Doughboy MIA adds new name to missing list

By Robert J. Laplander
Directing Manager for Doughboy M.I.A. and Finding The Lost Battalion

A couple months ago or so we were contacted by Mr. Stephen Gehnrich, who alerted us to the fact that a sailor from his county in Maryland who was lost at sea and memorialized on a plaque to the soldiers and sailors who gave there lives from that county in the war was NOT listed on the official list of missing in action assembled following the war, as posted on the Doughboy MIA website.

We launched an intensive investigation, as the 100th anniversary of the loss of the sailor – Seaman Herbert H. Renshaw – was coming up fast (May 22nd), and prepared our case. If we could put this one to bed, we wanted to do so before that date got here, if we could.

Well, we got the word from the American Battle Monuments Commission - we did it! Seaman Renshaw's case has been reviewed and approved and in the near future his name will finally be inscribed on the Wall of the Missing at the Brookwood American Cemetery in England, alongside his other Naval comrades who were lost at sea and not recovered. Attached here is the letter of approval from the ABMC. Tomorrow night I will be posting the entire case file as well as this letter on the Doughboy MIA website.

Our thanks to COL Robert Dalessandro, Head Director of the ABMC and Mr. Timothy Nosal, Chief of External Affairs for the ABMC, for expediting this case and for their faith in our work, and to Professor Stephen Gehnrich for giving us the scent of the trail. Well done men!