The remains of U.S. Army Air Force Sgt. Adolph P. Aguirre, who went missing during World War II, have been identified 82 years after his plane was shot down over Italy. Aguirre, a radio operator and gunner on a B-24 Liberator, was 21 years old when his aircraft was downed on August 16, 1943.

His family received word that he was missing in action at the time, but his fate remained unresolved for decades. The identification process was significantly advanced in 2021 when the U.S. Army reopened the case involving remains recovered in Italy. The remains had been relocated from Lacedonia to Naples.

Aguirre’s cousin, Juan Aguirre, played a crucial role in the years-long effort to confirm the identity. In May 2022, the U.S. Army Human Resources Command at Fort Knox, Kentucky, requested a DNA sample from Juan Aguirre. The remains were subsequently exhumed from a cemetery in Naples and sent to a U.S. laboratory for examination, with DNA analysis being the primary method for identification.

In February 2025, Juan Aguirre and other family members met with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency in Sacramento. Julian, Juan’s son, provided an additional DNA sample to aid investigators. In May 2026, the family received confirmation that the remains belonged to Sgt. Adolph P. Aguirre. They were also informed on June 16 that he would be returning to California.

Born in Visalia on October 29, 1921, Aguirre graduated from Exeter Union High School in 1941 and enlisted in the military the following year. He served with the 67th Bombardment Squadron, 44th Bombardment Group (Heavy), Eighth Air Force. His service earned him the Purple Heart and the Air Medal. He was known by his family as “Chico” and by some as “Pancho.”

Sgt. Aguirre will be buried next to his parents at Exeter District Cemetery in Tulare County. Visitation is scheduled for September 17 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Exeter Memorial Building, 324 N. Kaweah Ave. A graveside service will take place on September 18 at 10 a.m. at Exeter District Cemetery, 719 E. Marinette Ave., followed by a reception at the Exeter Memorial Building. The public is invited to attend the services.