WORLD WAR II-ERA AIRMAN IDENTIFIED
March 9, 2006

HICKAM AFB, HAWAII – Following today’s official notification of next-of-kin, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command confirms the identity of a U.S. World War II Aviation cadet found last October in the Kings Canyon National Park, Calif.

In October 2005, hikers in Kings Canyon National Park reported finding what appeared to be human remains. Park personnel excavated and transferred the remains to the Fresno County Coroner. The remains were then transferred to JPAC for identification.

The remains of a World War II Soldier recovered from a California glacier in October 2005 have been identified as Army Air Forces Cadet Leo Mustonen, 22, of Brainerd, Minn. The above image is Cadet Mustonen's name badge before (top image) and after analysis (bottom image) using a video spectral comparator, a device that shines light of different wavelengths onto an object to bring out otherwise hidden or obscured information. Using the device, JPAC scientists identified several characters of Mustonen's last name. This evidence helped to establish the identity of Mustonen.

JPAC identified the unknown man as Leo Mustonen, an Army Air Forces cadet who died in a 1942 flight mission while traveling over the national park.

U.S. Army officials briefed the Mustonen family today in Jacksonville, Florida. Funeral arrangements are pending at this time.

To identify the cadet, JPAC scientists used a biological profile, historical evidence, material evidence and DNA sampling.

JPAC Analyst Aaron Lehl is the author of the Mustonen historical analytical report. Lehl said one challenging aspect in this particular case was trying to answer the question:  ‘Why was the aircraft so far east?’  
The aircraft was located approximately 120 miles east of where it should have been according to the original flight plan.
“The records were clear that the plane went missing with four crewmen aboard, that hikers found the site several years later, and that a search team recovered remains from the site later identified as representing the group remains of all four airmen aboard,” Lehl explained.  

“The historical record provides no information suggesting possible reasons the aircraft was so far east.  Material evidence recovered from the crash site, however, indicates without a doubt that it crashed there. Why it was in the area remains an unknown,” Lehl said.

Material evidence included a corroded name badge. With forensic techniques, scientist illuminated several letters that indicated the name was Mustonen.

Though the badge evidence surfaced early in the case, it remained circumstantial evidence until JPAC scientists had additional facts linking the remains to Mustonen. A U.S. Army Air Forces collar insignia was also among the collection of material evidence. The insignia was unique to pins worn by officers and cadets in the U.S. Army Air Forces.

JPAC forensic anthropologist Paul Emanovsky deployed to California to help recover the remains.

“I was very pleased to see that a portion of the name had been preserved on the name badge. The badge was very corroded and that information could easily have been lost. While by itself the badge is not definitive proof of the individual’s identity, it is one more piece of the puzzle that can be put together to form the overall identification packet,” he said.

At first glance some of the items found with this individual may seem to be of little identification value, such as coins and a fountain pen found with Mustonen, Emanovsky said.

“However, in actuality these are very important for providing contextual information,” Emanovsky said, “and in some cases even seemingly mundane items yield a lot of personal information about the decedent. It is very rewarding to know that I helped return these items to his family members after so many years. My guess is that these items will hold a great deal of sentimental value for them.”

While historical and material evidence helped link the cadet to the plane and crash site, one last piece of evidence was needed for a conclusive identification.

This evidence came in the form of mitochondrial DNA, a type of DNA passed through the maternal line. Surviving relatives representing three of the four crewmembers provided suitable DNA samples. The DNA from the cadet did not match the comparison samples, consequently leaving only one possible individual: Leo A. Mustonen.

The partially exposed remains of a missing U.S. Servicemember found on Mendel Glacier, Kings Canyon National Park in central California. Photo courtesy of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 
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JPAC personnel prepare to carry the remains of Cadet Mustonen to the Central Identification Laboratory upon arrival in Hawaii from California.
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Dr. Bob Mann, JPAC Central Identification Laboratory Deputy Scientific Director, begins the identification of the remains. 
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Army Air Corps insignia found on Cadet Mustonen's uniform. 
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