The United States Department of Defence Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Personnel Accounting Agency (DPAA) has commenced recovery missions across Papua New Guinea, operating from July 12 to September 2025.
DPAA and its predecessors have been active in PNG since 1978, working to locate and return about 3,300 Americans who went missing in the country during World War II. The agency has built strong ties with PNG, with advance teams holding meetings with the U.S. Embassy, the National Museum and Art Gallery (NMAG), the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF), and provincial and village leaders in Madang, Morobe, East New Britain, and Oro provinces.
Mission lead Captain Cole Euverard expressed appreciation for PNG’s ongoing cooperation, saying each mission brought them closer to accounting for America’s fallen heroes and returning them to their families for burial. He acknowledged the vital support of the U.S. Embassy, NMAG, PNGDF, and local leaders in making these recoveries possible.
The DPAA’s mandate is to provide the fullest possible accounting of missing U.S. personnel from past wars and conflicts. Its investigation and recovery teams operate globally, working to ensure that those who served are finally brought home.
