DoD
recovers, identifies 17 service members killed in 1952 crash
By Brian Everstine
Staff writer
The Defense Department has recovered the
remains of 17 service members killed in a cargo plane crash almost 62 years
ago.
The 17 service members were aboard a C-124
Globemaster on Nov. 22, 1952, en route to Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska,
from McChord Air Force Base, Washington, when the plane crashed on Alaska’s
Mount Gannett. Eleven crewmen and 41 passengers were on board.
At the time, adverse weather hindered recovery
attempts. Multiple search parties were unable to locate and recover any
remains.
Nearly 60 years later, on June 9, 2012, an
Alaska National Guard UH-60 Blackhawk spotted wreckage during a training
mission over the Colony Glacier, according to the Defense Department. Three
days later, a Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and Joint Task Force team landed
at the site to photograph and recover artifacts.
A year later, more artifacts were visible and
a team conducted another search.
The Armed Forces DNA Laboratory used forensic
tools and circumstantial evidence to identify the 17 service members, according
to the Defense Department. Remains of the other 35 service members have not
been recovered, and the site will be monitored for future recovery attempts.
The recovered service members are:
Air Force — Col. Noel Hoblit, Col. Eugene Smith, Capt. Robert
Turnbull, 1st Lt. Donald Sheda, 1st Lt. William Turner, Tech. Sgt. Engolf
Hagen, Staff Sgt. James Ray, Airman 1st Class Marion Hooton, Airman 2nd Class
Carroll Dyer, Airman 2nd Class Thomas Lyons, Airman 2nd Class Thomas Thigpen,
and Airman 3rd Class Howard Martin.
Army — Lt. Col. Lawrence Singleton, Pvt. James Green Jr., and
Pvt. Leonard Kittle.
Marine Corps — Maj. Earl Stearns.
Navy — Cmdr. Albert Seeboth.
Their remains will be returned to their
families for burial with full military honors.
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