2nd Lt. Francis Callahan
The remains of U.S. Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Francis E. Callahan, a Soldier killed during World War II will be interred Feb. 24 in Arlington National Cemetery. Graveside services will be performed by Everly-Wheatley Funerals and Cremation, Alexandria, Virginia, preceding the interment.
A native of Staten Island, New York, Callahan was a navigator assigned to the 732nd Bombardment Squadron, 453rd Bombardment Group, 2nd Combat Bomb Wing, 2nd Air Division, 8th Air Force in the European Theater. He was killed in action April 8, 1944, at age 22, after the B-24H “Liberator” he was aboard, was shot down by enemy fighter aircraft fire, while on a bombing mission to Brunswick, Germany.
Callahan was accounted for by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency June 20, 2024, after his remains were recovered from the crash site between 2021 and 2023 for laboratory analysis and identification.
The Past Conflict Repatriations Branch, under the Army Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operations Division at U.S. Army Human Resources Command, Fort Knox, Kentucky, plays a key role in the process of locating Family members of missing Soldiers from World War II, the Korean and Vietnam wars.
The process begins with locating the Family member most closely related to the missing Soldier, known as the primary next of kin, followed by a request for Family reference samples or DNA, which are used as a main source in identifying remains.
Once a Soldier has been identified by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner, the PCRB notifies and briefs the Family about the results of historical, forensic and DNA reports, benefits and the mortuary process including burial with full military honors.
For additional information about 2nd Lt. Callahan, go to: https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/ID-Announcements/Article/3855122/airman-accounted-for-from-wwii-callahan-f/
Media interested in covering the funeral/interment, and/or obtaining more information, should contact the Army Casualty Office at 800-892-2490 or Everly-Wheatley Funerals and Cremation, 703-998-9200
