Fallen Warriors: The Unknowns

Unlock Their Story. Honor Their Sacrifice.

A MEMORIAL DAY MISSION

In the heart of World War II and Korea, thousands of brave Americans gave everything for our freedom. For many families, the final resting places of these valiant souls remain a mystery, their stories untold, their sacrifices unrecognized.

This Memorial Day, you can change that.

GEDmatch stands at the forefront of a historic mission—a chance to honor these heroes as they truly deserve. By uploading your DNA profile, you help pave the way for groundbreaking discoveries that can transform “Unknown” markers into named graves, while gaining access to your own relative’s Individual Deceased Personnel File.

Unlock the Mystery of History: Your DNA Could Reunite Families

TWO WAYS TO HONOR THE FALLEN THIS MEMORIAL DAY

1. Your DNA Can Help Identify the Unknowns

Your DNA profile could be the key to identifying one of the thousands of unknown soldiers from World War II and Korea. By contributing to GEDmatch’s database, you help create a reference that can encourage the U.S. government to use cutting-edge Next Generation Sequencing technology to identify remains previously thought unidentifiable.

2. Discover Your Family’s Military Legacy

In return for your contribution, you’ll receive access to your relative’s Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF)—comprehensive historical documentation about their service, final moments, and burial. Through our exclusive partnership, we offer access to 500,000 IDPFs that can help you understand your family’s role in American history. Register for our June 13th webinar to learn more.

What Families Are Saying

I was able to download the file and found it fascinating. My mom who died a little over a year ago was never able to talk much about her brother Aubrey without getting emotional so I didn't know the details of his loss. My daughter is in the Pershing Own Army Band and my son served on a Navy sub a few years ago so they will both be interested in learning more about their great uncle.

I want to thank you again for John's IDPF. My brother contacted his niece and she was excited to receive it. It also allowed my brother to re-establish contact with a cousin with whom he was once close. Thank you again

I'm deeply appreciative of your dedication to finding relatives of those who gave their lives in service to our country. Reading through the records is another stark reminder of the finality of war for far too many. I can only imagine the pain and heartbreak the immediate family, friends, and others who knew them went through. Your efforts bring to light once again a part of the story that otherwise would be lost. Thank you.

I am in shock. This is quite a significant find for our family. Thank you so much for reaching out to me and providing this valued information. Our family is deeply grateful to you.

Thank you so much. I have downloaded the copy and am very grateful for your kindness in sharing this file. I will be sharing it with other members of my family. My dear Mother, James's sister, went to her grave still grieving in 2015 and this means a lot to my family.

What is an IDPF file?

An Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) contains comprehensive documentation about service members who died while serving in the military during World War II and the Korean War. These files were previously classified and are now available through our exclusive partnership.

Each IDPF typically includes:

Detailed documentation of the death and identification of remains
Records of recovery, temporary burial, and final disposition
Reports from field investigators and graves registration personnel
Personal effects inventories and disposition
Correspondence with family members
Maps, coordinates, and site documentation
Identification processes and conclusions

These files average about 50 pages each, though some run to several hundred pages. They represent crucial historical information that’s available from no other source and provide invaluable insight for both families seeking closure and historians documenting these conflicts.

Through our exclusive partnership, we now offer access to over 510,000 IDPFs that have been digitized at significant expense (over $20 million) by the government.

Join Our Special Webinar

Honoring the Fallen: How Your DNA Can Help Identify Unknown Soldiers

Date: June 13, 2025 (Friday before Flag Day)
Time: 2:00 PM Eastern

In this special presentation, you’ll learn:

How Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology is revolutionizing the identification of remains
How to understand and use the information in your relative’s IDPF
The process of matching DNA profiles to unknown remains
A preview of the upcoming IDPF search portal
How to participate in this historic initiative

FAQs

What is GEDmatch's role in identifying unknown soldiers?

GEDmatch provides a platform where DNA profiles can be compared across different testing companies. By building a robust database of profiles, we can help create a reference that encourages the U.S. government to use Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology to identify previously unidentifiable remains of fallen service members.

Will my DNA be accessible to the government or law enforcement?

No, the U.S. Government or law enforcement does not get to see your raw DNA data when you consent to allow your data to be included in those types of searches. Just like any other user of GEDmatch, they would only see your name or GEDmatch alias, email address, and how much DNA you share with the forensic profile. Law enforcement uses a purpose-built website called GEDmatch PRO where they upload the investigative profile to be compared with users of the GEDmatch database who have chosen to be a part of those specific types of searches.

What are my privacy options when I upload my DNA data?

GEDmatch provides four categories of privacy options when you upload your DNA kit. Once uploaded, you can easily change from one category or another when you wish.

Privacy Category	What does it mean ?
Private	Your kit is not available for comparisons with any other kits. No comparison results will be shown unless you change this setting to another privacy category.
Research	We will compare your DNA kit to all other kits in the GEDmatch database to find your matching genetic relatives. However, your DNA kits will not be shown in match result reports generated for other kits (including kits submitted by or on behalf of law enforcement). Genealogy and genetic genealogy require the sharing of information, and choosing this option will not allow your matches to see your DNA kit in their match results. This option may be used for regular uploads if you have specific reasons for doing so.
Public + Opt-Out	We will compare your DNA kit to all other kits in the GEDmatch database to find your matching genetic relatives. Kits in the database include those submitted by users undertaking personal genetic genealogy research, adoptee searches, and users (including law enforcement) attempting to identify unidentified human remains. Your kit WILL NOT be compared with kits submitted by law enforcement to identify perpetrators of violent crimes.
Public + Opt-In	We will compare your DNA kit to all other kits in the GEDmatch database to find your matching genetic relatives. Kits in the database include those submitted by users undertaking personal genetic genealogy research, adoptee searches, users (including law enforcement) attempting to identify unidentified human remains, and law enforcement attempting to identify perpetrators of violent crimes. Your kit WILL be compared with kits submitted by law enforcement to identify perpetrators of violent crimes. The operators of GEDmatch encourage everybody to select this option.

Do I need to have a relative who served in WWII or Korea to participate?

No. While having a relative who served allows you to request their IDPF, anyone can upload their DNA to help with the identification of unknown soldiers.

What if I don't know if my relative has an IDPF?

Our upcoming search portal will allow you to check if your relative’s file is in our collection of 500,000 IDPFs. If you provide information about your relative who served, specifically their service number, we can help determine if an IDPF exists.

I've already uploaded my DNA to GEDmatch. Do I need to do it again?

No, you don’t need to re-upload. Simply ensure your privacy settings reflect your preferences, and you can proceed directly to requesting an IDPF.

What is Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology?

NGS is advanced DNA sequencing technology that allows scientists to extract and analyze DNA from heavily degraded or chemically treated remains that were impossible to identify with older methods. This technology has the potential to identify thousands of previously unidentifiable remains.