HIKERS FIND THE FROZEN BODY OF AN AIRMAN WHILE SCALING MOUNT MENDEL GLACIER IN THE SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK.
NEARLY FOUR MONTHS AFTER THE BODY WAS FLOWN TO A FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY LAB IN HAWAII... WE MAY FINALLY KNOW WHO THE AIRMAN IS.
FOR 63 YEARS, THE YOUNG CADET REMAINED IN HIS ICY GRAVE...
THE LOCATION OF THE REMAINS TOLD SCIENTISTS THE BODY WAS ONE OF FOUR MEN WHOSE FLIGHT DISAPPEARED IN 1942....
LEAVING ALL FOUR FAMILIES HOPEFUL THE MYSTERY OF WHAT HAPPENED TO THEIR LOVED ONE WOULD FINALLY BE UNRAVELED.
THE YOUNG MAN WHO HAD SPENT 63 YEARS IN ICE AT THE BOTTOM OF A GLACIER... WAS IN FACT ONA LEA'S UNCLE, LEO MUSTONEN, AN ARMY CADET WHO WAS 22 WHEN HIS PLANE DISAPPEARED..
THEIR MOTHER, *LOUELLA MUSTONEN WAS MARRIED TO LEO'S BROTHER
SHE SAYS HE ENLISTED IN THE ARMY DURING HIS SENIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL. HE WAS TRAINING TO BECOME A NAVIGATOR.
HIS DISAPPEARANCE BACK IN 1942, LEFT SUCH A VOID -- HIS MOTHER, ANNA NEVER GOT OVER IT.
LOUELLA AND HER DAUGHTERS, ONA LEA AND LEANE SAY THEY FINALLY HAVE ANSWERS AFTER SO MANY YEARS.
NOW WE DO WANT TO CLARIFY -- THIS POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION IS BEING REPORTED BY C-N-N.
ACTION NEWS WAS UNABLE TO CONFIRM THE I-D WITH THE JOINT P-O-W M-I-A ACCOUNTING COMMAND THIS EVENING.
A VOICE MESSAGE FROM JPAC SAID THAT AS OF TODAY -- THE AIRMAN HAD NOT BEEN IDENTIFYED...BUT THE MUSTONENS SAY THEY'RE ALREADY MAKING FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS IN MINNESOTA, WHERE THE AIRMAN GREW UP.
