'The Duty Ours:’ A Preliminary Analysis for the Recovery of Aggies Missing in Action
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Abstract
Today, there are 81,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines, who are Missing in Action from World War Two to the present day. Among the 81,000 missing are more than 193 Aggies, former students of Texas A&M University who answered the call to serve, and who have yet to come home. Among the stories, memorials, and lists of fallen Aggies at Texas A&M University, there has been one glaring omission: Aggies Missing in Action and Aggie Prisoners of War. This research provides the first list of Aggies Missing in Action from World War Two to the present. One Hundred and Seventy-One Aggies remain unaccounted for from World War Two; Twelve Aggies from the Korean War and Cold War; and ten Aggies from the Vietnam War. This scope reflects the recovery mandate established by the Department of Defense and tasked to the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Account Agency (DPAA), who work to recover and identify service personnel who are Missing in Action on land and underwater. This research provides the first in depth analysis and telling of the lives, service, and loss of the 193 Aggies Missing in Action. The Aggie MIA/POW Project database that accompanies this project houses the details of their lives and service, which have been researched through archival, historical, and genealogical methods. This database will continue to serve as a living history document, allowing future students and faculty to update, verify, and further the research set forth in this project. This research will also enable Texas A&M University to track the progress of MIA Aggie recovery efforts and to conduct further research potentially leading to their recovery. The information from the database supports an interactive story map that allows viewers to connect with the lives and stories of the Aggies Missing in Action. Lastly, this research seeks to advocate for the formal memorialization and commemoration of the MIA/POW Aggies by Texas A&M University. A formal campus memorial will honor the sacrifices of the MIA/POW Aggies and their families, keeping their memory alive as one of the finest examples of selfless service and the strength of the bond shared by all Aggies. The duty is ours to honor their sacrifices and to one day bring them home.
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Aggies, Aggies Missing in Action, Texas A&M University, Missing in Action, Unaccounted For, Prisoner of War, WWII, Korean War, Cold War, Vietnam War,