Posted on 07/08/2023 9:35:41 PM PDT by Kartographer
After almost 80 years, a World War II sailor’s remains once declared “non-recoverable” were returned to his New Jersey home.
Anthony Di Petta, a Nutley, N.J., resident who served as a US Navy aviation ordnanceman during World War II, was brought home on Friday, the Department of Defense said.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
The plane was conducting air strikes against enemy targets in Malakal Naval District, Palau Islands, when it crashed into the Pacific Ocean.
The Grumman TBM-1c Avenger was last seen spinning violently at 5,000 feet.
De Petta was initially declared missing in action.
Following the war, the American Graves Registration Service, the organization that searched for and recovered fallen American military members, scoured the battle area and crash sites near Palau, which is about 850 miles southeasts of Guam and 500 miles west of the Philipines.
This is a secondary article on the recovery of the remains of US Navy Aviation Ordnanceman Anthony Di Petta who was KIA in WW II over Malakal Naval District, Palau Islands. Some noted a concern over the accuracy of the identification of the remains: In a answer to those concerns I am adding this from this article.
From 2003 to 2018, the BentProp Project, now known as Project Recover, and the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency resumed the search, conducting six investigations.
In 2015, Project Recover, a nonprofit organization that aids in the search and recovery of missing Americans, located Di Petta’s downed Avenger in Palauan waters.
In September 2021, Project Recover found additional remains and material evidence, which were sent to the DPAA laboratory at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, for analysis.
Dental records and mitochondrial DNA were used to identify Di Petta’s remains. The news was confirmed on Jan. 3, and his family was notified. He will be buried in Wrightstown, NJ, on Tuesday, the Defense Department said.
I’m so glad his family could finally have him back home. On July 3, no less. Must have been so bitter sweet - prayers up for his family as they turn their hearts to this pain and restoration.
May God Bless the family of this fallen warrior: Anthony Di Petta, who gave the last, full measure of devotion.
Great Post, thank you. It’s good to know that many dedicated people are out there, actively looking for those still missing.
The Avenger had two other crew members. I wonder what happened to them? The news article doesn’t say. An aircraft spinning violently doesn’t help the others to bailout.
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