Missing World War II sailor identified after decades of uncertainty
- The remains of U.S. Navy Reserve Ensign Eugene E. Mandeberg were positively identified after extensive analysis, marking an important development in military history.
- Eugene E. Mandeberg, who was part of Fighting Squadron 88, went missing when his plane was lost in action on August 15, 1945, during a mission over Tokyo.
- His identification, confirmed in 2019, brings closure to his family after nearly 80 years of uncertainty about his fate.
On March 20, 1946, the remains of an unknown American servicemember were retrieved from a temple in Yokohama, Japan, believed to be linked to U.S. Navy Reserve Ensign Eugene E. Mandeberg. He was reported missing in action after his formation engaged with enemy aircraft over Tokyo on August 15, 1945, the day World War II officially ended. The formation, part of Fighting Squadron 88 aboard the USS Yorktown, suffered significant losses, with four out of six aircraft failing to return. Mandeberg, who enlisted in 1941 and first went overseas in February 1944, was presumed dead while his family hoped he had survived and was on a Pacific island. The retrieved remains, designated X-341 Yokohama #1, could not be identified at the time, leading to their burial as a