Singular moments surely have marked recent years for the Sconiers family.  However, none is more exigent than the moment of stunning realization of all that has transpired on behalf of Lt. Ewart T. Sconiers. Individually and collectively, the following men and women truly are repatriation's unsung heroes.The family salutes and is humbly and eternally grateful to them for their full measure of courage to passionately commit to a mission that had been abandoned as futile more than six decades ago.  They dared make sense of fading memories, conflicting records, reports of elderly citizens in a remote town, a mysterious tree, and a cross. They reached across countries, oceans, languages, and the many "divides" therein to collaborate with strangers; and, for three years, they pressed on without knowledge of next-of-kin to whom such extraordinary efforts might matter. They had to make extremely difficult choices about the focus of precious resources. Furthermore, they employed the strength of their intellect, experience, talent, and conviction and risked years of plain, hard work for a truly noble cause.

 EARNEST GRATITUDE AND DEEPEST AFFECTION TO:

   Chief Petty Officer (ret.) John Gray      for quintessential commitment to keeping America's promise to this worthy soldier, for caring enough to declare it by wearing Sconiers' POW bracelet, for being the unrelenting driving force behind his recovery, for agreeing to serve as the "official escort" for Sconiers' return home, and for brotherhood (lead researcher, World War II Working Group, Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office, Washington, D.C.)

   Szymon Serwatka 

for unyielding humanity, resolve, and faith embodied in a noble quest, and for brotherhood (Private translator and researcher for DPMO, Krakow, Poland.  Serwatka had been working independently on Sconiers' case several years prior to 2006. It was he who first emerged when Pamela "Googled" her uncle's name. It was he who launched her  engagement in the search and who authenticated Sconiers' burial photos, photos that the family had dismissed as contrived

Stephen Marks

for keeping vigil, bearing the load, and sharing the journey like a brother (American living and working in Lubin, Poland.  Marks' post to the 8th Air Force website was one of two responses to Pamela's Google search that launched her journey. Marks works for a company whose headquarters is in the building that formerly served as the Reserve hospital to which Sconiers was taken and where he died. Marks hosted Pamela's April 2009 trip to Lubin).

                Dr. Jarrod Burks

for contributing renowned professional expertise, considerable time, and sincere passion to conduct a geophysical survey of Allies Park, Sconiers' original burial site; for providing DPAA with critical scientific data at a crucial juncture in the quest; and for conducting DPAA's first third-party mission seeking to recover Sconiers.

Stanislaw Tokarczuk

for leadership, embracing history, and for his pivotal role in establishing the memorial monument to Lt. Ewart T. Sconiers and other Allies of WWII (historian and professor, Lubin, Poland).

  Lt. Gen. Albert P. Clark for fierce, timeless dedication to his men and for refusing to close the door (former senior officer, Stalag Luft III and former Superintendent, U.S. Air Force Academy) 

Marilyn Jeffers Walton

for inspirational example, extraordinary mentoring for Pamela's journey, and for their bombardier sisterhood (WWII researcher and author, Rhapsody in Junk, New Albany, OH.  It was she who facilitated Pamela's telephone conversation with Lt. Gen. Clark and Milton Stenstrom.)

Edouard Reniere

for selflessly building international community and graciously, extraordinarily responsively and effectively, working research wizardry that, initially led former DPMO to Allies Park and ultimately provided DPAA with significant information to support excavation of Grave 908 in Gdansk (Brussels, Belgium)

Larry Greer

for epitomizing dedication to America's promise to its service men and women, for wise counsel and guidance, for including the story of 1st Lt. Ewart T. Sconiers in the Pentagon's corridor displayshonoring MIAS/POWS, and for friendship.  (Director of Public Affairs, Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office, retired)            

Stefania Saracen

for courage to reveal Walter Kierschner's story of the Catalpa tree and for "adopting" a soldier's resting place

     and...to Destinyfor bringing us alltogether.....