JPAC Teams Search for World War II Remains

A 10-member Department of Defense team from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), stationed at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii has been searching for World War II remains in Germany since early August.

JPAC is a small unit of 400 personnel charged with the daunting task of accounting for more than 84,000 Americans still missing as a result of the nation’s past conflicts. Most of the effort has been focused on those lost in southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. However, in the last two years, as noted in the New York Times (Teams Seeking Remains Dig Back to World War II), JPAC has paid additional attention to some 74,000 still unaccounted for in both Europe and the Pacific during World War II.

The military culture is rich with meaningful mottos like, “never leave a fallen comrade,” “leave no man behind,” and “bring everyone home.” It is JPAC’s duty to accomplish this mission, no matter how challenging the goal may seem. Every American servicemember, especially those fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, finds comfort in knowing that if something happens, somebody will look for them. They will come home.