In a week of heartbreaking announcements, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency has identified two more American soldiers who were killed during World War II. The soldiers, one from New Mexico and one from Georgia, have finally been given names after years of tireless research and investigation.

The first soldier to be identified is a 20-year-old Army private named Homer Mitchell from eastern New Mexico. Mitchell's case, known as X-3212, began to be investigated in 2018. Through meticulous historical research and laboratory testing, Mitchell was confirmed as the strongest possibility for the unidentified soldier in case file X-3212. The news of Mitchell's identification brought closure to his family members, who were scattered across New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Sonja Dennin, Mitchell's great niece, described the news as “mind-blowing” and emphasized that it had been nearly 80 years since Mitchell's death.

Mitchell had enlisted in 1943 and underwent training at military bases on the other side of the country before being deployed to Europe. He was killed on December 10, 1944, during a fierce battle with German forces in the Pachten Forest along Germany's western border. The intensity of the mortar and artillery strikes made it impossible to recover the casualties at the time. After the war, the American Graves Registration Command conducted investigations in the area between 1946 and 1950 but was unable to identify Mitchell's remains. He was officially declared Killed in Action in November 1951.

It was discovered that Mitchell had been buried along with three other soldiers at the civilian cemetery in H??ttersdorf, Germany. The unidentified remains were later interred in France, where they remained until 2021 when historians were finally able to solidify the link to Mitchell. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency's laboratory then began the process of identifying Mitchell's remains, which took almost two more years to complete.

For Mitchell's family, the news of his identification was both comforting and painful. They had never had the chance to know him personally, but his legacy was kept alive within the family. An old oval framed portrait of Mitchell had been passed down through the generations, and it will now accompany his family to Portales in the spring for his burial.

The second soldier to be identified is U.S. Army Pfc. Hood E. Cole from Atlanta, Georgia. Cole, who was assigned to L Company, 3rd Battalion, 276th Infantry Regiment, 70th Infantry Division, was killed on January 14, 1945, during an attack by German forces near Baerenthal, France. Due to the heavy fighting, his body was unable to be immediately recovered. After an extensive search, Cole was declared non-recoverable on May 11, 1951. Finally, in 2018, remains buried at Ardennes American Cemetery were disinterred and transferred to a military lab in Nebraska for analysis. Scientists were able to identify Cole's remains using anthropological and dental analysis.

The identification of Cole and Mitchell comes as part of a massive, ongoing effort by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency to account for the thousands of missing service members from various conflicts. While there are still over 81,000 service members yet to be accounted for, more than 37,000 of those are considered to be recoverable, mostly from World War II. Since 1973, the agency has accounted for 1,549 missing World War II soldiers. However, government figures show that over 72,000 World War II soldiers are still missing.

The work done by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency is meticulous and requires the expertise of forensic anthropologists and other experts. Scientists like Carrie Brown spend years using various methods such as DNA analysis, dental records, sinus records, and chest X-rays to identify the remains of service members killed in combat. The Nebraska lab where Brown works is filled with 80 tables, each holding remains and personal effects that can help solve the mystery of their identities.

The identification of these soldiers brings a mix of emotions for their families. While there is grief for the loss and the pain of not being able to bury their loved ones properly, there is also a sense of closure and honor in finally knowing their names and being able to lay them to rest. The work of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency continues, bringing hope to families who are still waiting for their fallen soldiers to be identified and brought home.