WWII Airman Alvin R. Scarborough Found After Decades of Uncertainty

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) has identified the remains of U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Alvin R. Scarborough, who went missing during World War II. Scarborough, who was 22 years old at the time of his disappearance, will be laid to rest with full military honors in his hometown of Dossville, Mississippi.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) has announced the successful identification of U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Alvin R. Scarborough, who went missing in action during World War II. Scarborough's remains were recovered from Papua New Guinea in 2018 as part of ongoing efforts to repatriate U.S. service members who have been missing overseas.

WWII Airman Alvin R. Scarborough Found After Decades of Uncertainty

Scarborough, a native of Dossville, Mississippi, was a member of the 312th Bombardment Group, 5th Bombardment Wing. On July 13, 1943, Scarborough's B-25 Mitchell bomber was shot down during a bombing mission over the Japanese-occupied town of Salamaua, Papua New Guinea. The plane was one of several that failed to return to base after the attack, and Scarborough was listed as missing in action.

In the years that followed, the U.S. government continued to search for Scarborough and his fellow aircrew members. In 2018, a team of DPAA forensic anthropologists discovered human remains and military artifacts at the crash site of Scarborough's B-25. The remains were recovered and sent to a laboratory for analysis, where DNA testing positively identified them as belonging to Scarborough.

Scarborough's family was notified of the identification on July 25, 2023. He will be laid to rest with full military honors in his hometown of Dossville, Mississippi, on August 12, 2023.

The identification and repatriation of Staff Sgt. Alvin R. Scarborough brings closure to a decades-long mystery for his family and friends. His sacrifice will never be forgotten, and he will always be remembered as a hero who fought for his country.