Papers by Andrea Palmiotto
Journal Of Forensic Sciences, 2020
This study examines patterns of skeletal trauma in propeller‐driven aircraft crashes and blast‐re... more This study examines patterns of skeletal trauma in propeller‐driven aircraft crashes and blast‐related ground loss incidents from WWII. Specifically, descriptions and criteria used to characterize aircraft deceleration‐ versus blast‐related skeletal injuries are examined from 35 recently identified forensic anthropology cases to determine possible diagnostic traits and characterize skeletal trauma associated with these events. Among these cases, blast trauma is more localized within the skeleton and is associated with one or few primary directions of force. It is recommended that analysts differentiate between secondary and nonspecific blast trauma categories. Conversely, aircraft crash deceleration trauma is more widespread throughout the skeleton, with torsional fractures and injuries occurring from multiple or indeterminate directions. These traits reflect factors such as more complex loading environments than is seen in blast events. Two case studies are presented in detail to further illustrate differences in aircraft crash and blast‐related incidents. Both studies emphasize consideration of the body as a whole unit to facilitate interpretations. While the cases presented herein result from historic war‐related casualties that characterize the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency’s (DPAA) casework, these skeletal cases provide guidelines more appropriate than clinically derived criteria developed through assessments of soft tissue injuries. These guidelines can be used by anthropologists and pathologists working with skeletal remain from mass disasters and other complex contexts, as well as provide avenues for future research.
American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 2020
Objectives: Recovery rates reflect the amount of recovered skeletal materials based on expectatio... more Objectives: Recovery rates reflect the amount of recovered skeletal materials based on expectations about the total number of elements or individuals that should be present in an assemblage. It is an underlying concept that reflects analytical potential, wherein high recovery rates typically indicate high analytical capabilities. However, numerous methods are available to calculate different types of recovery rates, and each method addresses various types of research questions and utilizes different variables. Therefore, recovery rates cannot be applied and compared directly, and the appropriate recovery rate for any given research question must be considered thoughtfully. Materials and Methods: Several methods of determining individual and element recovery rates are applied to the USS Oklahoma commingled human remains assemblage and discussed with regard to their utility. Results: Depending on which method is used, recovery rates range from 91 to 102% for the recovery of individuals and 0.02 to 91% for the recovery of elements within this assemblage. Discussion: These results emphasize the need to carefully consider which recovery rate is most appropriate based on associated research questions and project contexts. We introduce the idea of the analytical recovery rate, a flexible concept to determine the potential assessment of biological profile parameters once individua-tion of commingled remains has occurred, wherein elements are selected based on the needs of the project as well as element preservation. K E Y W O R D S bioarchaeology, biological profile, commingled skeletal remains, forensic anthropology, recovery rate
Forensic Anthropology, 2019
Estimation of the number of individuals in an assemblage is critical to determine the scale of an... more Estimation of the number of individuals in an assemblage is critical to determine the scale of an incident and whether all
expected individuals have been accounted for. However, estimates are affected by recovery and other taphonomic factors inherent to the
assemblage, as well as the estimation methods themselves. This study examines several quantification methods using data from the commingled remains of individuals who were aboard the USS Oklahoma at the time of its sinking. Alternatives to traditional minimum number
of individuals (MNI) quantifications are presented, to include MNI by duplicated elements per mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence and
use of the zonal inventory procedure. These methods are assessed to determine which provides an estimate closest to the expected population size. Potential advantages and limitations associated with each method are discussed. For this assemblage, a combination of mtDNA
sequencing using hypervariable regions 1 and 2 (HV1, HV2) and element duplication provides the most accurate estimate of individuals,
and methods that employ pair-matching perform better than those that do not.
Forensic Anthropology, 2019
This paper is the introduction to the special issue on commingled human remains analysis within f... more This paper is the introduction to the special issue on commingled human remains analysis within forensic anthropology. It provides an overview of the articles in this special issue of Forensic Anthropology and the impetus behind the creation of the
special issue.
Journal of Forensic Sciences, 2018
Forensic casework from past-conflicts relies on the corrected historical Trotter data for stature... more Forensic casework from past-conflicts relies on the corrected historical Trotter data for stature estimation in Fordisc. For roughly 10 years', stature estimation using this data has produced point estimates for the tibia that are on average 1.25 inches less than the other long bones. This issue was identified after applying the equations derived from Fordisc to the USS Oklahoma commingled assemblage. Reevaluation of Fordisc revealed that a correction factor of 20 mm, instead of 10 mm, was mistakenly applied to the Trotter tibia data. Historical forensic anthropology reports written at the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency were utilized to identify that the overcorrection is isolated to Fordisc 3 with an error rate of 5% of known antemortem statures falling outside of the prediction intervals that relied on the tibia. Further evaluation of the Oklahoma sample indicates the 10 mm correction is still producing point estimates less than the other long bones.
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2016
Southeastern Archaeology, Jul 1, 2011
Southeastern Archaeology, 2011
The Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology, 2016
Conference Presentations by Andrea Palmiotto
American Academy of Forensic Sciences, 2020
Survey of Perimortem Vertebral Trauma in Historic Cases
A. Palmiotto, PhD;1,2 B. S. Walter, PhD;2... more Survey of Perimortem Vertebral Trauma in Historic Cases
A. Palmiotto, PhD;1,2 B. S. Walter, PhD;2 L. F. Kennedy, PhD;2 E. Streetman, PhD2
1 Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA, 15705
2 Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency Laboratory, 106 Peacekeeper Dr., Offutt Air Force Base, NE 68113
Key Words: perimortem trauma analysis, vertebral injury, mechanism of trauma
After attending this presentation, attendees will gain awareness of: the value of incorporating vertebrae in trauma analysis; how analysts typically describe and interpret perimortem vertebral trauma; and the importance of standardization in descriptions of vertebral skeletal trauma.
This presentation will impact the scientific community by: facilitating analysis of vertebral trauma in skeletonized remains; highlighting the importance of reconstruction and articulation of fragmented remains for trauma analysis; and improving standardization of vertebral trauma analysis by presenting illustrative examples.
Vertebrae present challenges in trauma analysis because of their unique morphology and articulations within the thorax. Additionally, due to the complex structure of vertebrae, expectations based on biomechanics are of limited value. The forensic anthropological literature presents conflicting opinions regarding the importance and analytical potential of vertebral trauma. Experimental and retrospective trauma research primarily focus on the skull, long bones, and ribs. Several published case studies demonstrate that analysis of vertebral trauma can contribute significantly to overall trauma interpretation. However, in other cases, analysts cite fragmentation of the vertebral remains as precluding any useful interpretative analysis to be undertaken. The foremost objective of this study is to clarify discrepancies in the literature by assessing the value of vertebral trauma analysis in a sample of skeletal trauma analyses of various mechanisms.
Trauma analyses of historic cases associated with U.S. servicemen and civilians lost during WWII and the Korean War from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency Laboratory are reviewed (n=51). Analyses were completed in the blind, and unknown individuals have since been identified and associated with air (n=18), ground (n=31), and sea losses (n=2). These cases display blunt-force (n=10), projectile (n=18), extensive (e.g., deceleration or blast; n=18), or indeterminate trauma (n=5).
Overall, analyses of affected vertebrae are highly variable. The degree of fragmentation is rarely quantified. Most analysts include photographs of vertebral trauma (65%) and incorporate adjacent skeletal regions in their analysis (63%). However, reconstruction or articulation are undertaken in less than half of cases (41%). Vertebral trauma contributes to directionality interpretations in approximately half of cases (51%).
When these results are assessed by mechanism, photographs of vertebral trauma are included more frequently in blunt-force (70%) and projectile (100%) trauma cases than extensive trauma cases (33%). More often than not, analysts incorporate adjacent skeletal regions in vertebral trauma analysis no matter the mechanism (blunt-force=60%, projectile=67%, extensive=72%). Vertebrae are reconstructed more commonly in projectile (78%) than blunt-force (30%) or extensive (17%) trauma cases, and directionality is interpreted more often in projectile (67%) and extensive (56%) cases than in blunt-force (20%) cases. These trends may reflect factors such as the condition (e.g., fragmentation) of vertebrae or the absence of standardized language and guidance for analysis of vertebral skeletal trauma. Additionally, in extensive trauma cases, analysts may not directly address vertebral trauma in an attempt to synthesize observations.
Results indicate that analyses of vertebral trauma are highly variable. Analysts are likely to consider the relationship between trauma observed on vertebrae and adjacent elements regardless of traumatic mechanism. Further, vertebral trauma analysis is underused in blunt force trauma cases, and analysts more often reconstruct vertebrae and infer directionality in projectile trauma cases.
Although vertebrae have received less attention than other elements in the trauma literature, preliminary results suggest that vertebrae are valuable in the interpretation of skeletal trauma regardless of the mechanism of injury. Reconstruction of fragmented vertebral remains and consideration of adjacent elements has the potential to improve analyses and result in more robust descriptions. Though many of the cases reviewed here present relatively complete sets of skeletal remains, these results suggest that vertebrae are valuable in cases with incomplete and fragmented remains as well. These findings facilitate a more comprehensive and standardized interpretation of injury patterns in skeletal remains and direct future research on vertebral trauma in forensic cases.
American Academy of Forensic Sciences, 2019
Prevalence of Perimortem Trauma Among Casualties of Armed Conflict
After attending this present... more Prevalence of Perimortem Trauma Among Casualties of Armed Conflict
After attending this presentation, attendees will be aware of the prevalence of perimortem trauma among identified casualties lost during WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
This presentation will impact the forensic science community by testing expectations of and quantifying incidences of skeletal trauma for individuals associated with past U.S. armed conflicts. Although this analysis reflects one agency’s casework, it gives insights on the expected prevalence of perimortem trauma observed in recovered skeletal remains in military, mass disaster, or human rights contexts.
These U.S. wartime casualties were lost under a variety of circumstances, including ground, air, and Prisoner of War (POW) losses. Evidence of perimortem trauma is expected particularly in battle (i.e., ground) and air losses due to their engagement in armed conflict. Fewer cases of perimortem trauma are expected in POW losses since these deaths are more often attributed to malnutrition and illness.
A sample of 270 individuals identified since 2014 are examined for the presence of perimortem trauma and condition of skeletal remains. Perimortem trauma is observed in 128 (47%) cases. These cases are broken down by conflict, type of loss (ground, air, or POW), and proportion of the skeleton recovered.
The Vietnam War is represented by 20 cases, of which 16 are air and 4 are ground losses. These cases were recovered either in the field or through unilateral turnovers from foreign governments. All cases contain incomplete skeletons, with 90% of these cases missing most major elements and represented by less than a quarter of the skeleton. Perimortem trauma is observed in less than half of cases (8/20): 44% of air and 25% of ground losses.
The Korean War is represented by 140 cases, of which 17 are air, 57 are ground, and 66 are POW losses. These cases were recovered predominantly through unilateral turnover, followed by disinterment of unidentified individuals from national cemeteries, and field recovery. Most cases are incomplete, and 44% of cases are represented by less than a quarter of the skeleton. Perimortem trauma is observed in less than half of cases (41/140): 47% of air, 51% of ground, and 6% of POW losses.
WWII is represented by 110 cases, of which 49 are air, 56 are ground, and 5 are POW losses. These cases were recovered predominantly by field recovery, followed by disinterment and unilateral turnover. About 34% of cases are represented by less than a quarter of the skeleton. Perimortem trauma is observed in most cases (79/110): 76% of air, 75% of ground, and none of the POW losses.
No perimortem trauma is observed in 142 (53%) cases; however, more than half (53%, 75/142) of these cases consist of mostly incomplete skeletons. When broken down by loss type, 83% of air (25/30), 44% of ground (20/45), and 45% of POW (30/67) losses are mostly incomplete and lack perimortem trauma. In these cases, the absence of observed trauma may be due to the paucity of the remains, rather than indicating that no perimortem injury occurred.
As expected, air and ground losses display perimortem trauma more frequently than POW losses. Perimortem trauma is evenly represented between air and ground losses for both Korea and WWII cases, but it is observed more often among WWII cases than Korea or Vietnam cases. This is likely due to the completeness of the recovered remains. Remains were more often recovered and buried soon after the incident during WWII, giving some protection from taphonomic processes, unlike Korean and Vietnam War casualties. Although the Vietnam War is more recent and one would expect that taphonomic processes may be less severe, these cases are the most incomplete. This could be due to factors such as soil pH of recovery location or loss type (WWII propeller-driven planes vs. Vietnam War jet air losses).
Identifying perimortem trauma is crucial for understanding the context of loss for missing servicemembers. These results indicate that despite war-time circumstances, not all skeletal remains exhibit evidence of perimortem bodily trauma; the absence of perimortem trauma cannot be used to determine loss circumstances. The absence of trauma may reflect recovery context or other taphonomic conditions, rather than the absence of skeletal injury.
Keywords: Forensic anthropology, trauma, taphonomy
American Academy of Forensic Sciences, 2019
Blast and Aircraft Crash Trauma: A Selection of WWII Cases from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting A... more Blast and Aircraft Crash Trauma: A Selection of WWII Cases from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency Laboratory
After attending this presentation, attendees will gain awareness of differential traumatic patterning in skeletal remains associated with historic wartime aircraft- and blast-related events.
This presentation will impact the scientific community by deconstructing analytical criteria associated with historic aircraft and blast events and providing guidelines to differentiate both types of trauma. While the case studies presented herein result from specific war-related casualties that characterize DPAA casework, these criteria will help anthropologists and pathologists working in mass disaster areas and possibly human rights work around the world. Bombings are common in terrorist attacks and military conflicts, and they are frequently encountered in mass disaster triage and identification work.
Trauma assessment is a complicated endeavor that provides insight into the cause of death, perimortem interval, and life history of the individual. Because of their work with other forensic experts and in medicolegal situations, forensic anthropologists must demonstrate competency and accuracy in trauma analyses. As other researchers have noted, methods for trauma analyses require validation to ensure quality and scientific rigor of work.
Blast- and aircraft-related incidents are influenced by various extrinsic and intrinsic forces and represent extreme forms of bodily trauma that may result in similar patterns of injury. However, limited research has been completed regarding differentiating between these types of trauma, and no well-defined criteria exist for analysis.
Bodily trauma from propeller-driven aircraft crashes is characterized by extensive blunt-force trauma from deceleration. Anthropological literature categorizes four types of blast trauma, which result from different mechanisms and are associated with different fracture patterns. Bodily trauma from a blast event may result from the blast wave (primary), associated projectiles (secondary), acceleration/deceleration impacts (tertiary), or flash burns (quaternary). The potential injuries are characterized by a mixture of blunt-force and/or projectile trauma, resulting from exposure to explosive ordnance such as grenades, landmines, mortars, and bombs. Furthermore, a set of remains may display complicated patterns that preclude identification of a single category of blast trauma.
Recently resolved WWII cases with established causes of death relating to blast (n=11) or aircraft (n=24) events were assessed. The reports were written by various anthropological analysts who performed their analysis in the blind. The causes of death were determined by a medical examiner based on the available historical and anthropological data. The blast cases are from open-environment ground losses, while the aircraft cases involve propeller-driven aircraft.
Among these cases, differences exist in the amount and overall condition of recovered remains, which may affect analytical potential. The majority of aircraft (50%) and blast (90%) cases report at least 25% element recovery; complete biological profiles were possible for some aircraft (29%) and most blast (90%) cases. Widespread trauma is found predominantly in aircraft cases (66%) and less frequently in blast cases (27%), in which trauma tends to be more localized. Aircraft cases often display spiral (33%) and butterfly (20%) fractures, but none were observed in the blast cases. Multiple or indeterminate directionality is evident in all aircraft (100%) and a number of blast (45%) cases, but unidirectionality is observed only in blast cases (55%). Only blunt trauma is observed in the majority of aircraft cases (66%) and a smaller percentage of blast cases (36%), while other blast cases (45%) display some evidence of projectile trauma. Indeterminate trauma was observed in some aircraft (29%) and blast (9%) cases.
The results of this study suggest that physical trauma resulting from historic aircraft and blast cases can be differentiated based on the type and pattern of trauma present. Additionally, it may be possible to identify specific blast trauma categories within a set of remains; based on the analysis, blast trauma may be characterized as projectile (secondary) or non-specific.
Although numerous traumatic features may aid interpretations, they should not be used as definitive criteria. These case studies are intended to provide a comparative framework for differential diagnosis and possible points for future research. Similar fracture patterns may result from other causes, and not all criteria may be evident in all cases due to the inherent complexities of traumatic events and the recovery process, which affects the condition of remains present for analysis.
The views herein are those of the authors and do not represent those of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Department of Defense, or U.S. government.
Key Words: Trauma, Aircraft Deceleration, Blast Injuries
Society for American Archaeology, 2019
Between 2014 and 2017, archaeologists with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) excavated... more Between 2014 and 2017, archaeologists with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) excavated an active rice paddy in northwest Vietnam in search of two missing U.S. service members from the Vietnam War. The incident aircraft, an F-4C, was shot down on March 15, 1966 near the town of Dien Bien Phu. During the excavations, DPAA archaeologists recovered evidence of the incident aircraft and osseous remains, but they also unearthed evidence of trenches and barbed wire associated with the 1954 Battle of Dien Bien Phu.
During the French IndoChina War, French and Viet Minh forces fought for control of this remote outpost. The siege lasted for almost two months before General Giap overran and defeated the French forces. The recovery efforts conducted by DPAA produced evidence reflecting both events, representing the intersection of multiple conflicts that occurred just over a decade apart.
Using historic imagery and topographic mapping, Site VM-02293 was deconstructed to examine the relationships between the later aircraft crash event and the earlier battlefield landscape. The results supported the initial association of the osseous materials with the aircraft crash event. Ultimately, through additional forensic analyses, the osseous remains were positively identified as both missing American individuals.
Southeastern Archaeology Conference, 2019
Like any manufacturing process, bone tool production is represented by clear stages and diagnosti... more Like any manufacturing process, bone tool production is represented by clear stages and diagnostic debris. However, archaeological research often emphasizes tool production in terms of the final product rather than the associated debitage. Consequently, identification of bone tool production sites is impeded. Characteristics of production areas are hypothesized based on experimental replications and archaeological literature, emphasizing bone debitage morphology, deer body part representation, and the number of bone tools. These traits are examined in a sample collected from Pockoy Shell Ring 1 (38CH2533), a Late Archaic site near Edisto, SC, to assess whether production may have occurred at this site.
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Papers by Andrea Palmiotto
expected individuals have been accounted for. However, estimates are affected by recovery and other taphonomic factors inherent to the
assemblage, as well as the estimation methods themselves. This study examines several quantification methods using data from the commingled remains of individuals who were aboard the USS Oklahoma at the time of its sinking. Alternatives to traditional minimum number
of individuals (MNI) quantifications are presented, to include MNI by duplicated elements per mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence and
use of the zonal inventory procedure. These methods are assessed to determine which provides an estimate closest to the expected population size. Potential advantages and limitations associated with each method are discussed. For this assemblage, a combination of mtDNA
sequencing using hypervariable regions 1 and 2 (HV1, HV2) and element duplication provides the most accurate estimate of individuals,
and methods that employ pair-matching perform better than those that do not.
special issue.
Conference Presentations by Andrea Palmiotto
A. Palmiotto, PhD;1,2 B. S. Walter, PhD;2 L. F. Kennedy, PhD;2 E. Streetman, PhD2
1 Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA, 15705
2 Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency Laboratory, 106 Peacekeeper Dr., Offutt Air Force Base, NE 68113
Key Words: perimortem trauma analysis, vertebral injury, mechanism of trauma
After attending this presentation, attendees will gain awareness of: the value of incorporating vertebrae in trauma analysis; how analysts typically describe and interpret perimortem vertebral trauma; and the importance of standardization in descriptions of vertebral skeletal trauma.
This presentation will impact the scientific community by: facilitating analysis of vertebral trauma in skeletonized remains; highlighting the importance of reconstruction and articulation of fragmented remains for trauma analysis; and improving standardization of vertebral trauma analysis by presenting illustrative examples.
Vertebrae present challenges in trauma analysis because of their unique morphology and articulations within the thorax. Additionally, due to the complex structure of vertebrae, expectations based on biomechanics are of limited value. The forensic anthropological literature presents conflicting opinions regarding the importance and analytical potential of vertebral trauma. Experimental and retrospective trauma research primarily focus on the skull, long bones, and ribs. Several published case studies demonstrate that analysis of vertebral trauma can contribute significantly to overall trauma interpretation. However, in other cases, analysts cite fragmentation of the vertebral remains as precluding any useful interpretative analysis to be undertaken. The foremost objective of this study is to clarify discrepancies in the literature by assessing the value of vertebral trauma analysis in a sample of skeletal trauma analyses of various mechanisms.
Trauma analyses of historic cases associated with U.S. servicemen and civilians lost during WWII and the Korean War from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency Laboratory are reviewed (n=51). Analyses were completed in the blind, and unknown individuals have since been identified and associated with air (n=18), ground (n=31), and sea losses (n=2). These cases display blunt-force (n=10), projectile (n=18), extensive (e.g., deceleration or blast; n=18), or indeterminate trauma (n=5).
Overall, analyses of affected vertebrae are highly variable. The degree of fragmentation is rarely quantified. Most analysts include photographs of vertebral trauma (65%) and incorporate adjacent skeletal regions in their analysis (63%). However, reconstruction or articulation are undertaken in less than half of cases (41%). Vertebral trauma contributes to directionality interpretations in approximately half of cases (51%).
When these results are assessed by mechanism, photographs of vertebral trauma are included more frequently in blunt-force (70%) and projectile (100%) trauma cases than extensive trauma cases (33%). More often than not, analysts incorporate adjacent skeletal regions in vertebral trauma analysis no matter the mechanism (blunt-force=60%, projectile=67%, extensive=72%). Vertebrae are reconstructed more commonly in projectile (78%) than blunt-force (30%) or extensive (17%) trauma cases, and directionality is interpreted more often in projectile (67%) and extensive (56%) cases than in blunt-force (20%) cases. These trends may reflect factors such as the condition (e.g., fragmentation) of vertebrae or the absence of standardized language and guidance for analysis of vertebral skeletal trauma. Additionally, in extensive trauma cases, analysts may not directly address vertebral trauma in an attempt to synthesize observations.
Results indicate that analyses of vertebral trauma are highly variable. Analysts are likely to consider the relationship between trauma observed on vertebrae and adjacent elements regardless of traumatic mechanism. Further, vertebral trauma analysis is underused in blunt force trauma cases, and analysts more often reconstruct vertebrae and infer directionality in projectile trauma cases.
Although vertebrae have received less attention than other elements in the trauma literature, preliminary results suggest that vertebrae are valuable in the interpretation of skeletal trauma regardless of the mechanism of injury. Reconstruction of fragmented vertebral remains and consideration of adjacent elements has the potential to improve analyses and result in more robust descriptions. Though many of the cases reviewed here present relatively complete sets of skeletal remains, these results suggest that vertebrae are valuable in cases with incomplete and fragmented remains as well. These findings facilitate a more comprehensive and standardized interpretation of injury patterns in skeletal remains and direct future research on vertebral trauma in forensic cases.
After attending this presentation, attendees will be aware of the prevalence of perimortem trauma among identified casualties lost during WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
This presentation will impact the forensic science community by testing expectations of and quantifying incidences of skeletal trauma for individuals associated with past U.S. armed conflicts. Although this analysis reflects one agency’s casework, it gives insights on the expected prevalence of perimortem trauma observed in recovered skeletal remains in military, mass disaster, or human rights contexts.
These U.S. wartime casualties were lost under a variety of circumstances, including ground, air, and Prisoner of War (POW) losses. Evidence of perimortem trauma is expected particularly in battle (i.e., ground) and air losses due to their engagement in armed conflict. Fewer cases of perimortem trauma are expected in POW losses since these deaths are more often attributed to malnutrition and illness.
A sample of 270 individuals identified since 2014 are examined for the presence of perimortem trauma and condition of skeletal remains. Perimortem trauma is observed in 128 (47%) cases. These cases are broken down by conflict, type of loss (ground, air, or POW), and proportion of the skeleton recovered.
The Vietnam War is represented by 20 cases, of which 16 are air and 4 are ground losses. These cases were recovered either in the field or through unilateral turnovers from foreign governments. All cases contain incomplete skeletons, with 90% of these cases missing most major elements and represented by less than a quarter of the skeleton. Perimortem trauma is observed in less than half of cases (8/20): 44% of air and 25% of ground losses.
The Korean War is represented by 140 cases, of which 17 are air, 57 are ground, and 66 are POW losses. These cases were recovered predominantly through unilateral turnover, followed by disinterment of unidentified individuals from national cemeteries, and field recovery. Most cases are incomplete, and 44% of cases are represented by less than a quarter of the skeleton. Perimortem trauma is observed in less than half of cases (41/140): 47% of air, 51% of ground, and 6% of POW losses.
WWII is represented by 110 cases, of which 49 are air, 56 are ground, and 5 are POW losses. These cases were recovered predominantly by field recovery, followed by disinterment and unilateral turnover. About 34% of cases are represented by less than a quarter of the skeleton. Perimortem trauma is observed in most cases (79/110): 76% of air, 75% of ground, and none of the POW losses.
No perimortem trauma is observed in 142 (53%) cases; however, more than half (53%, 75/142) of these cases consist of mostly incomplete skeletons. When broken down by loss type, 83% of air (25/30), 44% of ground (20/45), and 45% of POW (30/67) losses are mostly incomplete and lack perimortem trauma. In these cases, the absence of observed trauma may be due to the paucity of the remains, rather than indicating that no perimortem injury occurred.
As expected, air and ground losses display perimortem trauma more frequently than POW losses. Perimortem trauma is evenly represented between air and ground losses for both Korea and WWII cases, but it is observed more often among WWII cases than Korea or Vietnam cases. This is likely due to the completeness of the recovered remains. Remains were more often recovered and buried soon after the incident during WWII, giving some protection from taphonomic processes, unlike Korean and Vietnam War casualties. Although the Vietnam War is more recent and one would expect that taphonomic processes may be less severe, these cases are the most incomplete. This could be due to factors such as soil pH of recovery location or loss type (WWII propeller-driven planes vs. Vietnam War jet air losses).
Identifying perimortem trauma is crucial for understanding the context of loss for missing servicemembers. These results indicate that despite war-time circumstances, not all skeletal remains exhibit evidence of perimortem bodily trauma; the absence of perimortem trauma cannot be used to determine loss circumstances. The absence of trauma may reflect recovery context or other taphonomic conditions, rather than the absence of skeletal injury.
Keywords: Forensic anthropology, trauma, taphonomy
After attending this presentation, attendees will gain awareness of differential traumatic patterning in skeletal remains associated with historic wartime aircraft- and blast-related events.
This presentation will impact the scientific community by deconstructing analytical criteria associated with historic aircraft and blast events and providing guidelines to differentiate both types of trauma. While the case studies presented herein result from specific war-related casualties that characterize DPAA casework, these criteria will help anthropologists and pathologists working in mass disaster areas and possibly human rights work around the world. Bombings are common in terrorist attacks and military conflicts, and they are frequently encountered in mass disaster triage and identification work.
Trauma assessment is a complicated endeavor that provides insight into the cause of death, perimortem interval, and life history of the individual. Because of their work with other forensic experts and in medicolegal situations, forensic anthropologists must demonstrate competency and accuracy in trauma analyses. As other researchers have noted, methods for trauma analyses require validation to ensure quality and scientific rigor of work.
Blast- and aircraft-related incidents are influenced by various extrinsic and intrinsic forces and represent extreme forms of bodily trauma that may result in similar patterns of injury. However, limited research has been completed regarding differentiating between these types of trauma, and no well-defined criteria exist for analysis.
Bodily trauma from propeller-driven aircraft crashes is characterized by extensive blunt-force trauma from deceleration. Anthropological literature categorizes four types of blast trauma, which result from different mechanisms and are associated with different fracture patterns. Bodily trauma from a blast event may result from the blast wave (primary), associated projectiles (secondary), acceleration/deceleration impacts (tertiary), or flash burns (quaternary). The potential injuries are characterized by a mixture of blunt-force and/or projectile trauma, resulting from exposure to explosive ordnance such as grenades, landmines, mortars, and bombs. Furthermore, a set of remains may display complicated patterns that preclude identification of a single category of blast trauma.
Recently resolved WWII cases with established causes of death relating to blast (n=11) or aircraft (n=24) events were assessed. The reports were written by various anthropological analysts who performed their analysis in the blind. The causes of death were determined by a medical examiner based on the available historical and anthropological data. The blast cases are from open-environment ground losses, while the aircraft cases involve propeller-driven aircraft.
Among these cases, differences exist in the amount and overall condition of recovered remains, which may affect analytical potential. The majority of aircraft (50%) and blast (90%) cases report at least 25% element recovery; complete biological profiles were possible for some aircraft (29%) and most blast (90%) cases. Widespread trauma is found predominantly in aircraft cases (66%) and less frequently in blast cases (27%), in which trauma tends to be more localized. Aircraft cases often display spiral (33%) and butterfly (20%) fractures, but none were observed in the blast cases. Multiple or indeterminate directionality is evident in all aircraft (100%) and a number of blast (45%) cases, but unidirectionality is observed only in blast cases (55%). Only blunt trauma is observed in the majority of aircraft cases (66%) and a smaller percentage of blast cases (36%), while other blast cases (45%) display some evidence of projectile trauma. Indeterminate trauma was observed in some aircraft (29%) and blast (9%) cases.
The results of this study suggest that physical trauma resulting from historic aircraft and blast cases can be differentiated based on the type and pattern of trauma present. Additionally, it may be possible to identify specific blast trauma categories within a set of remains; based on the analysis, blast trauma may be characterized as projectile (secondary) or non-specific.
Although numerous traumatic features may aid interpretations, they should not be used as definitive criteria. These case studies are intended to provide a comparative framework for differential diagnosis and possible points for future research. Similar fracture patterns may result from other causes, and not all criteria may be evident in all cases due to the inherent complexities of traumatic events and the recovery process, which affects the condition of remains present for analysis.
The views herein are those of the authors and do not represent those of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Department of Defense, or U.S. government.
Key Words: Trauma, Aircraft Deceleration, Blast Injuries
During the French IndoChina War, French and Viet Minh forces fought for control of this remote outpost. The siege lasted for almost two months before General Giap overran and defeated the French forces. The recovery efforts conducted by DPAA produced evidence reflecting both events, representing the intersection of multiple conflicts that occurred just over a decade apart.
Using historic imagery and topographic mapping, Site VM-02293 was deconstructed to examine the relationships between the later aircraft crash event and the earlier battlefield landscape. The results supported the initial association of the osseous materials with the aircraft crash event. Ultimately, through additional forensic analyses, the osseous remains were positively identified as both missing American individuals.
expected individuals have been accounted for. However, estimates are affected by recovery and other taphonomic factors inherent to the
assemblage, as well as the estimation methods themselves. This study examines several quantification methods using data from the commingled remains of individuals who were aboard the USS Oklahoma at the time of its sinking. Alternatives to traditional minimum number
of individuals (MNI) quantifications are presented, to include MNI by duplicated elements per mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence and
use of the zonal inventory procedure. These methods are assessed to determine which provides an estimate closest to the expected population size. Potential advantages and limitations associated with each method are discussed. For this assemblage, a combination of mtDNA
sequencing using hypervariable regions 1 and 2 (HV1, HV2) and element duplication provides the most accurate estimate of individuals,
and methods that employ pair-matching perform better than those that do not.
special issue.
A. Palmiotto, PhD;1,2 B. S. Walter, PhD;2 L. F. Kennedy, PhD;2 E. Streetman, PhD2
1 Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA, 15705
2 Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency Laboratory, 106 Peacekeeper Dr., Offutt Air Force Base, NE 68113
Key Words: perimortem trauma analysis, vertebral injury, mechanism of trauma
After attending this presentation, attendees will gain awareness of: the value of incorporating vertebrae in trauma analysis; how analysts typically describe and interpret perimortem vertebral trauma; and the importance of standardization in descriptions of vertebral skeletal trauma.
This presentation will impact the scientific community by: facilitating analysis of vertebral trauma in skeletonized remains; highlighting the importance of reconstruction and articulation of fragmented remains for trauma analysis; and improving standardization of vertebral trauma analysis by presenting illustrative examples.
Vertebrae present challenges in trauma analysis because of their unique morphology and articulations within the thorax. Additionally, due to the complex structure of vertebrae, expectations based on biomechanics are of limited value. The forensic anthropological literature presents conflicting opinions regarding the importance and analytical potential of vertebral trauma. Experimental and retrospective trauma research primarily focus on the skull, long bones, and ribs. Several published case studies demonstrate that analysis of vertebral trauma can contribute significantly to overall trauma interpretation. However, in other cases, analysts cite fragmentation of the vertebral remains as precluding any useful interpretative analysis to be undertaken. The foremost objective of this study is to clarify discrepancies in the literature by assessing the value of vertebral trauma analysis in a sample of skeletal trauma analyses of various mechanisms.
Trauma analyses of historic cases associated with U.S. servicemen and civilians lost during WWII and the Korean War from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency Laboratory are reviewed (n=51). Analyses were completed in the blind, and unknown individuals have since been identified and associated with air (n=18), ground (n=31), and sea losses (n=2). These cases display blunt-force (n=10), projectile (n=18), extensive (e.g., deceleration or blast; n=18), or indeterminate trauma (n=5).
Overall, analyses of affected vertebrae are highly variable. The degree of fragmentation is rarely quantified. Most analysts include photographs of vertebral trauma (65%) and incorporate adjacent skeletal regions in their analysis (63%). However, reconstruction or articulation are undertaken in less than half of cases (41%). Vertebral trauma contributes to directionality interpretations in approximately half of cases (51%).
When these results are assessed by mechanism, photographs of vertebral trauma are included more frequently in blunt-force (70%) and projectile (100%) trauma cases than extensive trauma cases (33%). More often than not, analysts incorporate adjacent skeletal regions in vertebral trauma analysis no matter the mechanism (blunt-force=60%, projectile=67%, extensive=72%). Vertebrae are reconstructed more commonly in projectile (78%) than blunt-force (30%) or extensive (17%) trauma cases, and directionality is interpreted more often in projectile (67%) and extensive (56%) cases than in blunt-force (20%) cases. These trends may reflect factors such as the condition (e.g., fragmentation) of vertebrae or the absence of standardized language and guidance for analysis of vertebral skeletal trauma. Additionally, in extensive trauma cases, analysts may not directly address vertebral trauma in an attempt to synthesize observations.
Results indicate that analyses of vertebral trauma are highly variable. Analysts are likely to consider the relationship between trauma observed on vertebrae and adjacent elements regardless of traumatic mechanism. Further, vertebral trauma analysis is underused in blunt force trauma cases, and analysts more often reconstruct vertebrae and infer directionality in projectile trauma cases.
Although vertebrae have received less attention than other elements in the trauma literature, preliminary results suggest that vertebrae are valuable in the interpretation of skeletal trauma regardless of the mechanism of injury. Reconstruction of fragmented vertebral remains and consideration of adjacent elements has the potential to improve analyses and result in more robust descriptions. Though many of the cases reviewed here present relatively complete sets of skeletal remains, these results suggest that vertebrae are valuable in cases with incomplete and fragmented remains as well. These findings facilitate a more comprehensive and standardized interpretation of injury patterns in skeletal remains and direct future research on vertebral trauma in forensic cases.
After attending this presentation, attendees will be aware of the prevalence of perimortem trauma among identified casualties lost during WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
This presentation will impact the forensic science community by testing expectations of and quantifying incidences of skeletal trauma for individuals associated with past U.S. armed conflicts. Although this analysis reflects one agency’s casework, it gives insights on the expected prevalence of perimortem trauma observed in recovered skeletal remains in military, mass disaster, or human rights contexts.
These U.S. wartime casualties were lost under a variety of circumstances, including ground, air, and Prisoner of War (POW) losses. Evidence of perimortem trauma is expected particularly in battle (i.e., ground) and air losses due to their engagement in armed conflict. Fewer cases of perimortem trauma are expected in POW losses since these deaths are more often attributed to malnutrition and illness.
A sample of 270 individuals identified since 2014 are examined for the presence of perimortem trauma and condition of skeletal remains. Perimortem trauma is observed in 128 (47%) cases. These cases are broken down by conflict, type of loss (ground, air, or POW), and proportion of the skeleton recovered.
The Vietnam War is represented by 20 cases, of which 16 are air and 4 are ground losses. These cases were recovered either in the field or through unilateral turnovers from foreign governments. All cases contain incomplete skeletons, with 90% of these cases missing most major elements and represented by less than a quarter of the skeleton. Perimortem trauma is observed in less than half of cases (8/20): 44% of air and 25% of ground losses.
The Korean War is represented by 140 cases, of which 17 are air, 57 are ground, and 66 are POW losses. These cases were recovered predominantly through unilateral turnover, followed by disinterment of unidentified individuals from national cemeteries, and field recovery. Most cases are incomplete, and 44% of cases are represented by less than a quarter of the skeleton. Perimortem trauma is observed in less than half of cases (41/140): 47% of air, 51% of ground, and 6% of POW losses.
WWII is represented by 110 cases, of which 49 are air, 56 are ground, and 5 are POW losses. These cases were recovered predominantly by field recovery, followed by disinterment and unilateral turnover. About 34% of cases are represented by less than a quarter of the skeleton. Perimortem trauma is observed in most cases (79/110): 76% of air, 75% of ground, and none of the POW losses.
No perimortem trauma is observed in 142 (53%) cases; however, more than half (53%, 75/142) of these cases consist of mostly incomplete skeletons. When broken down by loss type, 83% of air (25/30), 44% of ground (20/45), and 45% of POW (30/67) losses are mostly incomplete and lack perimortem trauma. In these cases, the absence of observed trauma may be due to the paucity of the remains, rather than indicating that no perimortem injury occurred.
As expected, air and ground losses display perimortem trauma more frequently than POW losses. Perimortem trauma is evenly represented between air and ground losses for both Korea and WWII cases, but it is observed more often among WWII cases than Korea or Vietnam cases. This is likely due to the completeness of the recovered remains. Remains were more often recovered and buried soon after the incident during WWII, giving some protection from taphonomic processes, unlike Korean and Vietnam War casualties. Although the Vietnam War is more recent and one would expect that taphonomic processes may be less severe, these cases are the most incomplete. This could be due to factors such as soil pH of recovery location or loss type (WWII propeller-driven planes vs. Vietnam War jet air losses).
Identifying perimortem trauma is crucial for understanding the context of loss for missing servicemembers. These results indicate that despite war-time circumstances, not all skeletal remains exhibit evidence of perimortem bodily trauma; the absence of perimortem trauma cannot be used to determine loss circumstances. The absence of trauma may reflect recovery context or other taphonomic conditions, rather than the absence of skeletal injury.
Keywords: Forensic anthropology, trauma, taphonomy
After attending this presentation, attendees will gain awareness of differential traumatic patterning in skeletal remains associated with historic wartime aircraft- and blast-related events.
This presentation will impact the scientific community by deconstructing analytical criteria associated with historic aircraft and blast events and providing guidelines to differentiate both types of trauma. While the case studies presented herein result from specific war-related casualties that characterize DPAA casework, these criteria will help anthropologists and pathologists working in mass disaster areas and possibly human rights work around the world. Bombings are common in terrorist attacks and military conflicts, and they are frequently encountered in mass disaster triage and identification work.
Trauma assessment is a complicated endeavor that provides insight into the cause of death, perimortem interval, and life history of the individual. Because of their work with other forensic experts and in medicolegal situations, forensic anthropologists must demonstrate competency and accuracy in trauma analyses. As other researchers have noted, methods for trauma analyses require validation to ensure quality and scientific rigor of work.
Blast- and aircraft-related incidents are influenced by various extrinsic and intrinsic forces and represent extreme forms of bodily trauma that may result in similar patterns of injury. However, limited research has been completed regarding differentiating between these types of trauma, and no well-defined criteria exist for analysis.
Bodily trauma from propeller-driven aircraft crashes is characterized by extensive blunt-force trauma from deceleration. Anthropological literature categorizes four types of blast trauma, which result from different mechanisms and are associated with different fracture patterns. Bodily trauma from a blast event may result from the blast wave (primary), associated projectiles (secondary), acceleration/deceleration impacts (tertiary), or flash burns (quaternary). The potential injuries are characterized by a mixture of blunt-force and/or projectile trauma, resulting from exposure to explosive ordnance such as grenades, landmines, mortars, and bombs. Furthermore, a set of remains may display complicated patterns that preclude identification of a single category of blast trauma.
Recently resolved WWII cases with established causes of death relating to blast (n=11) or aircraft (n=24) events were assessed. The reports were written by various anthropological analysts who performed their analysis in the blind. The causes of death were determined by a medical examiner based on the available historical and anthropological data. The blast cases are from open-environment ground losses, while the aircraft cases involve propeller-driven aircraft.
Among these cases, differences exist in the amount and overall condition of recovered remains, which may affect analytical potential. The majority of aircraft (50%) and blast (90%) cases report at least 25% element recovery; complete biological profiles were possible for some aircraft (29%) and most blast (90%) cases. Widespread trauma is found predominantly in aircraft cases (66%) and less frequently in blast cases (27%), in which trauma tends to be more localized. Aircraft cases often display spiral (33%) and butterfly (20%) fractures, but none were observed in the blast cases. Multiple or indeterminate directionality is evident in all aircraft (100%) and a number of blast (45%) cases, but unidirectionality is observed only in blast cases (55%). Only blunt trauma is observed in the majority of aircraft cases (66%) and a smaller percentage of blast cases (36%), while other blast cases (45%) display some evidence of projectile trauma. Indeterminate trauma was observed in some aircraft (29%) and blast (9%) cases.
The results of this study suggest that physical trauma resulting from historic aircraft and blast cases can be differentiated based on the type and pattern of trauma present. Additionally, it may be possible to identify specific blast trauma categories within a set of remains; based on the analysis, blast trauma may be characterized as projectile (secondary) or non-specific.
Although numerous traumatic features may aid interpretations, they should not be used as definitive criteria. These case studies are intended to provide a comparative framework for differential diagnosis and possible points for future research. Similar fracture patterns may result from other causes, and not all criteria may be evident in all cases due to the inherent complexities of traumatic events and the recovery process, which affects the condition of remains present for analysis.
The views herein are those of the authors and do not represent those of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Department of Defense, or U.S. government.
Key Words: Trauma, Aircraft Deceleration, Blast Injuries
During the French IndoChina War, French and Viet Minh forces fought for control of this remote outpost. The siege lasted for almost two months before General Giap overran and defeated the French forces. The recovery efforts conducted by DPAA produced evidence reflecting both events, representing the intersection of multiple conflicts that occurred just over a decade apart.
Using historic imagery and topographic mapping, Site VM-02293 was deconstructed to examine the relationships between the later aircraft crash event and the earlier battlefield landscape. The results supported the initial association of the osseous materials with the aircraft crash event. Ultimately, through additional forensic analyses, the osseous remains were positively identified as both missing American individuals.