WASHINGTON –
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced today that PFC Joseph A. Rotarius, 19, killed during World War II, was accounted for Feb. 18, 2026.
In 1944, Rotarius was assigned to Company I, 3rd Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division in the European Theater. On Oct. 18, Rotarius's unit was advancing on Haaren, Germany. During a lull in the fighting, Rotarius moved out ahead of the unit's defensive positions to plant landmines. Members of the unit later reported that one of the landmines exploded. While no one saw Rotarius during the incident, he did not return afterward. His remains were not accounted for following the war.
This is an initial release. The complete accounting of Rotarius's case will be published once his family receives a full briefing.
For additional information on the War Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving their country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil or on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa, https://www.linkedin.com/company/dodpaa, https://www.instagram.com/dodpaa/, or https://x.com/dodpaa.