As Memorial Day approaches, we pause to reflect on the profound sacrifices made by soldiers like Sergeant John O. Herrick, a 19-year-old from Emporia, Kansas, who gave his life during the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944. Last year, the announcement from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) that Herrick’s remains were returned home for burial on November 11, 2024, served as a poignant reminder of the cost of freedom and the enduring gratitude we owe to those who served.
Following the war, the remains of all American soldiers buried in the cemetery were disinterred by the American Graves Registration Command, the DPAA said. But more than 80 bodies were not identified.
— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) March 9, 2023
Herrick was part of Company B, 149th Engineer Combat Battalion, and was among approximately 200 service members aboard Landing Craft Infantry (Large) 92, bound for Omaha Beach during the Normandy invasion. Tragically, the craft struck an underwater mine and was engulfed by flames and artillery fire, killing everyone on board instantly. The chaos of war left Herrick’s remains unaccounted for by the end of World War II, a fate shared by many whose sacrifices were marked only by the term “unknown.”
The journey to bring Herrick home reflects the meticulous and reverent work of the DPAA, an organization dedicated to accounting for missing American service members. After the war, the 500th Medical Collecting Company recovered remains from the wreckage of Herrick’s landing craft, which were buried in a U.S. cemetery at St. Laurent-sur-Mer, France. In 1946, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC) examined these remains, separating them into four groups, but was unable to identify them at the time. They were laid to rest as unknowns in the Normandy American Cemetery.
@ddaydaughter Interesting article. Here's some history of the American Graves Registration Command in Europe.http://t.co/zlIwb4AVhb
— Jean Kavale (@goodreader12) May 28, 2013
Decades later, advancements in forensic science have offered hope for closure. In 2021, the U.S. Department of Defense exhumed the remains of four unknowns from the cemetery and transferred them to a DPAA laboratory. There, scientists employed mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosome DNA analysis—cutting-edge techniques that trace genetic markers passed through maternal and paternal lines—to confirm Herrick’s identity. This same process identified another Kansas soldier, 38-year-old Elmo F. Hartwick of Onaga, who perished alongside Herrick on the same ill-fated craft. Hartwick’s remains will also be returned to his hometown for burial.
The identification process underscores the commitment to honor every service member, no matter how much time has passed. Mitochondrial DNA analysis, which examines genetic material inherited from the mother, is particularly useful for identifying remains when direct family references are available. Y-chromosome DNA, passed from father to son, complements this by narrowing down male lineage. These methods, combined with historical records and anthropological analysis, allow the DPAA to piece together identities lost to time, ensuring no one is forgotten.
DPAA mission planners carried transfer cases containing possible remains of service members during an honorable carry ceremony at JBPHH, 2.18.25. The remains, recently repatriated from Laos, will undergo analysis & identification at the DPAA laboratory. https://t.co/2G3FPyMApE pic.twitter.com/yDnSl374oS
— Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (@JointBasePHH) March 6, 2025
This Memorial Day, as we gather to honor the fallen, the story of Sergeant Herrick and his fellow soldiers calls us to a deeper gratitude. Their courage on the beaches of Normandy helped turn the tide of World War II, securing a future they would never see. The return of Herrick’s remains to Emporia is more than a homecoming; it is a testament to the nation’s promise to account for its heroes. Let us hold their memory close, giving thanks not only with words but through actions that uphold the values they defended. May we live in a way that honors their sacrifice, today and always.
To those soldiers, "Sir/Ma'am, your duty is complete." At ease, good soldiers.
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