Dover AFB Mortuary Scandal Involved Fallen Thonotosassa Marine

Posted Nov 13, 2011 by Howard Altman

Updated Nov 13, 2011 at 11:08 PM

The big news regarding casualties this week came not out of Afghanistan or Iraq, but out of Dover Air Force Base, where the mortuary there prepares the bodies of returning troops.

Whistleblowers at the base complained about the mishandling of some cases, including that of a Plant City Marine Sgt. Daniel Angus, who was killed in Afghanistan in January, 2010, while on patrol.

According to the Department of Defense, the Air Force Inspector General began its investigation in June 2010.  The investigation focused primarily on the handling of remains of four service members.  The Air Force inspector general’s investigation was conducted in coordination with other federal offices and included nearly 50 interviews and an extensive review of mortuary operating procedures.  Investigators found no evidence anyone intentionally mishandled remains, but concluded the mortuary staff failed to maintain accountability while processing portions of remains for three service members.  While it is likely that disposition of remains was by an appropriate method, it could not be shown that it was in accordance with the families’ directions.

“He died doing what he loved,” Kathy Angus said of her son Daniel, a 2000 Armwood High School graduate, shortly after he died. “He loved the Marine Corps and he gave his life for it.”

The Angus family received another knock on the door, according to the Washington Post.

The last time, a similar knock from the same Marine had signaled a death knell. Their son, Sgt. Daniel Angus, 28, married and daddy to a little girl, had been blown apart by a bomb in Afghanistan. But that was almost two years ago. What did this solemn Marine standing outside want now?

“To find out nearly two years later that there were after-the-fact excuses made to at best justify, or at worst cover up, a terrible decision to cut off their son’s arm without their permission is a slap in the face to them and to all other fallen Marines,” O’Brien said.
The Dover mortuary’s staff consists of members of all branches of the military, including civilians and reservists.  The staff includes mortuary affairs specialists, morticians and other technical experts.  The staff operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and regularly responds to the trauma of war as staff members prepare the remains of fallen warriors under often-difficult circumstances.  Since 2003, the mortuary center has prepared more than 6,300 deceased individuals for return to their loved ones.

        Families of fallen service members may contact the Air Force toll free at 1-855-637-2583 or e-mail at dover.pm@pentagon.af.mil if they have questions about this investigation or Air Force mortuary operations.

Three men died this week supporting Operation Enduring Freedom, including one from Longwood.

Pfc. Theodore B. Rushing, 25, of Longwood, Fla. died Nov. 11, in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment; 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light), Fort Drum, N.Y.

Pfc. Cody R. Norris, 20, of Houston, Texas, died Nov. 9 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire.  He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.

Lance Cpl. Nickolas A. Daniels, 25, of Elmwood Park, Ill., died Nov. 5 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

There have now been 1,817 casualties in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.