World War II POW/MIA from Pennsylvania identified after 80 years
WASHINGTON (WTAJ) — A Pennsylvania man who was killed in a Tokyo prison fire during World War II was identified and accounted for nearly 80 years after his death.
U.S. Army Air Forces Cpl. Glenn H. Hodak of Cambridge Springs was only 23 years old when he was captured and died in the prison fire May 26, 1945, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced.
While Hodak was accounted for Sept. 25, 2024, it wasn't until recently that his family was fully briefed, allowing more details about his service to be released.
In March 1945, Hodak was a member of the 93rd Bombardment Squadron, 19th Bombardment Group, when the B-29 'Superfortress' he was a gunner on was shot down on a mission to Tokyo. The agency said that Hodak was initially reported MIA (Missing In Action), and it was later learned he was captured as a POW (Prisoner Of War).
Central Pennsylvania WW II Lt. accounted for nearly 80 years later
Sadly, Hodak's remains were not immediately recovered nor identified after the war.
American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) personnel searched for and disinterred the remains of U.S. servicemen throughout the Pacific Theater. AGRS anticipated the recovery of 62 service members in early 1946. Hodak, and 38 others, however, were unable to be identified and ultimately entered as unknowns in the Manilla American Cemetery and Memorial, in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.
The Agency reports that in March and April 2022, those 39 Unknowns were sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.
Using dental and anthropological analysis along with circumstantial evidence, the Agency was able to identify Hodak's remains.Hodak's remains will be returned to Pennsylvania and buried in Spring Creek in May.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
History takes flight over Stratford
STRATFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — History flew into Stratford on Saturday as a series of WWII warplanes were displayed as a part of 'Warbird Weekend' hosted by the Connecticut Air and Space Center. Included in the group was the largest single-engine bomber flown in the war. World War II veterans honored by CT lawmakers Attendees were able to take part in a daring flight of the historic planes. 'You can purchase a ride in this. It's an excellence experience,' said Len Roberto from the Connecticut Air and Space Center. 'This was used to train pilots during WWII and many still fly today. So you can fly in one of these.' The event will continue on Sunday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
WWII Memorial honors 'heroes walking among us'
ASHLAND To mark the 81st anniversary of the largest amphibious invasion in the history of warfare, hundreds of attendees gathered to witness the unveiling of a monument honoring the thousands of Boyd Countians who served in WWII. Though the skies above were overcast, the rain held off for Friday's ceremony, painting a symbolic nod to D-Day's Operation Overlord where Allied forces began the eventual liberation of Western Europe upon the beaches of France, despite the loss of more than 4,000 allied soldiers. The anniversary of the Normandy invasion is often recognized as the 'beginning of the end,' of the atrocities committed overseas during WWII and invoke remembrance of those brave fathers, brothers and sons at least once a year. However, with the instillation of eight panels depicting the thousands of local names who witnessed the cost of the conflict firsthand, local organizers have ensured their sacrifices will be remembered in Boyd County beyond a calendar date. Members of Ashland Paul G. Blazer High School's JROTC marked the beginning of the ceremony by raising the flags of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard. JROTC member Rilee Layman Bohanon was among them, raising a flag mere steps away from the panel that would reveal the name of his great grandfather. 'This stands not only as a tribute, but also as what a community can do together,' Stephen Harris, president elect of Ashland Rotary Club, said. Harris said when he attended a Rotary meeting welcoming its newest members 10 years ago, project spearhead Cheryl Spriggs was organizing the eventual construction of the memorial wall, even before securing a location, design or financial support. As Spriggs's plans continued throughout her term as Ashland City Commissioner, former Ashland Mayor Matt Perkins said the piece of property at the intersection of 17th Street and Carter Avenue was eventually secured. 'This piece of property represents grit and determination,' Perkins said, explaining a list of WWII veterans used to be displayed at the local post office but was eventually removed, sparking Spriggs and community members' commitment to restore a tribute to the greatest generation. Current Ashland Mayor Chuck Charles said the wall ensures recognition of 'the human cost of conflict ... serv(ing) as a tangible way to see the impact of war.' Charles said the wall allows the community to remember, reflect and respect. For Spriggs's determination, Charles presented the former commissioner with a key to the city. Spriggs said it has been 10 years since she brought the idea to her fellow Rotarians and she has spent the last 7 years working alongside numerous community members and organizations to gather every name deployed from Ashland or Boyd County for their spot on the wall, secure financial donations and collaborated with Kim Jenkins, Highlands Museum & Discovery Center director, and VisitAKY's Brandy Clark on the overall design of the panels and site layout. Spriggs said Clark was the brain child behind fitting more than 6,000 names on the four panels, both sides depicting iconic WWII imagery from a distance. 'Virtually everybody in this town was touched by WWII,' Spriggs said, sharing the story of Griffith Street — roughly the size of two blocks — from where 30 men were drafted. Spriggs also recognized the Henderson family, who sent all four sons overseas and would go years without knowing their location or if they were still alive. Spriggs said though D-Day was not the end of the war, eventually thousands of servicemen would return from the Pacific, Europe, Africa and beyond, back home to Boyd County. 'There were heroes walking among us everywhere,' Spriggs said, recognizing that some families were not so lucky, as hundreds of local men were killed in action, taken prisoner or are described only as missing in action, each of them now bare a golden star alongside their name on the wall. As the population of WWII Veterans continues to dwindle, community members on Friday hope the monument in the heart of Ashland will serve as a reminder of those that sacrificed for a future they would never see.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Reporter's Notebook: Remembering courage on the 81st anniversary of D-Day
I've covered many anniversaries of D-Day, and they never lose their power to move. We were at the 81st anniversary at the stunning American cemetery in Normandy near Omaha Beach on Friday. American and other allied forces landed on that and other beaches, as well as parachuting from the skies, to go on to defeat Nazi Germany in World War II. World War Ii Veterans Travel To Normandy For Emotional D-day Commemoration Some 75,000 U.S. troops were involved. 2,500 were killed. 5,000 injured. Just on that day itself. One of those who made it across Omaha Beach is the still-very spry 102-year-old Minnesota-born Jake Larson. He declared to us jubilantly, "Not only did I make it through six battles … I made it without a scratch! Somebody 'upstairs' loves me." World War Ii Veterans Travel To Normandy For Emotional D-day Commemoration Read On The Fox News App Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke at the ceremony marking the day and met with the dwindling number of World War II veterans. He told us that alliances were important on D-Day and still could be important in these troubled times. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Reveals Why Military Recruitment Has Soared Under Trump " America first' hasn't meant and doesn't mean 'America alone,'" he added. "Working with our allies and partners, there's a lot we can accomplish now with gathering threats in the world." Still, some of those who saw action in Normandy and around the globe in World War II are not sure the message has gotten through. Two centenarian combat veterans and native New Yorkers, brought to France by the Greatest Generations Foundation, have their own thoughts. Flushing-born Ray Sweeney asked rhetorically, "What did we learn? I don't think we learned much. We gave up a lot of bodies. We had a lot of bodies." And Brooklyn-born Harold Radish noted, "War is heroic in the movies. But in real life, it's killing. It's not getting along with somebody." Still, the crowds who came Friday to the now-peaceful French beaches were steady and large. A strong sign that sacrifices have been remembered. And maybe some lessons article source: Reporter's Notebook: Remembering courage on the 81st anniversary of D-Day
