World War II Buffalo Soldier identified by US officials.

The DPAA is striving to identify numerous Black soldiers who perished in World War II while serving in the 92nd Infantry Division, commonly referred to as the Buffalo Soldiers.

"DPAA historian-analyst Josh Frank stated, "The idea that we can first tell them this is how it happened, this is how he died a hero. This is the thing he was doing and what it meant to the war. And then being able to identify him after. It's just it's a very, very humbling thing for our job." He emphasized that every story is different."

In 1866, Congress enacted legislation to establish six all-Black Army Units. The conclusion of the 19th century marked the end of the Indian Wars, during which the Buffalo Soldiers earned their name. Approximately 20% of U.S. cavalry troopers were Black. Native Americans revered the Buffalo Soldiers for their courage and bravery, symbolizing their respect by giving them this nickname.

During World War II, two significant units that were discussed in terms of segregation were the 92nd Infantry Division, commonly known as the Buffalo Soldiers, and the 332nd fighter Group, commonly known as the Tuskegee Airmen, according to Frank.

Nearly 80 years after his death, U.S. Private First Class Lemuel Dent Jr. was recently identified as having served as part of the Buffalo Soldiers.

Frank remarked that while Normandy, Iwo Jima, and the Battle of the Bulge are frequently discussed, the Italian campaign tends to be overlooked.

PFC Dent was positioned near Viareggio, Italy, along the Gothic Line with other members of the 366th Infantry Regiment.

"Frank explained that they were trying to traverse the marshland between the coastline and the mountains, but they encountered landmines and were hit by artillery and mortar fire while attempting to reach the mountains."

As Dent was riding a tank that came under fire while crossing a canal, he tragically lost his life. The area where he died remained in enemy hands for another two months, delaying the possibility of recovering his remains and those of dozens of others.

PFC Denton's unit, the 366th Infantry Regiment, was almost completely destroyed, according to Frank.

Among the casualties, 30 were killed in action, 177 were wounded, and PFC Dent was among those missing in action.

"Frank stated that we have identified three remains so far, and PFC Dent would be the fourth. Our project involves a large-scale search for missing people in the Florence American Cemetery after the war. The Army gathered up the remains of those who could not be identified and buried them as unknowns in both the Florence American Cemetery in Sicily and the Rome American Cemetery in Italy. Our current project aims to research and exhume these remains to identify them."

The DPAA has meticulously investigated the location of the remaining missing Buffalo Soldiers.

"We have mapped out the battlefields and know where men were missing and recovered. However, our biggest challenge is that we lack DNA samples from the families of ten out of the 49 remaining men. This hinders our process because we cannot exclude them without DNA samples to match them to. Excluding someone can be just as beneficial as identifying others, as it helps to confirm that they are not the missing person."

Finally, PFC Dent's family members will be able to pay tribute to his service.

"Frank stated, "Our office's purpose is to address the reason why we exist, which is to provide support to families of soldiers. As a soldier myself, I understand that soldiers generally prioritize the well-being of others over themselves. When I was serving, my primary concern was always how my family would cope if anything happened to me.""

At Florence American Cemetery, a ribbon was placed by PFC Dent's name in July, indicating that he had been identified as a soldier who went missing in action.

"We're discussing PFC Dent because the agency hit a home run. We made an identification, and we put the same effort into our strikeouts. Frank stated that it's an emotional experience with a lot of pressure. When we get an identification, it feels good, but it must also be strong enough to sustain us through the disappointment of getting it wrong."