Since the renewal of U.S. POW/MIA recovery efforts in the 1970s, the remains of nearly 1,000 Americans killed in World War II have been identified and returned to their families for burial with full
military honors. This number is in addition to the roughly 280,000 Americans whose remains were identified in a massive effort immediately after the war.
DPAA and our partners continue to build on over seventy years of investigative efforts with partner governments all over the world. Each year, DPAA plans multiple investigations of WWII loss sites to
collect evidence, investigate leads, and conduct excavations.
The Europe-Mediterranean Directorate, based in Washington, D.C., is responsible for all cases of missing personnel in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, North America (excluding Hawaii), South America, and Russia.
The Indo-Pacific Directorate, based in Hawaii, is responsible for all cases of missing personnel in the Pacific region, China-Burma-India, northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, and Hawaii.
Personnel Accounting Progress in Pearl Harbor
Personnel Accounting Cooperation with Japan
China Operations | Total Each Category | Identified |
---|---|---|
Remains repatriated through unilateral operations (2014) | 1 | 0 |
Remains repatriated through unilateral operations (1975) | 2 | 2 |
Remains recovered and repatriated through investigative and recovery operations since 1992 | 23 | 23 |
Total remains identified 1975 to present | -- | 25 |
U.S.-Russia Joint Commission on POW/MIAs
Joint Commision Support Division
Through its Joint Commission Support Division (JCSD), Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) provides administrative and analytic support to the U.S. Side of the U.S.-Russia Joint Commission on POW/MIAs (USRJC) and conducts research in Russia on missing U.S. service personnel. JCSD also assists the Government of Russia with efforts to account for its missing.
World War II
Facts & Figures
- Dates
- Dec. 7, 1941 – Dec. 31, 1946
- Location
- Global
- Missing as of 1973*
- 73679
- Accounted For**
- 1571
- Unaccounted For
- 72108