For the past 70 years, Gladys Terry has known that her brother, PFC James Chester Mohn, died in World War II. But there was always a question in her mind about how.
Now, years later, Mohn will be given the Final Farewell by Tacoma’s VFW Post 91.
According to Elmer Clark, the post was recently noticed by the Joint Prisoners of War/Missing in Action Accountability Command in Hawaii that Mohn, who had been listed as missing in action, was now confirmed as deceased.
Mohn, who was a 1939 graduate of Tacoma’s Lincoln High School, was drafted in the Army Air Corp just after high school. He was a radioman and flew on C47-A cargo transport planes. It was on June 6, 1943, when the plane he was aboard went missing over the Himalayan Mountains.
His family was officially notified within days that he was missing in action.
That was until this past November when parts of the plane were discovered in the mountains.
“It’s one of those things where the story got passed down of a plane crashing,” Clark said. “Eventually the locals told the story to U.S. officials who went looking and discovered the plane’s remnants.”
The engine and the data plate including the serial number of the plane were found and the government declared those aboard, including Mohn, as deceased.
According to Clark, there were not enough human remains to be recovered.
“There are no remains, so there can be no burial,” he said.
That’s why the post has planned a Final Farewell ceremony for Mohn at 2 p.m. Aug. 4 at 2000 S. Union Ave., in Tacoma.
The Lincoln High School ROTC will do a flag folding ceremony. The Washington Air Guard will perform the “last call” on the radio acknowledging that Mohn is now home, said Clark. And the Tribal Warriors will give a 21-gun salute.
On hand to see the tribute will be Mohn’s 91-year-old sister Gladys, from Fairbanks, Alaska, and many nieces and nephews.
“This is a huge honor for us,” said Clark. “To take part in something like this, for one of our own, who has been missing for so long.”