JPAC Repatriates/Honors 3 MIA

Remains honored at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam
  by Master Sgt. Cohen Young

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii – Former and previous military members gathered along with media and other onlookers at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii June 17 to honor the homecoming of three servicemembers remains’ that were recovered by the Joint POW/MIA Pacific Command.

The remains that received full military honors represented losses associated with the Vietnam War and World War II.

Pictured: U.S. Marine Cpl. Paul Tafoya, a native of Polk County, N.C. performs Taps at the conclusion a repatriation ceremony June 17, where the remains of three fallen Americans were brought home. The Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, which is responsible for searching, recovering and identifying remains of fallen U.S. service members from past conflicts.

JPAC’s Central Identification Laboratory, also located on JBPHH will be responsible for attempting to identify the remains and if identities are established, they will notify the next-of-kin.

JPAC is a joint organization of more than 400 military and civilian specialists that have investigated and recovered missing Americans since the 1970's. According to their records, more than 83,000 individuals are missing dating back to World War II.

The organization’s goal is to return America’s heroes home and to achieve the fullest possible accounting of Americans lost during past conflicts. And their motto is, “Until They Are Home.