P188 – DNA Identification of Unknown Remains from the Battle of Hürtgen Forest

10:49

Thursday August 20^th

Station 06

Duration: 12 minutes

03. Human identification

Chelsea Timmerman

The Battle of Hürtgen Forest in Germany was one of the longest battles in U.S. Army history, spanning from September 1944 to February 1945, and involving more than 120,000 U.S. soldiers. An estimated 33,000 U.S. soldiers were killed, wounded, or captured during the battle. Remains collected by graves registration personnel during the battle were sent to cemeteries in Belgium, the Netherlands and France, but hundreds of remains stayed on the battlefield. From 1946 to 1950, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC) began recovery efforts; however, over 200 missing service members were deemed non-recoverable. In 2014 the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) began disinterment of unidentified remains, conducting field investigations, and gathering DNA reference samples from family members. To date, over 200 service members remain unidentified from Hürtgen Forest and over 800 osseous samples are in stages of DNA analysis.

DNA identification of unidentified remains uses a wide range of DNA testing methods which are dependent on the quality of the remains and available family references for the unidentified service members. Initial testing of Sanger sequencing and Next Generation Sequencing (NGS/MPS) methods are used for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis, but are limited to comparison of maternal relatives only, and is not unique to an individual. Of samples processed from Hürtgen Forest, over 60 samples share the same HVI/HVII sequence. Whole mitogenome sequencing further separated these samples into six unique sequences. MtDNA testing can be paired with autosomal-short tandem repeat (auSTR) analysis for comparison to immediate family members, and Y-short tandem repeat (Y-STR) analysis for comparison to male, paternal relatives. auSTR and Y-STR testing further segregated these 60 samples into at least nine individuals. Single nucleotide polymorphism testing allows for kinship comparison up to fourth-degree relationship, greatly expanding viable references for comparison. Utilizing multiple methods, common sequences can be differentiated to aid in identification of these missing servicemembers through comparison to family reference samples. In addition, multiple DNA testing methods can divide collections of remains into distinct groups that may be identified through anthropology, should family references not be available.

Disclaimer: The opinions or assertations presented hereafter are the private views of the speaker(s) and should not be construed as official or as reflecting the views of the Department of Defense, its branches, the Defense Health Agency, the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System, or the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.

Authors

Chelsea Timmerman (Armed Forces Medical Examiner System, United States of America)
Suzanne Barritt-Ross (Armed Forces Medical Examiner System, United States of America)
Traci Van Deest (Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, United States of America)
Jessica Yopak (Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, United States of America)

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P188 – DNA Identification of Unknown Remains from the Battle of Hürtgen Forest

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