Remains of WWII soldier identified 76 years after listed as MIA

PORTLAND, Ore. — The remains of a World War II soldier who went missing in final weeks of the Guadalcanal campaign have been identified 76 years after he was listed as missing in action.

The Department of Defense says skeletal remains found in a bag recovered two years ago in the South Pacific are those of Pfc. Dale W. Ross, whose surviving family lives in Ashland, Oregon.

RELATED

Long after they died, military sees surge in identifications of the fallen in past conflicts

Officials believe remains of nearly half of the 83,000 unidentified service members killed in World War II and more recent wars could be identified and returned to relatives.

The remains and the dog tags were found by an 8-year-old boy in the jungle and his family gave them to a visiting American tourist, asking her to help find the soldier's surviving family.

The woman, Donna Esposito, found Ross' nephew and niece and the family gave the bones to the military for analysis.

The trio traveled to the Solomon Islands in 2017.

In Other News

No ‘significant’ mover capacity problems expected for troops, DOD says

The DOD says a new task force is "fully engaged" in overseeing the process of troops' household goods moves during this peak season.

Lawmaker proposes Iranian Campaign Medal for strikes on nuclear sites

Pilots and supporting service members involved in the complex airstrikes would be eligible for the new military medal.

House passes $435 billion spending plan for VA in fiscal 2026

Republicans approved plans for an 18% boost in total Veterans Affairs spending next year, but the measure is far from becoming law.

Advocates recruit vets to attend Afghan allies’ immigration hearings

The effort is designed to show support for legal immigration of more Afghans who worked alongside American forces during the war overseas.

Lawmakers press VA for details on DOGE access to vets records

Democrats want promises from department leaders that sensitive medical and financial information is being handled securely.

Load More