Bob Jones: Honoring Lt. Michael J. Blassie, former unknown soldier

To The Daily Sun,

For those that read the stories printed concerning the 100 year anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington, you may have noticed the quick read over concerning the Vietnam unknown Lt. Michael J. Blassie. It was stated that the family had his remains removed because of the “final” fact of DNA proof and returned to Missouri.

Well, that’s not the whole story and really skirting the truth. Lt. Blassie served as America’s Vietnam unknown for 14 years before being removed. The real reason was because the Lt. Blassie remains were known as “X-26.”

It was a Vietnam activist named Ted Sampley who found the information in the archives, information leading to a shooting down of a plane, the type Lt. Blassie was flying, and on that day the only one shot down. That plane had artifacts of Blassie’s identification card, a piece of raft number from his plane and few other bits of uniform that proved to be Lt. Blassie’s.

This was a case of trying to close a chapter on Vietnam and fill the Tomb of the Unknown Solider. However, those involved got caught, so stated “the final proof was digging up remains and proving were those of Lt. Blassie’s." So, that’s what the government did “on behalf” of the family.

The saddest part of this story? After serving 14 years as America’s unknown, the government he served removed any reference of him ever being in the tomb or serving as unknown and the Meritorious Service Medal that all unknowns receive was removed from his family.

Blessings on Veterans Day to the Blassie Family, especially his sister Patricia Blassie who was serving in the U.S. Air Force at the time and never stopped pushing for the truth. Pat has recently retired as a colonel.

I’m writing this because nothing is so powerful as the truth. Trust the boots, eye always on the suits!

Bob Jones

Meredith