Fri, Oct 27, 2006
Another Hero Returns
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO)
announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in
action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and returned to
his family for burial with full military honors.
He is Maj. Charles L. Bifolchi, U.S. Air Force, of Quincy, Mass.
He will be buried today, Oct. 27, at Arlington National Cemetery
near Washington, D.C.
On Jan. 8, 1968, Bifolchi and a fellow crewmember were flying an
armed reconnaissance mission against enemy targets in Kon Tum
Province, South Vietnam, when their RF-4C aircraft disappeared. A
U.S. Army helicopter crew found their aircraft wreckage soon after
first light the next day. Search efforts continued for four days;
however, enemy activity in the area, combined with the steep
terrain and high winds at the crash site, precluded the recovery of
the crewmen.
Between 1993 and 2000, U.S. and Socialist Republic of Vietnam
(S.R.V.) teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC),
conducted two surveys of an area that was believed to be Bifolchi's
crash site. One team interviewed two Vietnamese citizens who turned
over human remains they claimed to have recovered at the site.
Another team found wreckage consistent with Bifolchi's
aircraft.
Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial
evidence, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA
Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA from a known
maternal relative in the identification of the remains.
Welcome home Major, a grateful nation bids you peace and
appreciates your sacrifice.
More News
Inversion to Launch Reentry Vehicle Demonstrator Aboard SpaceX Falcon 9 This fall, the aerospace startup Inversion is set to launch its Ray reentry demonstrator capsule aboard Spac>[...]
"We are excited to accelerate the adoption of electric aviation technology and further our journey towards a sustainable future. The agreement with magniX underscores our commitmen>[...]
"The journey to this achievement started nearly a decade ago when a freshly commissioned Gentry, driven by a fascination with new technologies and a desire to contribute significan>[...]
Aero Linx: OX5 Aviation Pioneers Each year a national reunion of OX5 Aviation Pioneers is hosted by one of the Wings in the organization. The reunions attract much attention as man>[...]
"Our driven and innovative team of military and civilian Airmen delivers combat power daily, ensuring our nation is ready today and tomorrow." Source: General Duke Richardson, AFMC>[...]