For nearly 80 years, the mountains of West Virginia held a quiet longing for one of their own. Private First Class Mose Vance, a son of a Bradshaw, WV in McDowell County, vanished on the battlefields of France in January 1945, leaving behind a family who cherished his memory but endured the agonizing uncertainty of an unknown fate. This Memorial Day, that uncertainty finally gives way to a profound sense of closure, as Pfc. Vance’s remains have been identified and are making their long-awaited journey home.
Born on November 8, 1922, Mose Vance was a young man when he answered the call to serve his country in World War II. He was assigned to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 180th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division, a unit that found itself in the thick of intense fighting during Operation Nordwind, a major German offensive in the Vosges Mountains.
On January 11, 1945, near the hamlet of Kohlhuette, France, Pfc. Vance was killed in action. However, the ferocity of the battle made it impossible to recover his body. With no record of capture and no remains found, he was declared missing in action and later presumed dead, his name etched on the Walls of the Missing at Epinal American Cemetery in Dinozé, France, alongside countless other brave souls. His family, including his widow Thelma Hurley Vance, carried the weight of his absence for generations.
The story of Mose Vance is not just one of sacrifice, but also of unwavering dedication and the power of modern science. For decades, unidentified remains from World War II battlefields were interred as “unknowns” in military cemeteries. One such set of remains, designated X-6904 St. Avold, buried in 1949 at the U.S. Military Cemetery at St. Avold (now Lorraine American Cemetery), held a piece of the puzzle.
Enter the tireless efforts of organizations like the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) and the unwavering commitment of Vance’s family, notably his nephew Ferrell Vance. Driven by a deep desire to bring his uncle home, Ferrell spent years researching and collaborating with a non-profit organization in France dedicated to finding soldiers’ remains. This painstaking work, combined with advancements in DNA testing and forensic anthropology, finally yielded a breakthrough.
In 2022, a bayonet belonging to Mose Vance was discovered at a known death site in Wildenguth, France. This crucial piece of evidence, coupled with in-depth historical research by DPAA historians, led to the exhumation of Unknown X-6904 in August 2022. Scientists at the DPAA Laboratory utilized anthropological evidence and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis, cross-referencing it with Ferrell Vance’s DNA, to confirm the identity: Private First Class Mose E. Vance.
The news, nearly 80 years in the making, brought a profound mix of grief and relief to the Vance family. Pfc. Vance, a decorated soldier who earned a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star, is finally returning to the home he left so long ago. His homecoming happened last summer with a full military funeral in Welch, providing the long-overdue closure his loved ones and community deserve.
The story of Pfc. Mose Vance serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring cost of war and the sacrifices made by countless service members. It also highlights the dedication of those who continue to work tirelessly to bring home every fallen hero, ensuring that no one is truly forgotten. As West Virginia-based band Matt Mullins & The Bringdowns release a new single, “Mose Vance,” honoring his story this Memorial Day, his legacy will resonate not just in the mountains he called home, but across a grateful nation.
Of the single Mullins said he had to pay tribute to this guitar playing West Virginian who paid the ultimate sacrifice for his country and to getting him home. “It’s really a tribute to all those who didn’t make it back home fighting for us.” Pfc. Vance was also honored by the Memorial Day Parade in Grafton, WV as an honorary Parade Marshall along with four other soldiers, including Grafton’s own Cpl. Howard Godwin, Jr., who were lost in battle.
Listen to the single below.
