World War II Bomber Navigator Identified After 80 Years

The remains of a World War II bomber navigator, lost for eight decades, are set to return to Arlington National Cemetery.

On August 3, 1943, U.S. Army Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Henry J. Carlin was serving as a navigator on a B-25C “Mitchell” bomber when six crew members crashed during a low-altitude raid in Maikira, Burma. As reported by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), Carlin and his crew faced a tragic fate.

Out of the six crew members aboard, only two survived and were captured by Japanese forces, while Carlin and three others were killed. His body was never recovered, leading to his classification as missing in action.

Carlin was just 27 years old at the time of the crash.

In 1947, the American Tomb Registration Service found four sets of remains, designated X-282A-D, near Kyunpobin, Burma. Local accounts indicated the bodies were from an “American Crash Fall.” Unfortunately, the remains were unidentified and subsequently buried as unknown at the Pacific National Memorial Cemetery in Honolulu.

Three years ago, the Department of Defense authorized further analysis of these remains, which had been kept in a lab.

The DPAA provided Carlin’s family with insights into how his identity was eventually confirmed.

Through a combination of dental analysis, anthropological methods, and mitochondrial DNA testing, DPAA scientists were able to identify Carlin’s remains.

It’s worth noting that Carlin’s name is etched on the walls at the Manila American Cemetery and at the memorial in the Philippines, with a rosette next to his name indicating his identification.

As of now, the status of other recovered remains has not been disclosed by the DPAA.

Established in 2015, the DPAA is dedicated to recovering and identifying personnel who have been missing or taken prisoner in past conflicts worldwide.

Carlin’s burial at Arlington National Cemetery is planned for next spring.