In 1940, Vincent was living in Leavenworth, KS with his parents and siblings:
Melvin J 45
Velma M Polite 40
Vincent Polite 16
Dorothy Polite 14
Theresa Polite 12
Francis Polite 10
Phillip Polite 8
Leo Polite 5
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
He enlisted on 23 May 1942 in Leavenworth, KS, with his occupation classified as Semiskilled painters, construction and maintenance.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
His name, along with other ex-students, was listed in the 1944 St Louis, MO, McKinley High School yearbook indicating they had given their lives during WWII.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
On the Tablets of the Missing at Florence American Cemetery, Florence, Italy, it shows he received the following awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart, Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters (in order of precedence)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Discrepancy on marker: Per U.S. WWII Military Personnel Missing In Action or Lost At Sea, 1941-1946, it shows loss as of 1 Aug 1943, but his Ft Leavenworth marker shows 2 Aug 1944. The Nationwide Gravesite Locator shows 2 Aug 1944, which is also incorrect.
Provided by contributor SBR (49039178):
Through the work of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, the remains of Staff Sergeant Vincent L. Politte, killed during World War II, were accounted for in 2018.
In the summer of 1943, SSgt Politte served as a gunner with the 345th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force, U.S. Army Air Forces. He was killed while participating in a raid on the Ploesti Oil Refinery complex north of Bucharest, Romania, during Operation Tidal Wave. The goal of the operation was to destroy the refineries in the area in order to hamper the German war effort. During the raid, Politte's B-24D Liberator aircraft (serial # 41-24246; "Semper Felix") was hit by machine gun fire and crashed. Following the war, his remains could not be identified (MACR 225: 9 KIA, 1 POW).
His name is permanently inscribed on the "Walls of the Missing" at Florence American Cemetery (Find A Grave Memorial 56366041).
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Received from Contributor usafdo 7/20/2018:
July 20, 2018 - WASHINGTON —
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, accounted-for from World War II, are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Vincent L. Politte, 19, of Leavenworth, Kansas, accounted for on April 11, will be buried July 30 in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. In the summer of 1943, Politte served as a gunner with the 345th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force. He was killed while participating in a raid on the Ploesti Oil Refinery complex north of Bucharest, Romania, during Operation Tidal Wave. The goal of the operation was to destroy the refineries in the area in order to hamper the German war effort. During the raid, Politte's B-24 Liberator aircraft was hit by machine gun fire and crashed. Following the war, his remains could not be identified.
Following the end of the war, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC) searched for and disinterred the remains of U.S. servicemen in Europe as part of the global effort to identify and return fallen servicemen. Remains that could not be identified were designated as unknowns and interred in U.S. overseas cemeteries. Beginning in 2010, DPAA and its predecessors digitized and began to analyze more than 8,000 files for Unknowns from WWII.
One set of unidentified remains, designated Unknown X-5056 Neuville, were historically linked to an unaccounted-for American lost during the aerial bombing raids against oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania.
In April 2016, following analysis by DPAA anthropologists of biological DNA for X-5056 Neuville that suggested the remains could most likely be identified, the Unknown was disinterred and transported to the DPAA laboratory.
To identify Politte's remains, DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA), analysis, dental, anthropological and chest radiograph comparison analysis, and circumstantial evidence.
DPAA is grateful to the American Battle Monuments Commission for their assistance in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,906 service members (approximately 26,000 assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Politte's name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at the Florence American Cemetery Impruenta, Italy, an American Battle Monuments Commission site, along with the other MIAs from WWII. Although interred as an Unknown in Ardennes American Cemetery, Politte's grave was meticulously cared for over the past 70 years by the ABMC. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
NOTE BY SHERLOCKS COUSIN 11/2018: His marker was originally placed and later photographed in Section MA, Site 5, with MIA/KIA. With remains identified, his grave site is now in Section R, Site 1041A.
Melvin J 45
Velma M Polite 40
Vincent Polite 16
Dorothy Polite 14
Theresa Polite 12
Francis Polite 10
Phillip Polite 8
Leo Polite 5
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
He enlisted on 23 May 1942 in Leavenworth, KS, with his occupation classified as Semiskilled painters, construction and maintenance.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
His name, along with other ex-students, was listed in the 1944 St Louis, MO, McKinley High School yearbook indicating they had given their lives during WWII.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
On the Tablets of the Missing at Florence American Cemetery, Florence, Italy, it shows he received the following awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart, Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters (in order of precedence)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Discrepancy on marker: Per U.S. WWII Military Personnel Missing In Action or Lost At Sea, 1941-1946, it shows loss as of 1 Aug 1943, but his Ft Leavenworth marker shows 2 Aug 1944. The Nationwide Gravesite Locator shows 2 Aug 1944, which is also incorrect.
Provided by contributor SBR (49039178):
Through the work of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, the remains of Staff Sergeant Vincent L. Politte, killed during World War II, were accounted for in 2018.
In the summer of 1943, SSgt Politte served as a gunner with the 345th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force, U.S. Army Air Forces. He was killed while participating in a raid on the Ploesti Oil Refinery complex north of Bucharest, Romania, during Operation Tidal Wave. The goal of the operation was to destroy the refineries in the area in order to hamper the German war effort. During the raid, Politte's B-24D Liberator aircraft (serial # 41-24246; "Semper Felix") was hit by machine gun fire and crashed. Following the war, his remains could not be identified (MACR 225: 9 KIA, 1 POW).
His name is permanently inscribed on the "Walls of the Missing" at Florence American Cemetery (Find A Grave Memorial 56366041).
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Received from Contributor usafdo 7/20/2018:
July 20, 2018 - WASHINGTON —
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, accounted-for from World War II, are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Vincent L. Politte, 19, of Leavenworth, Kansas, accounted for on April 11, will be buried July 30 in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. In the summer of 1943, Politte served as a gunner with the 345th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force. He was killed while participating in a raid on the Ploesti Oil Refinery complex north of Bucharest, Romania, during Operation Tidal Wave. The goal of the operation was to destroy the refineries in the area in order to hamper the German war effort. During the raid, Politte's B-24 Liberator aircraft was hit by machine gun fire and crashed. Following the war, his remains could not be identified.
Following the end of the war, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC) searched for and disinterred the remains of U.S. servicemen in Europe as part of the global effort to identify and return fallen servicemen. Remains that could not be identified were designated as unknowns and interred in U.S. overseas cemeteries. Beginning in 2010, DPAA and its predecessors digitized and began to analyze more than 8,000 files for Unknowns from WWII.
One set of unidentified remains, designated Unknown X-5056 Neuville, were historically linked to an unaccounted-for American lost during the aerial bombing raids against oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania.
In April 2016, following analysis by DPAA anthropologists of biological DNA for X-5056 Neuville that suggested the remains could most likely be identified, the Unknown was disinterred and transported to the DPAA laboratory.
To identify Politte's remains, DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA), analysis, dental, anthropological and chest radiograph comparison analysis, and circumstantial evidence.
DPAA is grateful to the American Battle Monuments Commission for their assistance in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,906 service members (approximately 26,000 assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Politte's name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at the Florence American Cemetery Impruenta, Italy, an American Battle Monuments Commission site, along with the other MIAs from WWII. Although interred as an Unknown in Ardennes American Cemetery, Politte's grave was meticulously cared for over the past 70 years by the ABMC. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
NOTE BY SHERLOCKS COUSIN 11/2018: His marker was originally placed and later photographed in Section MA, Site 5, with MIA/KIA. With remains identified, his grave site is now in Section R, Site 1041A.
In 1940, Vincent was living in Leavenworth, KS with his parents and siblings:
Melvin J 45
Velma M Polite 40
Vincent Polite 16
Dorothy Polite 14
Theresa Polite 12
Francis Polite 10
Phillip Polite 8
Leo Polite 5
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
He enlisted on 23 May 1942 in Leavenworth, KS, with his occupation classified as Semiskilled painters, construction and maintenance.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
His name, along with other ex-students, was listed in the 1944 St Louis, MO, McKinley High School yearbook indicating they had given their lives during WWII.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
On the Tablets of the Missing at Florence American Cemetery, Florence, Italy, it shows he received the following awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart, Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters (in order of precedence)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Discrepancy on marker: Per U.S. WWII Military Personnel Missing In Action or Lost At Sea, 1941-1946, it shows loss as of 1 Aug 1943, but his Ft Leavenworth marker shows 2 Aug 1944. The Nationwide Gravesite Locator shows 2 Aug 1944, which is also incorrect.
Provided by contributor SBR (49039178):
Through the work of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, the remains of Staff Sergeant Vincent L. Politte, killed during World War II, were accounted for in 2018.
In the summer of 1943, SSgt Politte served as a gunner with the 345th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force, U.S. Army Air Forces. He was killed while participating in a raid on the Ploesti Oil Refinery complex north of Bucharest, Romania, during Operation Tidal Wave. The goal of the operation was to destroy the refineries in the area in order to hamper the German war effort. During the raid, Politte's B-24D Liberator aircraft (serial # 41-24246; "Semper Felix") was hit by machine gun fire and crashed. Following the war, his remains could not be identified (MACR 225: 9 KIA, 1 POW).
His name is permanently inscribed on the "Walls of the Missing" at Florence American Cemetery (Find A Grave Memorial 56366041).
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Received from Contributor usafdo 7/20/2018:
July 20, 2018 - WASHINGTON —
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, accounted-for from World War II, are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Vincent L. Politte, 19, of Leavenworth, Kansas, accounted for on April 11, will be buried July 30 in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. In the summer of 1943, Politte served as a gunner with the 345th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force. He was killed while participating in a raid on the Ploesti Oil Refinery complex north of Bucharest, Romania, during Operation Tidal Wave. The goal of the operation was to destroy the refineries in the area in order to hamper the German war effort. During the raid, Politte's B-24 Liberator aircraft was hit by machine gun fire and crashed. Following the war, his remains could not be identified.
Following the end of the war, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC) searched for and disinterred the remains of U.S. servicemen in Europe as part of the global effort to identify and return fallen servicemen. Remains that could not be identified were designated as unknowns and interred in U.S. overseas cemeteries. Beginning in 2010, DPAA and its predecessors digitized and began to analyze more than 8,000 files for Unknowns from WWII.
One set of unidentified remains, designated Unknown X-5056 Neuville, were historically linked to an unaccounted-for American lost during the aerial bombing raids against oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania.
In April 2016, following analysis by DPAA anthropologists of biological DNA for X-5056 Neuville that suggested the remains could most likely be identified, the Unknown was disinterred and transported to the DPAA laboratory.
To identify Politte's remains, DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA), analysis, dental, anthropological and chest radiograph comparison analysis, and circumstantial evidence.
DPAA is grateful to the American Battle Monuments Commission for their assistance in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,906 service members (approximately 26,000 assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Politte's name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at the Florence American Cemetery Impruenta, Italy, an American Battle Monuments Commission site, along with the other MIAs from WWII. Although interred as an Unknown in Ardennes American Cemetery, Politte's grave was meticulously cared for over the past 70 years by the ABMC. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
NOTE BY SHERLOCKS COUSIN 11/2018: His marker was originally placed and later photographed in Section MA, Site 5, with MIA/KIA. With remains identified, his grave site is now in Section R, Site 1041A.
Melvin J 45
Velma M Polite 40
Vincent Polite 16
Dorothy Polite 14
Theresa Polite 12
Francis Polite 10
Phillip Polite 8
Leo Polite 5
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
He enlisted on 23 May 1942 in Leavenworth, KS, with his occupation classified as Semiskilled painters, construction and maintenance.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
His name, along with other ex-students, was listed in the 1944 St Louis, MO, McKinley High School yearbook indicating they had given their lives during WWII.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
On the Tablets of the Missing at Florence American Cemetery, Florence, Italy, it shows he received the following awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart, Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters (in order of precedence)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Discrepancy on marker: Per U.S. WWII Military Personnel Missing In Action or Lost At Sea, 1941-1946, it shows loss as of 1 Aug 1943, but his Ft Leavenworth marker shows 2 Aug 1944. The Nationwide Gravesite Locator shows 2 Aug 1944, which is also incorrect.
Provided by contributor SBR (49039178):
Through the work of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, the remains of Staff Sergeant Vincent L. Politte, killed during World War II, were accounted for in 2018.
In the summer of 1943, SSgt Politte served as a gunner with the 345th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force, U.S. Army Air Forces. He was killed while participating in a raid on the Ploesti Oil Refinery complex north of Bucharest, Romania, during Operation Tidal Wave. The goal of the operation was to destroy the refineries in the area in order to hamper the German war effort. During the raid, Politte's B-24D Liberator aircraft (serial # 41-24246; "Semper Felix") was hit by machine gun fire and crashed. Following the war, his remains could not be identified (MACR 225: 9 KIA, 1 POW).
His name is permanently inscribed on the "Walls of the Missing" at Florence American Cemetery (Find A Grave Memorial 56366041).
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Received from Contributor usafdo 7/20/2018:
July 20, 2018 - WASHINGTON —
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, accounted-for from World War II, are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Vincent L. Politte, 19, of Leavenworth, Kansas, accounted for on April 11, will be buried July 30 in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. In the summer of 1943, Politte served as a gunner with the 345th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force. He was killed while participating in a raid on the Ploesti Oil Refinery complex north of Bucharest, Romania, during Operation Tidal Wave. The goal of the operation was to destroy the refineries in the area in order to hamper the German war effort. During the raid, Politte's B-24 Liberator aircraft was hit by machine gun fire and crashed. Following the war, his remains could not be identified.
Following the end of the war, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC) searched for and disinterred the remains of U.S. servicemen in Europe as part of the global effort to identify and return fallen servicemen. Remains that could not be identified were designated as unknowns and interred in U.S. overseas cemeteries. Beginning in 2010, DPAA and its predecessors digitized and began to analyze more than 8,000 files for Unknowns from WWII.
One set of unidentified remains, designated Unknown X-5056 Neuville, were historically linked to an unaccounted-for American lost during the aerial bombing raids against oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania.
In April 2016, following analysis by DPAA anthropologists of biological DNA for X-5056 Neuville that suggested the remains could most likely be identified, the Unknown was disinterred and transported to the DPAA laboratory.
To identify Politte's remains, DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA), analysis, dental, anthropological and chest radiograph comparison analysis, and circumstantial evidence.
DPAA is grateful to the American Battle Monuments Commission for their assistance in this mission.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,906 service members (approximately 26,000 assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Politte's name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at the Florence American Cemetery Impruenta, Italy, an American Battle Monuments Commission site, along with the other MIAs from WWII. Although interred as an Unknown in Ardennes American Cemetery, Politte's grave was meticulously cared for over the past 70 years by the ABMC. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
NOTE BY SHERLOCKS COUSIN 11/2018: His marker was originally placed and later photographed in Section MA, Site 5, with MIA/KIA. With remains identified, his grave site is now in Section R, Site 1041A.
Inscription
Kansas
SSGT
U.S. Army Air Forces
World War II
DFC PH
Gravesite Details
Memorial Here #56366041
Other Records
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