U.S. Navy divers assigned to Mobile Diving Salvage Unit (MDSU) 2 and civilian members from Military Sealift Command rescue and salvage ship USNS Grasp (T-ARS 51) began operations Sept. 23 in support of a Defense Personnel Accounting Agency (DPAA) mission off the coast of Montalto di Castro, Italy.

The DPAA mission is designed to recover the remains of U.S. Airmen who have been missing in action (MIA) since their B-24 bomber aircraft were shot down by enemy aircraft March 3, 1944.

Quote:

"DPAA strives to give our POW (prisoners of war)/MIA families what solace and answers we can by providing information about their loved ones' service and ultimately their sacrifice, and we are determined to do whatever we can to bring these unaccounted-for Americans home." - U.S. Army Capt. Troy Davidson, DPAA Underwater Recovery Team Leader

Quick Facts:

The DPAA works to provide the fullest possible accounting for our mission personnel to their families and the nation.

U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied, joint, and interagency partners in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet, visit http://www.navy.mil/.