2 Sep 1958: A US Air Force C-130 was shot down by Soviet MIG Fighters over Soviet Armenia. There were 17 American crew members on board.

16 Oct 1958: Soviet authorities released the remains of six crew members from the plane. Identification of four of the six remains was completed by 1 November. Two of the remains that could not be identified were interred at Arlington National Cemetery (X-3 and X-6).

6 Jan 1993: At the request of a family member, the USAF Mortuary Affairs had the two remains exhumed for evaluation and possible mitochondrial DNA testing.

24 Feb 1993: Skeletal specimens received and DNA testing initiated on the skeletal remains by the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL).

12 Apr 1993: Based upon forensic anthropology evaluations of the remains, made by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner, and successful testing of DNA material from the skeletal remains, family reference specimens were requested.

16 Apr 1993: Family blood reference specimens received by AFDIL.

21 Jun 1993: Testing initiated on the family reference specimens.

23 Jun 1993: Testing completed on family reference specimens.

25 Jul 1993: AFDIL issued a report on DNA testing of both the skeletal remains and the family reference specimens. The report indicated the presence of two individuals, consistent with the anthropological findings. In addition, the DNA type of the X-6 remains was identical to the family reference specimens.

21 Oct 1993: The family requested through the USAF Mortuary Affairs, that a second laboratory perform independent DNA testing of the remains.

8 Nov 1993: Remaining skeletal specimens from AFDIL sent via Federal Express to a research laboratory of the University of California, Berkeley for DNA testing.

25 Jan 1994: Second laboratory reported different DNA testing results for the skeletal remains (see Table). The reported DNA type from the skeletal material did not match the family references.

3 Feb 1994: A moratorium placed on use of DNA as a primary means of identification by the Assistant Secretary of the Army, DoD Executive Agent for Mortuary Affairs.

4 Mar 1994: Meetings held to establish guidelines for a DoD Quality Assurance Program for Military and Contract Laboratories performing mitochondrial DNA testing.

24 Mar 1994: At the request of the Army's Central Identification Laboratory, HI (CILHI), third party testing was initiated by the British Forensic Science Service (FSS), a forensic laboratory. A portion of the "X-6" skeletal remains was sent to the FSS.

7 Apr 1994: "X-6" remains transferred from Dover Air Force Base to CILHI.

19 Apr 1994: Family blood reference specimens sent to the FSS.

18 Jul 1994: A blind test submitted by CILHI, received as a routine skeletal remains case, was received by AFDIL and assigned to two separate DNA teams for duplicate analysis. The teams generated results independently, and came up with the same DNA type.

29 Sep 1994: AFDIL issued a preliminary report of DNA analysis to CILHI on the case received on 18 Jul 94.

3 Oct 1994: AFDIL informed by CILHI that the specimens received 18 Jul 94 were those from the "X-6" remains. The DNA results were identical to the first testing performed, and matched the family references. This process constituted a blind test of the AFDIL laboratory procedures.

9 Dec 1994: Preliminary report from the British FSS indicated that the DNA type of the skeletal remains, "X-611, is the same as the family references and the same type reported by AFDIL.

2 Feb 1995: Final report from the British FSS ' confirmed that the DNA type generated from the "X-6" skeletal remains was the same as that reported by AFDIL, and different from the type reported by the UC Berkeley laboratory (see Table).

TABLE: DNA Testing Results Indicating Location of Polymorphisms in the Mitochondrial DNA Control Region

Testing Laboratory Skeletal Remains Family Reference

DNA Type DNA Type

AFDIL 16129A 16129A

British FSS 16129A 16129A

Labortory 16223T, 16291T 16129A