MIDDLETOWN, Conn. — This Memorial Day is extra special for one local family that now has closure 80 years after an airman's death in World War II.
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced recently that U.S. Army Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kenneth J. McKeeman, 23, who was born and grew up in Waterbury and killed during World War II, was accounted for Sept. 18, 2023. He will be buried at the State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown next month.
“He died eight years before I was even born, a couple of cousins who were infants when he was born, but we certainly didn’t know anything about him until this whole process unfolded," said Kenneth's nephew, Michael McKeeman. “I received a call; I was at a family gathering; it was out of the blue, from the military, and at first, I thought it was a scam.”
The call was not a scam, and now, Sgt. McKeeman's family has a full story to go with his pictures.
“He grew up in the depression and then entered a war as a young guy. Just an understanding of the resilience of our family," said Michael.
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Sgt. McKeeman died March 11, 1944, at 23 years old, when the B-24 bomber he was on was hit with fire over France's Mediterranean Coast and crashed into the sea. All 11 crew members were killed. German forces recovered several sets of remains, but Kenneth's would sit unidentified for decades in a cemetery in France.
“He left behind a 19-year-old widow," said Michael. “Early 50s, the military determined our uncle’s remains were non-recoverable.”
In June 2019, DPAA historians and American Battle Monuments Commission personnel exhumed Kenneth's remains from Rhône American Cemetery in France and transferred them to the DPAA Laboratory for analysis, where it was later determined the remains belonged to McKeeman.
To identify McKeeman’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
“The real tragedy of all this besides his death was the folks that raised our uncle, his aunt and uncles, his parents died early, his aunt, uncles, sibling and cousins they have all since passed thinking his remains would never be found.”
Michael and his cousins worked with scientists from the military to help with the identification.
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“They said, 'Would you be willing to give DNA for identification purposes? I said, 'Of course,'" said Michael.
His contribution was one piece of the ID puzzle the military put together. All the findings were compiled in a report of the process provided to the family, which included pictures of Sgt. McKeeman's remains and some of the forensic analysis.
“We met with the military, explained everything, they were absolutely fabulous and it wasn’t a cold handoff and we really appreciated that. You could tell they were really invested in this process, and it was greatly appreciated," said Michael.
Sgt. McKeeman's family will now get to write the final page, laying him to rest with full military honors at the State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown on June 7, his birthday.
“I think we’re sitting here today because of the advances made in DNA in identifying remains, so hopefully, this happy ending, if you can call it happy, will be repeated many times over," said Michael.
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Sgt. McKeeman's name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at Rhône American Cemetery, France, along with others still missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family and funeral information, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website or find them on social media.
McKeeman’s personnel profile can be viewed here.
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Angelo Bavaro is an anchor and reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at abavaro@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook and X.
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