Military historian John Plotkin has uncovered new details about a previously forgotten Long Island serviceman killed during World War II, though one mystery about the case remains unresolved. Plotkin told reporters that without seeing a related article, he would never have known the serviceman existed.

The discovery highlights ongoing efforts to identify and commemorate service members whose stories have been lost to time. Details about the specific circumstances of the serviceman's death and service record have emerged through Plotkin's research, though the historian has not disclosed what particular aspect of the case continues to puzzle investigators.

In a separate identification case, police are continuing their decades-long effort to determine the identity of a man whose remains were discovered by campers in wooded area in 2015. The body had been in the location for 22 years before its discovery, making identification particularly challenging.

Authorities report they remain no closer to identifying the deceased man despite ongoing investigative efforts. Dental forensic work has been identified as potentially crucial to solving the case, with experts suggesting the victim's dental characteristics could provide unique identifying information.

Both cases demonstrate the persistent challenges faced by investigators and historians in identifying individuals from past decades, whether military personnel or civilian victims of crime.