Military authorities announced on Wednesday that they have identified a World War II aviator who was captured by Japanese troops and perished in a prison blaze following his aircraft being downed.
In March 1945, U.S. Army Air Forces Corporal Glenn H. Hodak, who was 23 years old at the time, served as part of the 93rd Bombardment Squadron within the 19th Bombardment Group. This information comes from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. stated in a press release Hodak, who hailed from Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania, served as a gunner on a B-29 "Superfortress." This type of aircraft featured numerous machine guns, could carry more than 20,000 pounds of bombs, and was particularly well-suited for missions flying from airbases in China to Japan during World War II. as per the National Museum of the United States Air Force .
Hodak's aircraft was brought down during a mission over Tokyo. Initially, he was listed as missing in action, according to the DPAA, but further investigation revealed that he had actually been apprehended following the crash of his plane. He was then transferred to the Tokyo Military Prison.
In late May 1945, U.S. planes extensively bombarded Tokyo, resulting in massive blazes and destroying numerous buildings. according to Military.com One of the demolished structures was the Tokyo Military Prison. Hodak was one of the servicemen detained there when it happened. According to Military.com, none of the individuals incarcerated at the site made it out alive as they perished in the fire. All those who died were interred in a common burial ground.
In early 1946, following the conclusion of World War II, the American Graves Registration Service exhumed 65 sets of remains from the prison. They managed to identify 25 of these individuals, including one who was identified as being Japanese according to the DPAA report. The remaining 39 unidentifiable sets of remains were subsequently buried as unknown soldiers at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial located in the Philippines.
In 2022, the remains were exhumed once more and transferred to the DPAA laboratory for examination. The DPAA initiated the Tokyo Prison Fire Project in 2024. On a social media platform The agency stated that the project "encounters significant forensic hurdles because of the charred and fragmented state of the remains along with severe mixing."
To identify Hodak's remains DPAA researchers employed dental and anthropological examinations along with indirect clues for identification purposes, according to the agency. They added that DNA sequencing techniques have additionally been utilized to recognize servicemen who perished at the facility, as stated by DPAA on social media platforms.
"The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency recently achieved success with their efforts to account for Americans involved in the Tokyo Prison Fire. So far, they have identified two service members as part of this initiative," the agency informed CBS News.
The remaining family members of Hodak have been notified that his remains have been identified, according to the DPAA. His burial will take place in Spring Creek, Pennsylvania, in May.