After nearly eight decades of uncertainty, a World War II pilot from Philadelphia has finally been identified and will receive a long-awaited burial at Arlington National Cemetery.
According to Fox News, 1st Lt. Henry J. Carlin’s remains, lost since a 1943 bomber crash in Burma during World War II, have been officially accounted for after years of military investigation and scientific identification efforts.
Henry J. Carlin served as a navigator with the 22nd Bombardment Squadron, 341st Bombardment Group, within the U.S. Army Air Forces’ 10th Air Force. In the summer of 1943, he was one of six men aboard a B-25C “Mitchell” aircraft on a low-altitude combat mission targeting Japanese installations in Meiktila, Burma. The plane was shot down during the operation, leading to the deaths of Carlin and three others on board.
Japanese forces took the two surviving members of the crew prisoner. It remains unclear whether they eventually returned home. Carlin and the three others killed in the crash were initially declared missing in action after their bodies were not found following the war.
Unmarked Burial Followed Wartime Crash
In 1947, the American Graves Registration Service located a common burial site near Kyunpobin, Burma. The grave held the remains of four unidentified individuals believed to be American servicemen. The evidence available from witnesses at the site confirmed the nationality of the fallen, but lacked sufficient detail to assign names to the remains.
Without clear identification, the remains were transferred to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu. There, they were interred as unknowns, one of many anonymous wartime casualties buried with honor but without names. The inability to conclusively identify the men left families without closure, creating a mystery that lingered for generations. For the Carlin family, the years stretched into decades as they waited for answers about their loved one’s fate.
DPAA Scientists Launch Identification Effort
In 2022, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency received permission from the Department of Defense to exhume the remains from the Honolulu gravesite. This initiated the latest effort to determine the identities of the men lost in the 1943 crash. A combination of advanced forensic techniques was used to analyze the remains. Scientists examined dental records, anthropological details, and isotopic signatures from the remains to narrow down the possibilities. Crucially, mitochondrial DNA testing performed by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System matched the remains to Carlin’s profile.
The identification was officially confirmed on April 16, bringing a definitive end to a mystery that began over 80 years ago. With the help of modern science and persistent dedication from military agencies, Carlin was no longer among the unknown.
Recognition and Burial After Identification
Plans are underway to honor 1st Lt. Carlin with a full military burial at Arlington National Cemetery in May 2026. The ceremony will mark both a personal homecoming and the fulfillment of a long-delayed military tribute. Carlin, who died at the age of 27, was previously remembered on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines. With his identity confirmed, a rosette will soon be added beside his name—a symbol indicating that a missing service member has been accounted for.
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency has acknowledged Carlin’s death and service through historical records. “A newspaper clipping shows the announcement of 1st Lt. Carlin’s death,” DPAA officials stated. The clipping also reported an award he received for his actions before his final mission.
Fulfilling a Promise to Bring Them Home
Carlin’s story reflects broader efforts by the Department of Defense and its partners to identify and return persons missing from past conflicts. Using evolving technology and archives, these organizations continue working to ensure that even decades after a service member's disappearance, families receive answers and recognition. The careful and disciplined process that led to Carlin’s identification demonstrates the commitment behind that mission. For each newly identified individual, generations of descendants gain new understanding and closure. For the deceased, the effort affirms that their sacrifices have not been forgotten.
As preparations begin for the 2026 Arlington ceremony, the Carlin family and the military community reflect on what it means to finally bring this hero home. The passage of time has not diminished the significance of his sacrifice or the determination to honor it.
Legacy of Sacrifice Carries Forward
From the jungles of Burma to a marked gravesite in Arlington, Carlin’s journey tells a story of war, loss, and enduring remembrance. His identification is one more step in a larger mission to give names back to those lost to the fog of war.
1st Lt. Henry J. Carlin will now rest among fellow servicemembers at one of the nation's most sacred military cemeteries. His story serves as a testament to the men and women still unaccounted for and the ongoing promise to bring them home. The work of the DPAA and partner agencies continues worldwide, driven by commitment and aided by science. Every identification restores a chapter of history, reuniting families with heroes gone but not forgotten.
