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Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Srsti Purcell
One of the most memorable parts of our forensic science trip to Washington D.C. was the visit to Arlington National Cemetery. What was most touching was the part of the visit was the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Originally dedicated to the soldiers who died namelessly in Vietnam, the tomb contains the remains of four unidentified soldiers. Forensic science has happily given an identity to one of these men.
In March 1992, Vietnamese officials turned over the remains found at a highway crash site to the United States government. Among these remains were the bones and dog tags, one belonging to Howard Phil Purcell. The government was determined to find out if Purcell was one of those killed in that crash, if his dog tags was a red herring.
DNA is present in both the nucleus of the cell and in the mitochondria. Nuclear DNA decays soon after the death and is thus useless in most forensic investigations. On the other hand, mitochondrial DNA can survive many years after death. It is passed from mother to child. Samples were taken from the bones of Purcell’s mother, Helen, and his sister, Rae. The mitochondrial DNA from a leg bone, arm bone, jaw bone and hip bone were found to match that of his mother’s and sister’s. His remains were shipped home to his family in Ohio and were buried next to his father.
Although the remains of Phil Purcell are now known, the monument to the men who died for our
country still shows that the people of this country think of them. We will do everything within the power of modern science to honor their memories and give their families the peace of mind that come with the final knowledge that they are found.
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