Remains of World War II soldier from New Jersey identified

Authorities have identified the remains of a World War II soldier from Essex County who was killed in Germany and buried in Belgium.

News 12 Staff

Nov 24, 2021, 12:56 AM

Updated 1,128 days ago

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Authorities have identified the remains of a World War II soldier from Essex County who was killed in Germany and buried in Belgium.
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency on Monday announced that scientists used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as DNA, to determine the remains were Army Sgt. Larry Wassil of Bloomfield.
Authorities say the 33-year-old was leading a three-man reconnaissance team scouting enemy positions during the Hürtgen Forest offensive, near Hürtgen, Germany, on Dec. 28, 1944, when they took enemy machine gun fire.
Wassil was missing and presumed dead. DNA analysis determined remains recovered in 1952 were Wassil.
He will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
The Associated Press wire services contributed to this report.