Vietnam Veteran Identified Nearly Half a Century After Disappearance

Advanced DNA technology solves the mystery of skeletal remains found in Arizona in 1975, confirming the identity of Gerald Francis Long.

Remains were discovered by farmers chasing a runaway pig near Flagstaff, sparking a decades-long investigation.
Forensic genetic genealogy played a crucial role in identifying the remains as those of Gerald Francis Long, a Vietnam War veteran.
Long had been missing since 1972 after telling his family he was heading to the West Coast from Minnesota.
Despite the identification, the cause of Long's death remains undetermined.
The breakthrough provides closure to Long's family, ending a nearly 50-year period of uncertainty.