Netherlands staff add rosettes for WWII airmen
Netherlands American Cemetery added rosettes to its Walls of the Missing Feb. 12 indicating three U.S. Army Air Force airmen have been accounted for from World War II.
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced the identification of 1st Lt. Joe A. De Jarnette, 24, on Jan. 31. De Jarnette was assigned to the 732nd Bombardment Squadron, 453rd Bombardment Group, 2nd Combat Bomb Wing, 2nd Air Division, 8th Air Force, where he was the pilot onboard the B-24H Liberator, “Little Joe,” which was shot down on a bombing mission to Brunswick, Germany. Originally from Fort Thomas, Kentucky, De Jarnette will be buried on a date to be determined in Erlanger, Kentucky.
DPAA announced the identification of 2nd Lt. Robert D. McKee, the co-pilot onboard “Little Joe” July 30, 2024. No other information on his identification was available from DPAA.
The identification of Capt. Arthur M. Lingo was announced by DPAA on Jan. 21. Lingo, 24, was assigned to 362nd Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group, 66th Fighter Wing, 8th Fighter Command. He was piloting a P-51 Mustang when he was shot down near Miesterhorst, Germany. A full accounting of Lingo’s identification will be published by DPAA upon the family’s briefing.
When a missing service member is recovered, identified and finally laid to rest, ABMC places a rosette beside their name on the Walls of the Missing. This rosette, a symbol of eternity, is crafted as a bronze rosemary wreath—a timeless emblem of honor and victory. Encircled by the eight-points of a compass, it signifies America's commitment, reaching out in all directions to recover their remains from the farthest corners of the earth.
These rosettes are three of more than 2,000 that have been placed beside the names of missing service members at ABMC sites around the world. The placement of this rosette brings the total to 166 on the Wall of the Missing at Netherlands American Cemetery, which includes the names of 1,722 service members.