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FORT KNOX, Ky. – The remains of U.S. Army Air Forces Sgt. Edward S. Kovaleski, a Soldier killed during World War II will be interred April 9 in Arlington National Cemetery. Graveside services will be performed by Everly-Wheatley Funerals and Cremation, Alexandria, Virginia, preceding the interment.
A native of Southbridge, Massachusetts, Kovaleski was an engineer and ball turret gunner assigned to the 760th Bombardment Squadron, 460th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 15th Air Force, in the European and Mediterranean Theater. He was killed in action April 26, 1945, at age 25, after the B-24J Liberator aircraft, he was aboard, crashed near Hüttenberg, Austria, while enroute to a bombing mission in northern Italy.
Kovaleski was accounted for by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency June 4, 2024, after his remains were recovered from the crash site between 2021 and 2022 for laboratory analysis and identification.
The Past Conflict Repatriations Branch, under the Army Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operations Division at U.S. Army Human Resources Command, Fort Knox, Kentucky, plays a key role in the process of locating Family members of missing Soldiers from World War II, the Korean and Vietnam wars.
The process begins with locating the Family member most closely related to the missing Soldier, known as the primary next of kin, followed by a request for Family reference samples or DNA, which are used as a main source in identifying remains.
Once a Soldier has been identified by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner, the PCRB notifies and briefs the Family about the results of historical, forensic and DNA reports, benefits and the mortuary process including burial with full military honors.
For additional information about Sgt. Kovaleski, go to: https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/ID-Announcements/Article/3986626/airman-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-kovaleski-e/
Media interested in covering the funeral/interment, and/or obtaining more information, should contact the Army Casualty Office at 800-892-2490 or Everly-Wheatley Funerals and Cremation, 703-998-9200.
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| Date Taken: | 04.02.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.02.2025 14:32 |
| Story ID: | 494400 |
| Location: | FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY, US |
| Hometown: | BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, US |
| Hometown: | PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, US |
| Hometown: | SOUTHBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, US |
| Hometown: | SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, US |
| Web Views: | 23 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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