Many brave Americans lost in World War II have yet to return home, and their remains rest far away from the homeland for which they gave their lives.
U.S. Army Air Force Sergeant White S. Goings Jr. is an exception. Thanks to modern technology and ongoing efforts by the U.S. government, more and more American servicemen and women are at last returning to our shores and their families.
A Nebraska native, 22-year-old Goings was a member of the 93rd Bombardment Squadron when Japanese forces invaded the Philippines in December of 1941.
The fighting was especially bitter, and Allied forces were finally forced to surrender after four months. The Japanese forced the American and Allied soldiers on a 65-mile march to prisoner of war camps. For 11 days, the captives endured the abuse of Japanese soldiers during the Bataan Death March.
It’s estimated that two out of every three captives from Bataan died. The high concentration of deaths resulted in mass graves containing commingled remains. According to historical records, Goings died on July 19, 1942, and he was buried in the Cabanatuan Camp Cemetery in a common grave.
In 1947, the American Graves Registration Service examined the remains of this grave. But Goings was not identified at first, and his remains were buried at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, where he rested, unknown, for many decades.
But the United States military has made a sacred commitment to leave no one behind on the battlefield. It can be a complex, protracted, and even dangerous thing to do. But it is the right thing to do.
This commitment does not end when the war ends. The United States is committed to bringing all servicemembers home. This final act of respect not only ensures closure for family and friends, but it also honors the memory of our fallen.
The United States never gave up on SGT Goings.
In 2018, his remains were sent to a Department of Defense Prisoner of War (POW)/Missing in Action (MIA) Accounting Agency (DPAA) laboratory in Hawaii for identification. On June 27, 2023, Goings’ remains were formally identified via a DNA match with his relatives.
And today, he has, at long last, returned home.
This brave American, who endured so much, was finally laid to rest permanently near his hometown at Glenrock Cemetery on July 26th. Among many others, I was honored to attend his funeral.
America owes every unidentified fallen servicemember the same care and dedication shown to SGT Goings. But their identification wouldn’t be possible without the DPAA laboratories.
Nebraska’s own Offutt Air Force Base is home to one of three DPAA labs. And in its 10 years of existence, the Nebraska laboratory has helped identify hundreds of service members.
The facility has helped with projects from the USS Oklahoma to the Ploesti Raids in Romania, as well as identifications in far-reaching countries like Papua New Guinea and present-day Myanmar. Lab leadership has partnered with the University of Nebraska Lincoln for investigative and recovery fieldwork to train the next generation of anthropologists.
Having the Offutt Lab in Nebraska gives our state a unique opportunity to give back to the men and women who risk their lives to protect us every day. And last year, I secured additional funding in Congress to plan and design a new, modern laboratory so this critical mission can continue.
SGT Goings’ identification was crucial, but the DPAA labs’ work is far from complete. Thousands more servicemembers remain missing in action. We are grateful for the quiet, patriotic work that these labs perform—they make all the difference for our families who have lost loved ones, and they demonstrate our nation’s commitment to never leave anyone behind.
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