Lead: The U.S. military will exhume the remains of 88 sailors and Marines from the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu who were buried as unknowns after the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) says disinterments are scheduled to begin in November or December, using modern DNA methods to compare recovered material with family reference samples. The project follows earlier DNA identification efforts that have successfully named hundreds of service members from ships such as the USS Oklahoma and USS West Virginia. Officials say only cemetery interments will be exhumed; remains still entombed within the sunken USS Arizona will remain in place.
Key Takeaways
- DPAA announced plans to exume 88 cemetery interments linked to USS Arizona victims, with work expected to start in November or December 2026.
- The agency intends to remove about eight sets of remains every two to three weeks and analyze DNA against family-provided samples.
- The USS Arizona carried 1,177 fatalities on Dec. 7, 1941; more than 900 of those are entombed inside the ship and will not be disturbed.
- DPAA and partner laboratories will process samples at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam and send DNA to the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory in Dover, Delaware.
- Family-led efforts, notably Operation 85, helped locate relatives and collect DNA: 626 family members have submitted samples—about just under 60% of crew members still listed as missing.
- DPAA previously resisted exhumations, citing limited medical/dental records and a low proportion of available relatives’ DNA as of 2021 (about 1%).
- Similar DNA programs over the past decade have identified hundreds of service members from other Pearl Harbor-era wrecks and burials.
Background
The December 7, 1941, Japanese air attack on Pearl Harbor sank, capsized, or damaged dozens of U.S. ships and produced nearly 2,400 U.S. military deaths. The battleship USS Arizona suffered catastrophic damage and sank within minutes; 1,177 sailors and Marines perished, making it the single deadliest ship loss that day. After the war and in subsequent decades, some remains recovered from the Arizona were interred in Honolulu cemeteries as unknowns because identification techniques of the time could not establish identity.
In the 21st century, forensic DNA analysis has improved materially, allowing agencies to reexamine long-cold cases and mass-casualty identifications. DPAA has conducted periodic projects to apply these techniques to Pearl Harbor unknowns and to remains from other WWII naval losses. Families, veteran groups and volunteer networks have sought to locate descendants and secure reference samples to improve chances of matches.
Main Event
DPAA director Kelly McKeague announced the planned disinterments in a public release, saying work would begin in November or December and proceed in batches of roughly eight sets of remains every two to three weeks. The exhumed material will undergo initial processing at the agency’s laboratory at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam. Biological samples and extracted DNA will then be forwarded to the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory at Dover Air Force Base for comparison against family reference samples.
The decision follows years of internal debate. In 2021 DPAA had stated that practical identification prospects were slim, in part because medical and dental records and relative-provided DNA existed for only a small fraction of the men. A combination of renewed family outreach and advances in DNA technology persuaded officials to reverse that earlier stance. The initiative was first reported publicly by the independent military newspaper Stars and Stripes.
Families who have volunteered samples will be contacted and, if a match is identified, next-of-kin notifications will follow established DoD protocols. Officials emphasized that remains still inside the sunken hull of the Arizona—more than 900 individuals—will remain undisturbed. The cemetery exhumations affect only those interred as unknowns at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Analysis & Implications
The operation illustrates how long-term advances in forensic genetics reshape responsibilities to the dead and their families. Modern DNA sequencing and kinship algorithms can resolve identities that earlier methods could not, but success depends on having reference samples and lineage information. The project therefore combines technical work with extensive genealogical outreach, showing the interdependence of science and community engagement.
There are logistical and ethical complexities. Exhumation and laboratory processing require strict chain-of-custody, contamination controls and transparent family-notification policies to preserve both scientific validity and the dignity of the deceased. DPAA must balance the potential closure for families against the costs, time and possible limits of identification—even with new technology.
Politically and culturally, the effort could renew public attention to Pearl Harbor as the U.S. approaches further commemorations of World War II events. Successful identifications would close long-open files and provide tangible outcomes for advocacy groups that lobbied for exhumation. Conversely, if a significant portion of the 88 remain unidentified despite the process, families and stakeholders may press for additional forensic tools or broader sampling.
Comparison & Data
| Item | Number / Note |
|---|---|
| USS Arizona fatalities (Dec. 7, 1941) | 1,177 |
| Entombed within the sunken Arizona | More than 900 |
| Unknowns in Honolulu cemetery slated for exhumation | 88 |
| Family DNA samples submitted via Operation 85 | 626 (just under 60% of crew members still missing) |
| Previous identifications from Pearl Harbor projects | Hundreds (USS Oklahoma, USS West Virginia and others) |
The table places the 88 cemetery unknowns in context: they are a small fraction of the ship’s total fatalities but represent a concrete set of cases where exhumation and DNA testing may yield identifications. Historical projects have shown that when reference samples are available, DNA methods can produce substantial results; however, outcomes vary by preservation, sample quality and kinship density.
Reactions & Quotes
“The disinterments are due to begin in November or December, and remains will be processed in phases,”
Kelly McKeague, DPAA director (agency statement)
McKeague framed the schedule and laboratory pipeline while stressing procedural safeguards and coordination with families. The agency noted that DNA work will be performed at DPAA’s lab in Hawaii and then at the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory in Dover for definitive comparison.
“Families who receive a match may find a measure of closure after generations of grief,”
Kevin Kline, great-nephew of Robert Edwin Kline and founder of Operation 85
Kline, a northern Virginia real estate agent, described his own family’s experience and his organization’s outreach, which located and asked relatives to submit samples; he said only a small share of contacted families declined. His work contributed 626 submitted samples so far, which DPAA says has materially increased the prospect of successful identifications.
Unconfirmed
- The exact number of successful identifications from these 88 exhumations is unknown; final results will depend on DNA preservation and available family reference samples.
- The precise start date in November or December could shift due to operational, weather or logistical constraints.
- Details about which specific individuals might be identified have not been released pending laboratory verification and next-of-kin notifications.
Bottom Line
This project marks a deliberate application of modern forensic science to a well-known historical tragedy. Exhuming 88 cemetery interments does not alter the status of those entombed in the wreck, but it offers a realistic path to naming some service members and providing families with formal closure after 85 years. The operation reflects both advances in DNA capability and sustained family-led advocacy to locate descendants and secure reference samples.
Expect a measured cadence of work over months: phased exhumations, laboratory processing in Hawaii and Dover, and careful notifications to identified families. The initiative will be watched by veteran groups, forensic practitioners and communities tied to Pearl Harbor—a test case for resolving other long-standing missing-persons cases from past conflicts.
Sources
- Associated Press — news report summarizing the DPAA announcement and family accounts (independent news)
- Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) — official agency overseeing remains recovery and identification (official government)
- Stars and Stripes — independent military news outlet that first reported the agency decision (independent military newspaper)