Uncovering the Past: The Long-Awaited Return of Soldier McLauchlen After 80 Years Missing in Action

McLauchlen, a 25-year-old World War II soldier from Detroit, was piloting a B-24J Liberator bomber on Dec. 1, 1943 when his plane was shot down during a bombing mission from Panagarh, India to the Insein Railroad Yard north of Rangoon, Burma. The crew’s remains were not recovered during the war and were declared missing in action.

In October 2020, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) received a family request for disinterment and exhumed the remains. After conducting anthropological analysis and mitochondrial DNA analysis, McLauchlen’s remains were finally identified on Jan. 25, 2024.

On July 8, 2024, McLauchlen will be laid to rest at Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery in Kansas with graveside services performed by the Belden-Larkin Funeral Home following interment. This closure comes after over 80 years of uncertainty and honors the sacrifice made by McLauchlen and his crew during World War II.