Tennessee World War II pilot’s remains IDed, will be buried

NASHVILLE – Military officials say they’ve accounted for the remains of a Tennessee World War II pilot killed more than 70 years ago.

The Defence POW/MIA Accounting Agency says remains of Navy Reserve Ensign Harold P. DeMoss were accounted for in May and identified through “material and circumstantial evidence” after excavating his Hawaii crash site in 2016.

Officials say 21-year-old DeMoss flew with Fighting Squadron 100 from Naval Air Station Barbers Point for training alongside two aircraft early one morning in 1945. He descended through clouds and disappeared. Pilots later spotted burning wreckage.

Unidentifiable remains were later found and his plane’s wreckage was identified. His remains were declared unrecoverable four years later.

DeMoss’ remains will be returned to family and buried Sept. 15 with full military honours in his hometown of Nashville.