U.S. Army Air Forces Sergeant Irving R. Newman was just 22 when the plane he was in went down off the coast of Malta in the Mediterranean.
A World War II airman has finally been accounted for.
U.S. Army Air Forces Sergeant Irving R. Newman was just 22 when the plane he was in went down off the coast of Malta in the Mediterranean.
Timmy Gambin of the University Of Malta told CBS News, “Despite the pilot doing his best to land on Malta, he ended up ditching the plane on the sea of Marsaxlokk Bay. And out of the ten crew on board, 9 were rescued by the RAF rescue launch and one went down with the plane.”
He was the only person on board the bomber who didn’t survive the crash.
Maritime archeologists from the University of Malta used sonar technology to recreate the wreckage as a 3D model.
The remains were located in 2019 and matched a sample of mitochondrial DNA that confirmed Newman’s identity.
It was a years-long effort, but researchers say they were happy to help.
“This humility and honor drove every single one of us to go beyond the call of duty, to do our best to get this boy home. And it must be one of the most satisfying things that the team has done to date,” Gambin added.
