WASHINGTON –
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced today that U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. John A. Pagliuso, 24, killed during World War II, was accounted for on March 17, 2025.
In the fall of 1942, Pagliuso was assigned to the 405th Bombardment Squadron, 38th Bombardment Group. On Oct. 5, Pagliuso was onboard a B-25 Mitchell bomber with six other crew members during a mission over Papua New Guinea. The aircraft did not return, and postwar search efforts failed to recover any remains.
This is an initial release. The complete accounting of Pagliuso's case will be published once the family receives their full briefing.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving their country, visit the DPAA website at or on social media at , , , or .