Be Sure to Visit my new 1900 Galveston Storm Website at: http://freepages.genealogy.rootseb.com/~barnette 

US GOVT SEEKS FAMILY MTDNA BLOOD SAMPLES

 The United States Army Central Identification Laboratory (CILHI) located in Hawaii is requesting MtDNA (mitochrondrial DNA) blood samples from family members to help identify unaccounted-for military personnel from WWII and the Korean and Vietnam wars. The CILHI is the governmental agency in charge of attempting to recover and identify unrecovered remains of American service members worldwide. The missing from these three wars include approximately 2,100 from Indochina, 8,100 from the Korean War and 78,000 from World War II.

 While CILHI emphasis in recent years has been focused on the former battlefields of the Vietnam War-Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia there has been  unprecedented access to areas within the old Soviet Block and North Korea.

 Earlier this month, according to releases from the U.S. Department of Defense, a twenty eight person CILHI recovery team arrived in North Korea embarking on the first of ten planned year 2001 US-North Korean joint recovery operations called for in an agreement signed last December. Eight of the planned joint recovery operations are expected to be in the areas of Unsan, Kaechon and Kujang where battles involving the U.S. Army's 1st Calvary, 2nd Infantry and 25th Infantry were fought in November 1950.

 Later in 2001 two additional joint recovery operations will focus on the east and west sides of Chosin Reservoir in the northeastern area of North Korea. Since 1996 the joint US-North Korean teams have recovered 107 sets of remains.

 In 1995 the Defense Science Board approved the use of MtDNA technology as a method of identifying remains. The technology requires a reference sample of blood from the deceased's maternal line. Eligible donors of MtDNA blood samples include the mother, brother, sister, mother's sister or brother or the mother's sister's children.

 Because time is passing and closer relatives of the unaccounted-for are dying or becoming more difficult to locate the CILHI in 1999 got governmental approval to accept MtDNA blood samples from maternal relatives of unaccounted-for soldiers for later comparison.

 To learn more about the MtDNA testing of relatives of unaccounted- for personnel visit http://www.cilhi.army.mil/idprocess.htm or http://www.perscom.army.mil/tagd/cmaoc/cm aoc.htm or http://koreanwar.org

SHUFFIELD HEADS MILAM COUNTY WAR DEAD PROJECT

 More than 2120 men and women from Milam County have served in the United States military in four major Twentieth Century wars. Houstonian Lynna Kay Sheffield  has created and maintains a website at http://geocities.datacellar.net/lks_friday honoring the 270 Milam County soldiers or sailors who died in WWI, WWII, the Korean War or in Viet Nam.

 Sheffield's website seeks to document the biographical, historical, genealogical and military history of each Milam countian who gave their life in service.  She asks family members to help her by providing family information, photographs, military records, old news clippings, obituaries, letters and other documentation. She may be contacted through her website at http://geocities.datacellar.net/lks_friday/,  at P.O.Box 16604, Houston, TX 77222, by telephone at 713-692-4511 or by email at friday@argohouston.com

 Sheffield writes an excellent weekly genealogical column for the Taylor Daily News and Cameron Herald. Her columns may be read on her website at http://geocities.datacellar.net/lks_friday/COLUM N-001.htm/

GENEALOGY AND FAMILY HISTORY FAIR IN HUNTSVILLE

 The Walker County Genealogical Society will host a Texas Genealogy and Family History Fair on Saturday June 23 from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. The fair will be held at the Walker County Fairgrounds, State Highway 30, Exit 116 off Interstate 45.

 The Fair is designed for individuals and societies to network. It gives  individuals a chance to meet and swap information with others. It is, also, an opportunity for area genealogical societies, historical and patriotic organizations to share what they have available for the researcher and answer any questions others may have about their organization. Included in the nominal admission charge are a morning and afternoon lecture.

 The WCGS may be contacted by telephone at 936-295-5551 and by email at info@DickensonResearch.com or visit their website at http:/DickensonResearch.com/wcgen.htm

BEGINNING GENEALOGY CLASS OFFERED AT HCC

 Taught by Houston native and nationally known genealogical author Emily Ann Croom Houston Community College will offer a two part beginning genealogy class at their  1681 Cartwright Road campus. Classes will be held from 9 A.M. to 12:30 P.M. on Monday and Wednesday June 11 and 13.

 For more information and to enroll, contact HCC at 281-835-5539.

NEWS FROM THE BOOKSHELF

 Anecestry.Com has published a CD-Rom, WWII and Korean Conflict Overseas Internments, 1940-1995. The CD-Rom includes the name and rank of the 160,000 deceased soldiers and sailors buried in overseas cemeteries including their place of entry into service, place of death, interment location and military awards.

 The CD-Rom is available for $47.52, postpaid, from Ancestry's Houston representative Paula Perkins Parke at P.O. Box 842052, Houston, TX 77284-20520000 or 281-550-7935.