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VFW Post farewell service

Memorial service to be held for airman MIA since 1944

PFC James Chester Mohn will be memorialized Aug. 4 at VFW Post 91 in Tacoma. /Courtesy photo

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On August 4, 2013, a "final farewell" memorial service will be held for U.S. Air Force PFC James Chester Mohn, who was last seen in 1944.

On 25 May 1944, a C-47A Air Transport Command aircraft departed from Lalmanirhat, India on a cargo run. Piloting were 1st Lt. John S. Gordon from Snyder NY and co-pilot 2nd Lt. Russell A. Brown, from unknown birthplace. Also aboard was James C. Mohn, radio operator, from Seattle. The aircraft never reached its destination of Chabua, India.

For nearly seventy years, the fate of the crew was completely unknown. Relatives of the MIA's had no idea what had become of the servicemembers. For example, Mohn's sister, Gladys Terry of Fairbanks, Ak was contacted and had been distressed by the situation for decades. But that wait ended recently when the whereabouts of the plane and its crew were finally discovered, and Mohn's honorable record confirmed.

Families of MIA servicemembers often experience a unique form of grief referred to as "ambiguous loss." Family members are never quite sure whether their loved one has survived, is perhaps suffering from amnesia, or held prisoner by a foreign enemy. Even family members who have never met the MIA servicemember may be obsessed with the unclear situation. In this case, the "collateral damage" of war is the psychological toll that can be felt for generations.

In November 2010, Clayton Kuhles of miarecoveries.org located the wreckage of the C-47A aircraft in the Himalayan Mountains. The last report had been that the airplane was simply missing in flight, and it was left for friends and family to wonder what had occurred in India. In 2010, family members received the information that their plane had gone down while performing its duty honorably.

The crewmembers had been memorialized in Manila, Philippines, but on Aug. 8, 2010, the record was finalized.

Ms. Terry expressed her extreme gratitude to Post 91 for the service, and is expected to attend. Ret. Master Sgt. Elmer Clark, who is the quartermaster of and state judge advocate for VFW Post 91, relayed Ms. Terry's relief at being informed of Mohn's honorable service record. She also expresses her gratitude for the efforts of Joint Pacific Accounting Command (JPAC), which searched for and found the MIA airman.

The U.S. military's commitment to "leave no man behind" is one of the distinctive marks of our society and military. America's efforts to respect and honor such valiant servicemembers is unprecedented. Our military labors to bring closure for every missing servicemember, and to bring relief to mourning families.

JPAC field members often spend half of the year, or more, searching overseas jungles and fields for even minor remains of fallen servicemembers. When answers like these are found, the relief for family members can be overwhelming. The service on Aug. 4, 2013 will offer everyone an opportunity to express their appreciation for the service of MIA servicemembers.

Ms. Terry has requested that all donations be offered to VFW Post 91 Memorial Fund, so that more of these farewells can be offered for family members like herself. Attendance at the service is also appreciated.

The ceremony is at 2 p.m. at VFW Post 91, 2000 Union Ave. in Tacoma.

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