President Joe Biden recently shared a personal story about his uncle, Ambrose Finnegan, who tragically lost his life during World War II. Biden recounted that his uncle's plane crashed near New Guinea, and his remains were never recovered due to the presence of cannibals in the region at that time. While this narrative differs from the official account provided by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting agency, which states that Finnegan's plane was forced to ditch in the ocean off the coast of the island for unknown reasons, it is important to note that documented cannibalism did exist in the region during the mid-20th century.
The DPAA report indicates that three men did not survive the crash and were lost in the sinking wreck, with no trace of the missing aircraft or crew members found during subsequent aerial searches. Despite the lack of physical remains, Finnegan is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines. President Biden paid tribute to his uncle at a veterans' memorial in Scranton, Pennsylvania, emphasizing the importance of honoring the commitment to support military personnel and their families.
While the White House confirmed Biden's account of his uncle's tragic fate, they did not provide further details regarding the impact of cannibals on the recovery efforts. Biden's remarks were made in the context of criticizing former President Donald Trump over allegations of disrespect towards fallen service members and veterans. The President underscored the need to uphold the sacred commitment to care for those who serve in the military and reiterated his stance against derogatory remarks about American veterans.
