CILHI identifies frozen WWII airman, or does it

This was an interesting story found on CNN. Apparently the Central Identification Labratory in Hawaii (CILHI) has identified the frozen remains of a WWII era aviator found in Florida. CILHI has been responsible for identiying thousands of US servicemember remains. Their primary mission is identifying remains from WWII, Vietnam, and Korea, but they are one of, if not THE, premier identification labratory in the United States.

www.jpac.pacom.mil...

ORANGE PARK, Florida (CNN) -- The U.S. military has identified the body of a World War II airman that climbers found in October at the bottom of a glacier in the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

Family members said they learned this week that the man was 22-year-old Army Air Corps cadet Leo Mustonen, who died in a 1942 plane crash.

Mustonen joined the Army during his senior year in high school in Brainerd, Minnesota, and was in training to become a navigator when he was reported missing on November 18, 1942.

www.cnn.com...

[edit on 2/4/2006 by Zaphod58]

There's a twist to the story. DoD and CNN say that he's been identified, but the OFFICIAL results from the labratory haven't come back yet. The phone calls to the families of who he could be were apparently to verify phone numbers.

Family members said they learned this week that the man was 22-year-old Army Air Corps cadet Leo Mustonen, who died in a 1942 plane crash.

That's what was reported. But it was reported on the local news tonight (I live near CILHI) that the guys that do the Identification have NOT identified the remains, and are waiting for official results. They can't and won't say anything out preliminary results.

maybe they weren't suppose to release a name. it is more than likely him.

www.duluthsuperior.com.../printstory.jsp