Remains of WWII soldier returned to Mississippi for burial

GULFPORT, Omit. (AP) — The stays of a soldier killed all over World Battle II had been returned to his Mississippi community for burial after nearly 80 years.

Pvt. Andrew Ladner was as soon as laid to relaxation Saturday at Wolf River Cemetery in Gulfport, WLOX-TV reported.

Ladner was as soon as assigned to the 126th infantry regiment in 1942. That November, his unit was as soon as portion of the difficulty to decrease off Eastern offer and conversation traces coming from their beachhead at Sanananda Village, Territory of Papua, on the island of Contemporary Guinea, in step with the Protection POW/MIA Accounting Agency.

“They went via hell. The Eastern were ready and a unit that started with 3,500 was as soon as decimated,” casualties assistant officer Lt. David Leiva told WLOX.

The unit was as soon as a success on the mission, however 30-three hundred and sixty five days-dilapidated Ladner and varied troopers died. For many years, his household mourned without being ready to bury him.

“The combat was as soon as so hellish that they couldn’t carry out what they bring about out these days, where we ship them attend. The unit had to continue combating. They maybe buried him at evening,” Leiva acknowledged.

After the warfare, the organization that looked for and recovered fallen American personnel, American Graves Registration Provider, searched combat areas and atomize websites in Contemporary Guinea. Investigators found no proof of Ladner, and he was as soon as declared nonrecoverable Jan. 24, 1950.

In November 2016, stays of an unknown solider were disinterred and sent to the DPAA Laboratory at Offutt Air Power Tainted, Nebraska, for examination and diagnosis.

The company acknowledged Ladner’s stays were diagnosed July 2021. Scientists ragged dental and anthropological diagnosis, and field topic and circumstantial proof. Scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System additionally ragged mitochondrial DNA diagnosis.

Ladner’s niece, Voetress Ladner, was as soon as 12 when he died. She acknowledged she grew up pondering of him as a brother. Voetress acknowledged she’s chuffed her uncle is attend home, however she always hoped he would return alive.

Ladner’s title is recorded on the Walls of the Lacking at the Manila American Cemetery. A rosette will be placed next to his title to indicate he has been found.