The National Alliance of Families calls upon the U. S. government to assist the family of Korean War MIA, Louis P. Mutta, in their attempt to identify remains interred as X-656.

On March 14, 1951 remains designated X-656 were interred at the United States Military Cemetery, Tanggok, Korea. Based on information contained in official military records, the family of Army PFC Louis P. Mutta believes X-656 is their loved one.

Ms. Patricia Cummings, PFC Mutta's niece, has contacted Army Casualty requesting exhumation of this grave for the purpose of mt-DNA testing to determine if there is a possibility X-656 could be the remains of her uncle. Her request was denied. The denial was based a statement that the remains were burnt. According to the Casualty representative mt-DNA could not be extracted from burnt bones.

Both AFDIL representative James Cannick and our own independent mt-DNA expert confirm that no determination can be made on the successfulness of the testing, without actually conducting the test. In fact, our independent expert has confirmed that mt-DNA has successfully been extracted from cremated remains.

Louis P. Mutta was the only unaccounted for member of a patrol ambushed at Kumyangjang-Ni, on January 18, 1951. Witnesses last saw PFC Mutta laying near his jeep, gravely wounded. A recovery operation was conducted on January 28, with one set of burnt remains recovered. No personnel effects or identification media were recovered with the remains.

The remains were tentatively associated to Pfc Mutta based on interviews conducted with local residents, by the Companies Executive Officer - Lt. Leach. According to the "Resume of Case History " - "Civilians in the area stated that on the 20th January 1951, the enemy returned to Kumyangjang-Ni, removed the body of a U.N. soldier from a vehicle and placed the body in a nearby house which burned to the ground, 27 January 1951. Lt. Leach associated subject remains with Pfc Mutta thru the description of the body and the location of wounds. These factors led Lt. Leach to 'believe it was Mutta.'"

The report continues "...Since the remains are incinerated, physical and dental characteristics cannot be determined, with the exception of age estimate of 18 to 20 years which is in agreement with the age of Pfc Mutta (20 years, 1 month 1 day) when reported MIA."

Based on the above information, American Graves Registration Service Group submitted, on November 2nd, 1951, a recommendation that X-656 be identified as Pfc Louis P. Mutta. That recommendation was rejected, on January 14, 1952. Identification Branch Memorial Division stated; "It is the opinion of this investigator that there is insufficient evidence to establish conclusive identification of the remains in question as those of Pfc Mutta."

The report also stated; "it appears that a very definite means of identification is necessary."

As stated above, the family has requested exhumation for the purpose of mt-DNA testing. While mt-DNA should never be used as a primary means of identification, we believe there is circumstantial evidence to indicate X-656 may be Louis P. Mutta.