How American soldiers were identified 80 years after World War II plane crash in Assam

Reuters photo of WW-II used for representational purpose only

In the summer of 1944, during World War II, a B-29 Superfortress bomber returning from a mission over Japan crashed in the rice fields of Sapekhati in what is now northern Assam, killing all 11 crew members aboard. While the remains of only seven soldiers were recovered after the war, a recent joint effort between India's National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), in collaboration with the US Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), led to the discovery of additional remains at the site.

After an extensive search in 2022-23, three soldiers were identified. This marks a significant milestone in the recovery process, providing closure for the families of those lost in the crash nearly 80 years ago.

During their joint expedition to the Sapekhati site in 2022–2023, the teams gathered a wide range of samples, including human remains as well as tangible evidence including buttons, boot fragments, identification tags, coins, parachute bits, and a survival compass backing. Three soldiers' identities were verified through the examination of samples taken from the location.

The three soldiers are identified as Flight Officer Chester L Rinke, 33, of Marquette, Michigan; Second Lieutenant Walter B Miklosh, 21, of Chicago, Illinois; and Sergeant Donal C Aiken, 33, of Everett, Washington. According to the DPAA website, the soldiers were part of the bombardment mission and died in the airplane crash. Officials associated with the process said that the remains will be sent to the US with due procedure, TOI reported.

Dr J M Vyas, vice-chancellor of NFSU, said the project is unique as it involved the identification and analysis of samples from 80 years ago. He announced the success of the collaboration at a recently organised convocation.

"Standard archaeological techniques were employed to excavate the crash site and its surrounding area. However, due to the waterlogged sediments, a wet-screening process was implemented, where water was pumped through tubes to push the mud through 6mm mesh screens, helping to recover small pieces of evidence. A stepped excavation approach was also used as a safety precaution to prevent collapse, as the trenches often exceeded 3 meters in depth,” explained Dr Gargi Jani, the project lead from NFSU.

According to the DPAA, the identification was carried out based on material and anthropological evidence along with techniques such as mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis and Y chromosome (Y-STR) analysis by scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System.

Prof William Belcher, the lead from UNL, noted in his earlier accounts that the discovery of the soldiers' remains is an emotional moment for their families, who have waited for decades to find closure.

Dr Vyas added, "This was a unique collaborative effort, and its success has created new opportunities for both professionals and students. We have already introduced a course focused on building capacity in forensic archaeology and anthropology within the Indian context. This expertise can be applied to complex forensic and archaeological challenges, such as identifying burial sites, addressing war crimes, and improving the handling of human remains."