The remains of about 82,000 U.S. Service members who were declared missing in action over the last eight decades still have not been found.
In the last few years, the Missing In Action Recovery and Identification Project at UW-Madison has been helping the federal government use DNA and other technology to solve some of the mysteries and repatriate—meaning, bring back to the U.S.—remains.
Vaneesa Cook is the lead historian for the UW project. She told WUWM's Chuck Quirmbach that some of the cases awaiting resolution are from Korea, Vietnam and later conflicts, but the overwhelming majority date back to World War Two.
Later this month in Madison, The UW MIA Recovery and Identification Project is holding its first Recovery Innovation Technology Summit. Cook says the general public and students are welcome, and an option to attend virtually is available.
