Missing Military & Veterans
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The military has a decades-long problem with too-quickly classifying missing persons as AWOL/deserters -- which sometimes impedes missing persons reporting and investigations by local civilian police -- only for the person to be revealed later as the victim of a crime (see examples at bottom of this page.*) Such events in Fort Hood in Texas during 2020 prompted the Army to update its missing persons processes. “When one of our teammates does not report for duty, we will change their duty status to ‘absent-unknown’ and take immediate action to find them,” said the Secretary of the Army in December 2020. No longer will soldiers missing in mysterious circumstances automatically be classified as AWOL ("Absent Without Leave). Read more here. To be sure, many missing service members did desert -- check out this recent case of a soldier who disappeared for decades,
Here are some military missing persons cases we're following; click on their photos for more information. See declassified files on US Army defectors to North Korea at our sister site, DMZ War. The $44 million Question About This Missing Air Force Officer: Was Edward Sirio Consuegra a Victim or Deserter?
"Ed Consuegra was last seen at his Montgomery, AL apartment on December 3, 1992. He left his Gunter Annex office, drove home for lunch and never returned. None of his possessions were missing, and his accounts have not been touched...Last seen wearing blue Air force uniform." Read more. "Shortly before his disappearance, he told family members that he had come across a $44 million discrepancy in one of the contracts he was processing. It isn't clear whether this was related to his case." See additional info here.
Marine Richard Arena "is currently listed as a Deserter from the United States Marine Corps after not reporting for duty on 15 Jan 17 at Camp Pendleton, CA. Information was developed indicating Arena did not enter into a Deserter status voluntarily."
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Resources: Missing Persons List + Search Missing Persons by State + Unidentified Remains
NAMUS: Federal government database for missing, unidentified and unclaimed people. The “official source” used by law enforcement. Allows you to track cases. https://www.namus.gov/ Charley Project: Missing persons database with good detail on cases. https://charleyproject.org/ Doe Network: Current missing persons cases and unidentified remains. Includes international cases. http://www.doenetwork.org Missing Veterans: Detailed profiles of missing veterans. http://www.missingveterans.com |
Harvey Whitacre Was Apparently Murdered Off-base; At Some Point the Army Seemed to Give Up on Him
In November 2020, the Army's Criminal Investigation Command, known as the CID, told us it probably did not have records on this case and may never have had any. "Harvey Eugene 'Gene' Whitacre went into a bowling alley in Albuquerque, NM on the night of 06/30/1947. He was treasurer of his bowling league and was carrying about $400 in cash on him. He did not return to the Sandia Base as of roll-call the next day, 07/01/1947. His broken glasses, necktie, army cap, and shirt with slash marks were found in a side street near the bowling alley. He has never been found. The FBI and the Defense Department spent much time and effort questioning family members, wire tapping their phones, and intercepting mail in the hopes that Gene would contact one of them but that did not happen. He was possibly privy to some sensitive information due to his job in the army at the base. His rank was corporal," reports NAMUS, the federal missing and unidentified database. See more here.
He Told His Mom His Dad Was Taking Him to the Airport and His Dad That His Mom Was Taking Him.
Did sailor Alan Lee Morse Run Away in 1989 or Fall Victim to Another Fate?
Did sailor Alan Lee Morse Run Away in 1989 or Fall Victim to Another Fate?
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"Early efforts to list Alan as missing met with reluctance since there was no apparent evidence of foul play. Alan's disappearance and subsequent lack of contact with family is completely out of character for Alan in that he enjoyed an unusually close relationship with other family members. A missing person report was taken in 2007. The Navy has advised Alan's family that they will not prosecute Alan for being AWOL." Learn more here.
One Moment Raymond Lee Hunley, 19, Was Playing Ball at His Indiana National Guard Armory, the Next He Had Disappeared
and Remained Missing Since 1982
and Remained Missing Since 1982
"Raymond was last seen playing ball at the Army National Guard Armory in Portland. His car was found running with his new clothes still inside." More details here.
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Missing Military Wrongly Listed as AWOL/Deserters
*Hero Marine Listed As Deserter; Turned Out He'd Been Stabbed to Death
“'For 44 years, Cpl. Robert Daniel Corriveau, USMC, was reported as missing and was looked upon as being a deserter – a disgraceful title for one who fought for his country, was wounded three times, received three Purple Hearts, two Bronze Stars, the Gallantry Medal, Vietnam Service Award and other citations,' (his sister) Cleary said in a telephone interview last week." Read the story.
*Navy Officer Accused of Deserting After Looting Safe on His Ship; Had Actually Been Murdered And Hidden Aboard