-grasp-operations#.Ver8VjZRHIU

 

The USNS Grasp arrived back in port at Trieste on Thursday. Some Italian sources are saying that the recovery operation has been concluded. Do not know what the results of the operation were.

 

The USNS Grasp is back over the wreck site today, apparently it returned to port only for supplies and the operation continues.

 

The USNS Grasp is steaming south out of the Adriatic, its part in the Hanson recovery complete.

A representative of DPAA told the 449th Association in late September that the recovery team had found significant remains and artifacts at that time. It will be 6-12 months before the processing of those remains will be complete and it will be know how many of the six remaining crew members have been accounted for.

 

The underwater recovery effort was concluded on October 12. On October 22, plaques were presented by the underwater recovery team to Grado Civil Patrol, Grado Coast Guard, and Grado Civil Service Office in recognition of their contributions to the identification of this wreck and their aid in the recovery effort.

A short video produced by the recovery team:
http://www.navy.mil/ah_online/ftrStory.asp?issue=3&id=91656

 

DPAA has reported that the desalinization process of the remains is complete and they are ready to begin DNA testing. Should have family notifications this summer.

There are six missing members of the crew. Remains of 4 were recovered and possibly partial remains of all six. That will not be conclusive until DNA analysis is complete. At least one dog tag was recovered.

If the remains of all six were not at the crash site, they probably will never be found. It is important to note that three of the five bodies originally recovered were found south of Venice, over 60 miles from the crash site, and one as late as 1950. If two of the remaining six drifted away from the site, they could be anywhere in the Northern Adriatic.

 

Mark,
Thank you for this important update. I just concluded a personal meeting here in Atlanta GA (U.S.A) on 2/20/16 with Deputy Director of DPAA/JPAC Mr. Johnnie Webb and the lead historian for the recovery dive in 2015 a Mr. Josh Frank. This would be concerning MACR 12511 Hanson Crew.
I received the same update and am optimistically praying that all of the six remaining airmen are recovered. It was confirmed to me that the dog tag recovered is that of my uncle SSgt. Thomas M McGraw and it meant so much to receive this news. I have shared this on my Facebook Page B-24 wreck found near Grado Italy (or) facebook.com/Fox52MIA
I continue to push forward the case for the Kendall Crew also near Grado. I have been in contact with Harvey Gann the only survivor of the Kendall Crew to share this news. Unfortunately, I had to tell him that it will be 2017 at the earliest to do the recovery of his brothers because of the environmental study required.
Thank You,
Jim Fox (Nephew of SSgt Thomas M McGraw MIA/Hanson Crew)

 

I remember the news article about Albert Acampora, and how his remains had been found away from the site. So sad. We pray all missing crew members are found and their families may find peace.

 

The attached PDF file details the mission on 28 February 45 on which the Hanson aircraft was lost and the research that led to its identification.

 

Mark,
The report on the Isarco/Albes Railroad bridge is very informative. In this report on the Hanson Crew you have my uncle listed as SSgt. Thomas M McNally. It should be SSgt. Thomas M McGraw #35917489.
Thanks for all the work you do,
Jim Fox (Tony52)

 

The PDF file has been corrected.

 

The Spring 2017 newsletter is now up on the 449th BGA website. It contains an update on the Hanson Crew (as well as the future Kendall Crew recovery) from Johnie Webb of DPAA. He reports that the DNA packets should be complete within the next 60 days. We are hopeful that family notifications will be soon.
Home - The 449th Bomb Group(H)

 

I think TonysDaughter is referring to Eugene McGraw who contacted her dad. Gene was the brother of S/Sgt Thomas M McGraw (MIA) from the Hanson crew. After this post I had the great opportunity to contact TonysDaughter and thru her to talk to her dad Tony about my uncle and the other crew members over the phone. A conversation I will never forget as it was so inspiring. At the end of our call he thanked me and stated that he was sick and fading fast. Less than two days later Tony passed away. I find it strange how fate brought us together in his final moments. I thank him for his service to our country during perilous times during WW 11 and how it carried over to his service to the community as a police chief in civilian life. Tony52

 

At long last, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency has completed the identifications of the remains recovered from the Hanson crash site in October 2015. Unfortunately, they were only able to make three positive identifications. The Primary Next of Kins have been notified that those identified were:

2nd Lt. Clarence L. Dragoo, Navigator

2nd Lt. Richard M. Horwitz, Radar Navigator

T/Sgt. Thomas M. McGraw, Nose Gunner

That leaves three crew members still Missing In Action:

1st Lt. Howard Hanson, Pilot

T/Sgt Lawrence W. Brady, Flight Engineer

T/Sgt Lawrence F. Nally, Radio Operator

 

My name is Angel Matos and am the Superintendent to the Florence American Cemetery in Italy. I just received message that your Uncle's remains have been found, identified and is being back in Ohio on 22 September 2017 in Seville. IIf you need any other information, please let me know. God bless... A. Matos