FL FL - Fort Lauderdale, WhtMale 1176UMFL, 21-30, 'US Paratrooper' tattoo, May'84

[apearn]

Bump - This is his month. 37 years unidentified.

I made a couple graphics and posted them on Instagram using one hashtag for every single county in every single state. It was over 3k hashtags divided up by IG's max of 30 per post.
The demographics on there are a bit off for his peer group but my hope is that a friend or family member will be using their local county hashtag for their business or group or whatever and see his face with the brief info and connect the dots. Fingers crossed!

 

[MadMcGoo]

Bump - This is his month. 37 years unidentified.

I made a couple graphics and posted them on Instagram using one hashtag for every single county in every single state. It was over 3k hashtags divided up by IG's max of 30 per post.
The demographics on there are a bit off for his peer group but my hope is that a friend or family member will be using their local county hashtag for their business or group or whatever and see his face with the brief info and connect the dots. Fingers crossed!

Thanks for advocating for this young man! My fingers are crossed with you.

 

[PatLaurel]

Randy Stewart Doran?
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

He went missing in 1978 and was a Marine veteran. His grandparents were from Florida but it doesn't state where in FL.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Randy Stewart Doran?
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

He went missing in 1978 and was a Marine veteran. His grandparents were from Florida but it doesn't state where in FL.

Hmm. I see somewhat of a resemblance. Interesting about the Doe having eaten shrimp before his death in comparison to where Randy was known to be working (Louisiana steamboat). Although I’m sure shrimp isn’t hard to find in FL either.

 

[carbuff]

Randy Stewart Doran – The Charley Project
Find Randy Stewart Doran- Marine Vet Missing Since the Late 1970's
LA - LA - Randy Doran, 22, New Orleans, 8 Apr 1978


Randy's Charley project, Facebook, WS

 

[Alleykins]

Randy Stewart Doran – The Charley Project
Find Randy Stewart Doran- Marine Vet Missing Since the Late 1970's
LA - LA - Randy Doran, 22, New Orleans, 8 Apr 1978


Randy's Charley project, Facebook, WS

If he were a tad younger, Randy would almost be a sh00-in for Long Beach John Doe.

 

[MagicCityMan]

Randy Stewart Doran?
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

He went missing in 1978 and was a Marine veteran. His grandparents were from Florida but it doesn't state where in FL.

Most definitely a resemblance. And the Florida connection with the grandmother.
What gives me pause is:
Height difference of 5"
A Marine with Army tattoos?
Where was he for 6 years?

On another note, I wonder how thorough the detectives were as far as canvassing the area, interviewing other area locals that fished off that bridge etc. They did use the media to appeal to the public so I guess other avenues had been exhausted.

If he's on the higher end of the age range he could have been at the tail end of 'Nam. Alot of those guys came back different and drifted aimlessly for years.

 

[fred&edna]

Most definitely a resemblance. And the Florida connection with the grandmother.
What gives me pause is:
Height difference of 5"
A Marine with Army tattoos?
Where was he for 6 years?

On another note, I wonder how thorough the detectives were as far as canvassing the area, interviewing other area locals that fished off that bridge etc. They did use the media to appeal to the public so I guess other avenues had been exhausted.

If he's on the higher end of the age range he could have been at the tail end of 'Nam. Alot of those guys came back different and drifted aimlessly for years.

I agree, a Marine with Army tatts doesn't seem likely. Also, I "think" the last of the 82nd airborne left Vietnam in August 1971, so... if the UID was age 18-19 at that time, he could fit the higher end of the age range.

O/T I was looking through photos (for a corresponding tattoo) at the link below and thought I found one that fit... but after a quick google, I discovered that particular paratrooper went on to live a full life (married for 43 years, died in 2011).

Photos: FROM THE ARCHIVES: 82nd Airborne in Vietnam

 

[carbuff]

If he were a tad younger, Randy would almost be a sh00-in for Long Beach John Doe.

Good lord yes. OMG.

I'm not sure 19 to 22 is enough of a gap to rule it out with so many other things matching. Even the timeline works.

 

[Alleykins]

Good lord yes. OMG.

I'm not sure 19 to 22 is enough of a gap to rule it out with so many other things matching. Even the timeline works.

Their scars don't match up, the one above Randy's lip is very noticeable, but there isn't one on Long Beach. Other than that, they have a very close resemblance.

 

[MadMcGoo]

I say it can’t hurt. Nothing to lose in submitting him.

 

[apearn]

Does anyone have a full list of the groups that are doing DNA testing and/or Forensic Genealogy on these cold cases?

 

[carbuff]

you can google "licensed forensic genaologist" for one place to start

last I looked there were at least a hundred. That was a couple of years ago.

 

[Alleykins]

As far as labs, I know of DDP, Parabon, and Othram. I think there are more out there, but those 3 come to mind.

 

[carbuff]

As far as labs, I know of DDP, Parabon, and Othram. I think there are more out there, but those 3 come to mind.

Several state forensic units and a few county ones (Harris County Texas, for instance) have certified forensic labs or investigators.

There's also Bode and, um, Legacy Tree or something like that. Don't know how good they are.

There are also labs that specialize in only part of the process, like retrieving usable DNA from aged samples.

 

[Jlquick30]

I know people have looked at units with unicorns but just thinking... my husband was Army and was in the 4ID (comparable unit organization to 82nd Airborne, if we are assuming UID was a paratrooper with that group, for instance). Within 4ID though, my husband was 2nd Battalion and each of the 6-8 companies in the battalion had their own insignia and nickname - cobras, stallions, etc. Has anyone looked farther down the organizational chart for a Pegasus type mascot?

 

[Jlquick30]

Has anyone looked farther down the organizational chart for a Pegasus type mascot?

Replying to myself - the entire 82nd CAB of the 82nd Airborne is the Pegasus brigade. https://home.army.mil/bragg/index.php/units-tenants/xviii-airborne-co/82nd-airborne-division/82nd-combat-aviation-brigade

Memorial Day weekend is almost always a 4-day for enlisted personnel. I can see our UID going to Florida for the weekend and his unit thinking he just went AWOL when he never came back. It happens often. :/

 

[apearn]

[QUOTE="... Memorial Day weekend is almost always a 4-day for enlisted personnel. I can see our UID going to Florida for the weekend and his unit thinking he just went AWOL when he never came back. It happens often. :/[/QUOTE]

That is what I'm thinking.

 

[fred&edna]

This site may only be useful if there was a specific name to search, but maybe they can trace desertion/AWOL records for a specific time frame? 'Just throwing it out:

Space: Military Records | History Hub

 

[Laughing]

This site may only be useful if there was a specific name to search, but maybe they can trace desertion/AWOL records for a specific time frame? 'Just throwing it out:

Space: Military Records | History Hub

Oooohh, yeah, cool site!