Honoring the Fallen: Southern Miss鈥檚 Dale Center Partners with DPAA in the Search for America鈥檚 Missing Heroes
Thu, 05/22/2025 - 01:36pm | By: DPAA Staff
As the nation observes Memorial Day, it pauses to remember and honor the service members who made the ultimate sacrifice for the country. For the Dale Center for the Study of War & Society at the University of 91暗网黑料, it is also a moment to recognize the responsibility and privilege of supporting the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency鈥檚 (DPAA) sacred mission to account for Americans still missing from past conflicts and bring answers to the families of the fallen.
Through its partnership with DPAA, Southern Miss鈥檚 Dale Center supports meaningful, real-world research in areas like forensic history, archival research, and military genealogy. A postdoctoral DPAA Research Partner Fellow is embedded at the university, spending their time digging into old maps, records, and reports to lay the research foundation that supports a wide range of DPAA operations, from initial case development to field mission planning.
鈥淢ost people don鈥檛 realize that there are still more than 80,000 American soldiers, sailors, and Marines who remain officially unaccounted-for,鈥� said Dr. Andrew Pace, the current DPAA Fellow in the Dale Center for the Study of War & Society at Southern Miss. 鈥淚t is a fascinating and challenging responsibility to partner with DPAA to investigate the cases of those missing in action. It also feels incredibly rewarding to apply my expertise in diplomatic and military history and cutting-edge research skills to find out what happened to these service members, and to bring peace and closure to their families.鈥�
Over the past nine years, Southern Miss has played a key role in researching American air, land, and sea losses from World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. These efforts not only advance the university鈥檚 academic mission but also contribute to the profound national commitment to honoring those who never returned home.
In the last year, Dr. Pace has investigated the circumstances of death for service members in the Pacific War and written summaries for each unresolved case for family members and government officials. He has also made two archival research trips to the University of Memphis, where he examined and scanned records related to missing bomber crews in the Pacific.
鈥淭he Dale Center鈥檚 partnership with the DPAA over the years adds another dimension to the valuable scholarship and teaching of the Center鈥檚 faculty members and graduate students,鈥� said Dr. Kyle F. Zelner, the Director of the Dale Center and Associate Professor of History. 鈥淲hile the Dale Center鈥檚 traditional mission of training students and engaging in pioneering research in military history is of the utmost import, the chance to contribute to the DPAA鈥檚 mission to discover what happened to our country鈥檚 missing service members and offer some answers to their families and communities is equally significant. In addition, having a DPAA Research Fellow like Dr. Pace stationed in the Center is important for our graduate students, as the fellow acts as a living example of the different types of professional positions that are available for newly trained historians today.鈥�
As the nation reflects on Memorial Day, the Dale Center at Southern Miss proudly reaffirms its commitment to this important work. Through continued collaboration and historical inquiry, the university remains dedicated to ensuring that no hero is forgotten and every family receives the answers they deserve.
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