Photo By Spc. Jason Klaer | U.S. Army Pvt. Myron Elton Williams, assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 12th...... read more read more
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World War II, an earth-shattering series of battles shook the planet to its core. More than 50 nations involve themselves in a conflict which spanned six years and cost countless lives. Throughout the summer and fall of 1944, the 4th Infantry Division played an instrumental role in the success of the U.S. Army’s forward push through Europe.
In November 1944, the 4th Inf. Div breached through Nazi lines, including Pvt. Myron Elton Williams, assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Inf. Div., in the Hürtgen Forest near Hürtgen, Germany. November 16, 1944, Williams entered a heavily mined, wooded area under merciless artillery fire. Williams is not seen nor heard from again. Months later, the Allies declared victory in Europe and eventually in the Pacific, ending the war. Despite the victory, Williams remained missing in action.
In 1945, the American Graves Registration Command searched throughout the continent to locate and identify the remains of countless service members. Eventually, the War Department issued a presumptive finding of death for Williams. Later that year, a set of remains were found southwest of Hürtgen near a German mine belt. Identifying features, including a uniform and special equipment, aided in the hypothesis that the remains are a U.S. Soldier.
Through exponential advancement in forensic science, the remains would eventually be positively identified as Williams. Dr. Traci L. Van Deest, Forensic Anthropologist, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), says there are certain avenues to take when identifying remains.
“The lines of evidence that can be used in an identification include: historical information, DNA testing, anthropological analysis and odontological analysis,” Van Deest said. “Which lines of evidence contribute to a specific identification is case specific, but all rely on multiple lines coming together.”
According to Van Deest, age is just one factor used to determine the identity of remains. Stored biological information also plays a role in the comparison.
“The anthropologist assesses sex, ancestry, stature, trauma and other individualizing features,” Van Deest said. “Results are then compared to known biological information for each of the missing service members on the short list of candidates provided by the DPAA historians.”
Once identified, the next step was to notify Williams’ next of kin.
Dianne Mangum, niece of Williams, lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband, Charles Mangum, retired, U.S. Air Force. Mangum says her father and four of her uncles served in WWII. Growing up, Mangum’s parents didn’t talk about the war.
“They all came home except ‘Elton’,” Mangum said. “He [Elton] was never spoken about, we were just told he died in the war.”
Mangum was able to provide general information about her uncle. Williams grew up in Dixon, Ill., a city about 100 miles west of Chicago. He was one of five children, including four sisters. He attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign from 1933-36. Williams left behind his wife, Dorothy Havener Williams, who died in 2007.
In February 2019, Mangum received a formal letter from the DPAA. Intended for family members of missing U.S. personnel from several wars, Mangum was invited to a regional meeting in San Antonio, Texas. Mangum says the meeting opened her eyes to the reality of those missing in action.
“It was informative and emotional hearing personal stories by family members hoping to hear of loved ones being recovered someday,” Mangum said. “We had a personal meeting and were shown information including location maps tracking the movements of my uncle’s position in the Hürtgen Forest.”
Around the same time, Mangum was asked to provide a DNA sample to compare to a set of remains found in the Hürtgen Forest. Her daughter was also asked to submit a packet for DNA comparison.
In March 2023, Mangum was contacted by the Past Conflict Reparations Branch, Casualty and Mortuary Affairs, Operations Division, in Fort Knox, KY., to receive the news that the remains had been positively identified as Pvt. Myron Elton Williams.
Shortly after, Mangum and her family sat inside her home with military officials to learn how the remains were identified and the role of the Army in Pvt. Williams’ funeral.
Mangum, overcome with emotion, says the findings bring her joy.
“A young 29-year-old man, a relative who I only knew as a name and a few pictures became real to me,” Mangum said. “This was and is personal.”
Williams awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three bronze service stars with an arrowhead device and the Honorable Service Lapel Button.
On June 2, 2023, Williams will be laid to rest at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen, Texas, with full military honors.
| Date Taken: | 04.26.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 05.02.2023 05:43 |
| Story ID: | 443389 |
| Location: | FORT CARSON, COLORADO, US |
| Hometown: | DIXON, ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 149 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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