DETROIT –
Hundreds of family members gathered for a Family Member Update hosted by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, where officials shared updates on long-standing cases involving missing U.S. personnel from past conflicts on May 2, 2026.
The event saw 446 attendees, with 339 attending for the first time, representing 248 missing personnel cases from World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
“It is our profound honor to be in your presence and share with you what the Department of War is doing to execute the fullest possible, accounting for those who remain missing from our past conflicts to the population that we serve,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Derek Rankin, chief of staff for DPAA, as he welcomed all those in attendance.
Events like this are part of DPAA’s ongoing effort to keep relatives informed about investigations into personnel missing from wars including World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
For many attendees, the briefing represented more than just information, it offered reassurance that their loved ones have not been forgotten.
“We thank you for being here with us today, and I applaud each of you for attending, connecting, and sharing your valuable stories with us and to hopefully get some answers that perhaps you've been waiting on for decades,” said Rankin.
The event featured a remembrance ceremony, presentations from DPAA representatives and a question-and-answer session. Family members then took part in breakout sessions, where they gained deeper insight into their loved one’s conflict.
Describing the remembrance ceremony, Jennifer Nasarenko, director of Outreach and Communications for DPAA, said “It's an opportunity for you to introduce yourself and to honor your missing loved ones by saying their name and telling their story. Stories help keep memories alive and can be an encouragement to others.”
During the Remembrance Ceremony, 66 family members, from a great grandson to a brother, and a sister shared information and photos of their loved ones.
“I'm here with two of my sisters Paula Brim and Jean Fiore. We are nieces of Private Hamilton, Earl Barnhouse, born in Bridgeport, Ohio, in 1922,” said Earlene McGonigle. “He was killed at Tarawa in 1943 shortly after his 20th birthday, he served a very short time. This is our first time here, and again, I would just like to share how much we appreciate the ongoing efforts of everyone involved to do the job you're doing today.”
The remembrance ceremony not only provided families an opportunity to share stories of their loved ones but also offered Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency personnel a deeper understanding of the purpose and meaning behind their mission.
While discussing the DPAA mission, Rankin stressed that “our dedicated team of over 700 professionals, comprised of military personnel and civilians, work with a shared focus, a sacred obligation to a sacred mission to achieve the fullest possible accounting for our missing heroes, always treating their remains, their legacies, and their families with the deepest compassion and respect.”