WWII Airman Sgt. Jack H. Hohlfeld Identified After Decades

Undated photo of U.S. Army Air Forces Sgt. Jack H. Hohlfeld.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) has announced that U.S. Army Air Forces Sgt. Jack H. Hohlfeld, 29, of Trempealeau, Wisconsin, who was captured and died as a prisoner of war during World War II, was officially accounted for on May 29, 2024.

Sgt. Hohlfeld served as a member of Headquarters Squadron, 24th Pursuit Group, during the tumultuous period when Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands in December 1941. The intense fighting that ensued led to the eventual surrender of the Bataan peninsula on April 9, 1942, followed by Corregidor Island on May 6, 1942. The capture of thousands of U.S. and Filipino service members marked a grim period in history.

Among those captured was Sgt. Hohlfeld, who, along with his comrades, endured the harrowing 65-mile Bataan Death March. He was subsequently held at the infamous Cabanatuan POW Camp #1, where over 2,500 prisoners perished during the war. According to historical records, Sgt. Hohlfeld died on December 26, 1942, and was buried in Common Grave 811 at the camp cemetery.

Published local articles concerning Sgt. Jack H. Hohlfeld's capture and death.

Following the war, the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) undertook the monumental task of exhuming and relocating the remains buried at Cabanatuan. In 1947, efforts to identify these remains led to the identification of three individuals from Common Grave 811, while three sets remained unidentified and were interred as Unknowns at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial (MACM).

In 2018, the DPAA's Cabanatuan Project revisited these unidentified remains, exhuming them for thorough analysis. Through meticulous dental and anthropological analysis, alongside mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis conducted by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System, Sgt. Hohlfeld's remains were conclusively identified.

Although interred as an Unknown for over 70 years, Sgt. Hohlfeld’s grave was meticulously maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC). His name is etched on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines. A rosette will now be placed next to his name to signify that he has been accounted for, a poignant symbol of recognition and honor.

Plans are underway to bring Sgt. Hohlfeld home. He will be buried in La Crosse, Wisconsin, on a date yet to be determined. This homecoming will serve as a solemn reminder of his bravery, sacrifice, and the enduring spirit of those who fought for freedom.

The identification and repatriation of Sgt. Hohlfeld's remains not only honor his memory but also reflect the tireless efforts of the DPAA and the ABMC in ensuring that no fallen hero is forgotten. As we remember Sgt. Jack H. Hohlfeld, we pay tribute to all who have served and sacrificed, and we remain committed to honoring their legacy.

Undated photo of Sgt. Jack H. Hohlfeld with fellow service members. Location unknown.