Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)

Today is not simply the end of a long weekend. Memorial Day is a solemn reminder that the freedoms we enjoy every day were secured through sacrifice. Behind every folded flag is a story of service, courage, and honor.

Ken Costello, Standards and Safety Manager for the Alaska Airlines Network Operations Center, visited the Daniel K. Inouye DPAA Center of Excellence on May 21. Costello supports DPAA's mission by helping coordinate transportation of disinterred remains from Alaska.

John Figuerres, DPAA Senior Operations Officer, attended the West Loch Disaster Remembrance Ceremony on May 22, where a wreath was laid in honor of those lost during the 1944 tragedy. The ceremony served as a solemn reminder of the sacrifices made during WWII. 📸SSgt Taylor Crul

Tom Leatherman, Superintendent of @PearlHarborNPS, visited the Daniel K. Inouye DPAA Center of Excellence on May 20 to learn more about DPAA’s mission to account for missing U.S. personnel and highlighted a shared commitment to honoring those who never returned home.

Fellows from the @APCSS visited the Daniel K. Inouye DPAA Center of Excellence on May 19 to learn how forensic science, historical research, and global partnerships support DPAA’s mission to account for missing U.S. personnel.​ 📸Staff Sgt. Austin Boucher

Welcome home. 🇺🇸 16 recently accounted-for WWII heroes were interred together with full honors at Omaha National Cemetery on May 7. Surrounded by family, military personnel, and the Omaha community, their legacy lives on.​ #NeverForgotten #WWII #DDay

The visit highlighted ongoing recovery efforts and the international partnerships that help advance DPAA’s mission to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing U.S. personnel.

Kelly McKeague, DPAA Director, visited a recovery site in France on May 18 alongside Emily Cintora, U.S. Consul for Western France, and Heather Harris, Director of DPAA’s Europe-Mediterranean Region.

DPAA personnel disinterred five caskets from the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific on May 18 in support of ongoing WWII identification efforts. The remains were transferred to the Daniel K. Inouye DPAA Center of Excellence for forensic analysis.

DPAA personnel gathered at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific on May 14 for the interment of U.S. Army Pvt. Condia Lynch Jr., 80 years after he died as a POW during WWII. Lynch’s return reflects the nation’s enduring commitment to account for those still missing.

HON Anthony Tata, Under Secretary of War for Personnel & Readiness, visited the Daniel K. Inouye DPAA Center of Excellence on May 11 for a firsthand look at DPAA’s mission to account for missing U.S. personnel from past conflicts. @USW_PR_HONTata

Members with @AUSAorg visited the Daniel K. Inouye DPAA Center of Excellence on May 12, highlighting the shared commitment to honoring Soldiers past and present. The visit offered a firsthand look at DPAA’s mission to account for those still missing from past conflicts.

It was an honor to host the Defense Attaché Orientation Program at the Daniel K. Inouye DPAA Center of Excellence, where they learned about our global mission. Strong international partnerships are vital to ensuring the fullest possible accounting for our missing personnel.

DPAA recently engaged with the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets Global Scholars Program. It was a great opportunity ​to discuss our global mission with future leaders, many of whom expressed interest in joining our efforts one day! ​ 🇺🇸 #DPAA #VTCC #VirginiaTech #NeverForget

DPAA Detachment Two leadership met with the @bestdefense_ and MACV-SOG veterans in Da Nang. Standing with these veterans reinforces the vital importance of our mission to ensure the fullest possible accounting for our missing personnel. 🇺🇸​ #DPAA #Vietnam

📰 News: Cemeteries add rosettes for April service member identification announcements ABMC placed eight rosettes for service members whose identifications were announced by @dodpaa in April 2026. When a missing service member is recovered and identified, ABMC places a rosette beside their name on the Walls of the Missing at the cemetery where they are memorialized. This rosette, a symbol of eternity, is crafted as a bronze rosemary wreath—a timeless emblem of honor and victory. 🌐 Learn more: abmc.gov/news-events/ne…

Honored to host Maj. Gen. Christopher J. Sheppard and the @PACAF team at the Daniel K. Inouye DPAA Center of Excellence. Strengthening our partnership with the Air Force is critical to our global mission of accounting for our missing heroes across the Indo-Pacific. 🇺🇸 ✈️ #DPAA

Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency personnel disinterred eight caskets from the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific on May 4, continuing World War II recovery efforts. Each transfer is carried out with dignity and respect for those who never returned home. 📷 MC2 Grooman

We would like to thank the more than 400 family members who joined us in person for our Family Member Update in Detroit this past Saturday, as well as the many more who tuned in virtually. #DPAA #NeverForget #Detroit #POWMIA