Dye family skeptical about identity of remains
by Ray Kisonas
Family members of Army Staff Sgt. Melvin Dye, who's been listed as missing in action for more than 40 years, met with military officials Thursday but were not satisfied that the evidence presented to them is conclusive.
Sgt. Dye of Carleton reportedly was killed during a 1968 mission in Laos and has been listed as MIA for the next four decades. But last week, military officials contacted Dye family members and told them they have recovered evidence that proves Sgt. Dye was killed in battle at the age of 21.
But after Thursday's meeting with Army officials, the family still is not 100 percent sure that the bone fragments and other pieces of evidence recovered in the jungle belonged to Sgt. Dye.
"The case is closed as far as the military is concerned," said Tim Thompson, Sgt. Dye's nephew. "Deep down, we have doubts."
Mr. Thompson's mother, Betty Ball, is Sgt. Dye's sister and used to live in Carleton. Military officials, including one from Washington, D.C., visited her at her home in Wyandotte. Several other family members were present.
The officials said teeth found at the site positively identified one of three men who were listed as MIAs from the battle, Sgt. Robert S. Griffith. Other evidence collected at the site during an excavation project in 2006 and 2007 included parts of a helicopter, boot material, medallions and religious medals. Also found was a piece of lens from a set of eyeglasses, but they did not match Sgt. Dye's prescription.
The military could not confirm the identity of the bone fragments through DNA and that's what concerns Sgt. Dye's family. The Army deduced that Sgt. Dye was killed when the helicopter exploded during a firefight based on witness accounts.
When the evidence was presented, Mr. Thompson said his mother and her sister were disappointed.
"There was nothing there that was different from what they told us for the past 41 years," Mr. Thompson said. "To them, it's enough but not in my mother's eyes. She's not convinced. There's not enough there."
The reality, Mr. Thompson said, is that his uncle is most likely dead. The problem for them is there just isn't 100 percent proof that the bone fragments belong to his uncle.
Sgt. Dye, a 1966 graduate of Airport High School, volunteered for a rescue mission four miles from the South Vietnamese border. He was a member of 57th Assault Helicopter Co., 52nd Aviation Battalion, and was the engineer on a Huey helicopter that exploded and crashed during the mission.
One soldier, Fred Zabitosky, held off the enemy on the ground during the extracation. As the helicopter lifted off, it was hit with a rocket-propelled grenade. Sgt. Zabitosky was thrown out of the chopper and severely injured but managed to save the pilot amid heavy enemy fire.
Mr. Thompson personally met with Sfc. Zabitosky years ago and he told the Newport resident that he believed his uncle was killed when the rocket hit the helicopter where Sgt. Dye was seated.
Still, with no physical evidence, the family held out hope that Sgt. Dye could still be alive. Those questions were expected to be answered finally on Thursday, but the family remains skeptical.
Nonetheless, the Army now considers Sgt. Dye killed in action and will change his official status from MIA. The remains recovered from the excavation site will be buried in Arlington Cemetery under full military honors.
The Army has invited several family members to attend the ceremonies to be paid by the government, but Mr. Thompson said he doesn't believe his mother will go. Although he might attend, Mr. Thompson said he plans to travel to Maryland later this month to review all documents related to his uncle's ill-fated mission.
He said it was unfortunate that Thursday's meeting was supposed to bring closure to the family but, instead, left his mother and others with doubts.
"I think she was kind of disappointed," he said. "She was expecting closure. They tried their best. But it's kind of sad."
© The Monroe Evening News, MI