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The United States Department of Defense Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Personnel Accounting Agency (DPAA) is carrying out recovery missions in Papua New Guinea from July 12 to September 2025. The operation aims to locate and recover the remains of approximately 3,300 American service members still missing in PNG from World War II.

According to DPAA, the agency and its predecessors have been working in Papua New Guinea since 1978, collaborating with the U.S. Embassy, the National Museum and Art Gallery (NMAG), the PNG Defence Force, and provincial and village leaders in Madang, Morobe, East New Britain, and Oro. These partnerships have been essential to the ongoing search and recovery efforts.

Mission lead Capt Cole Euverard expressed gratitude for PNG’s cooperation, stating that each mission brings the agency closer to accounting for America’s missing heroes. He said the work would not be possible without the support of the U.S. Embassy, NMAG, PNGDF, and local leadership at provincial and community levels.

The DPAA emphasised that its work is both humanitarian and historical, aiming to return the remains of missing personnel to their families. The agency said that such missions not only provide closure to relatives but also strengthen the enduring partnership between the United States and Papua New Guinea.

PNG’s unique role in the Pacific theatre during World War II has made it a significant location for U.S. recovery missions. Many of the missing personnel were involved in major battles and operations across the country’s islands and coastal regions. The DPAA’s operations focus on areas identified through archival research, witness accounts, and historical mapping.

The agency operates globally, committed to the fullest possible accounting of missing U.S. service members. This includes extensive field investigations, recovery operations, and forensic analysis to identify remains before they are returned to their families.

Capt Euverard reiterated the importance of the mission, describing it as a duty to honour those who served. “Without the continued support of Papua New Guinea, we could not bring our grandfathers, fathers, and uncles home,” he said.

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