Search for MIAs
Norman Foster fought in France during WWII and is one of 73,000 American soldiers still missing from the war. In France alone, there were over 200,000 combat casualties during WWII, resulting in nearly 49,000 men killed in action. The American Graves Registration Command (AGRC), part of the Army Quartermaster Corps, recovered more than 78% of the Americans killed worldwide. Due to the high number of losses in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean, as well as the intense fighting that spilled into Belgium and Germany, it is difficult to say exactly how many U.S. troops are still missing only in France. But if we apply the AGRC’s 78% recovery figure to the total number of combat deaths, it suggests that approximately 11,000 are still MIA (including Norman Foster).
In the Army’s record-keeping system, deaths that occurred in the time frame of June 6th through July 24th, 1944, were all lumped together as "D-Day casualties." There were 63,000 D-Day casualties, including 16,000 deaths and 1,100 soldiers who went missing in action. Approximately 300 sets of unidentifiable remains, believed to be U.S. personnel, were also recovered in Normandy. These are known as “X-Files.” It is possible that a significant number of the 1,100 MIAs from D-Day are represented in the group of X-Files.
Families whose soldiers have gone missing can provide DNA samples to the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) in Dover, Delaware. Initially, mitochondrial DNA is compared to samples from the bones of recovered remains from WWII. If necessary, other types of DNA tests can also be run to identify the soldiers. Luckily, Norman's brother, Donald, is still alive, as well as his nieces and nephews. One of his nieces actually lives in our town, Steamboat Springs, and she is currently looking into acquiring a family DNA sampling kit.
Any family member can request a DNA kit through the appropriate branch of service, through this website. (Since the Air Force was part of the Army during WWII, families of airmen should contact the Army to request a DNA kit.)
Today, the Department of Defense operates, through the Defense Prisoner of War and Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) and the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), a mission tasked with identifying and bringing home our servicemen and women who have been declared as missing in action (MIA).
We know the approximate location in which Norman's LCT hit a magnetic mine, based on an underwater archeological survey that was conducted off the coast of Normandy and we have provided information to DPMO, to add to Norman’s official case file. In the future, we are hoping that a recovery mission may be able to bring Norman back home, and will provide Norman's family with some sense of closure for the loss of such an amazing man. If we are able to make any progress in our search, this site will be updated.
"HERE ARE RECORDED THE NAMES OF AMERICANS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE
SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY AND WHO SLEEP IN UNKNOWN GRAVES. THIS IS
THEIR MEMORIAL THE WHOLE EARTH THEIR SEPULCHER. COMRADES IN ARMS
WHOSE RESTING PLACE IS KNOWN ONLY TO GOD."
-Quote on the Wall of the Missing at the American Cemetery in Normandy
For more information:
In the Army’s record-keeping system, deaths that occurred in the time frame of June 6th through July 24th, 1944, were all lumped together as "D-Day casualties." There were 63,000 D-Day casualties, including 16,000 deaths and 1,100 soldiers who went missing in action. Approximately 300 sets of unidentifiable remains, believed to be U.S. personnel, were also recovered in Normandy. These are known as “X-Files.” It is possible that a significant number of the 1,100 MIAs from D-Day are represented in the group of X-Files.
Families whose soldiers have gone missing can provide DNA samples to the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) in Dover, Delaware. Initially, mitochondrial DNA is compared to samples from the bones of recovered remains from WWII. If necessary, other types of DNA tests can also be run to identify the soldiers. Luckily, Norman's brother, Donald, is still alive, as well as his nieces and nephews. One of his nieces actually lives in our town, Steamboat Springs, and she is currently looking into acquiring a family DNA sampling kit.
Any family member can request a DNA kit through the appropriate branch of service, through this website. (Since the Air Force was part of the Army during WWII, families of airmen should contact the Army to request a DNA kit.)
Today, the Department of Defense operates, through the Defense Prisoner of War and Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) and the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), a mission tasked with identifying and bringing home our servicemen and women who have been declared as missing in action (MIA).
We know the approximate location in which Norman's LCT hit a magnetic mine, based on an underwater archeological survey that was conducted off the coast of Normandy and we have provided information to DPMO, to add to Norman’s official case file. In the future, we are hoping that a recovery mission may be able to bring Norman back home, and will provide Norman's family with some sense of closure for the loss of such an amazing man. If we are able to make any progress in our search, this site will be updated.
"HERE ARE RECORDED THE NAMES OF AMERICANS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE
SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY AND WHO SLEEP IN UNKNOWN GRAVES. THIS IS
THEIR MEMORIAL THE WHOLE EARTH THEIR SEPULCHER. COMRADES IN ARMS
WHOSE RESTING PLACE IS KNOWN ONLY TO GOD."
-Quote on the Wall of the Missing at the American Cemetery in Normandy
For more information: