Since 2022, Dr. Calvin Mires has partnered with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), which is charged with the solemn mission of providing the fullest possible accounting of these individuals to their families and the nation. Recovering unresolved casualty losses, especially those located at sea, demands a blend of scientific precision, logistical coordination, and ethical responsibility.
Dr. Mires has worked on operations across the Asia-Pacific region, including Guam, Chuuk, Thailand, and—most extensively—the Philippines, where more than 11,000 U.S. personnel remain unaccounted for, and an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 of those losses lie underwater.
Dr. Mires will examine how archaeological methods and emerging technologies are transforming the ability to search for, locate, and recover WWII loss sites. These projects represent some of the most demanding—and most meaningful—work of his career, blending science, history, and humanitarian commitment in service of America’s promise to leave no one behind.
Space is extremely limited; reserve your spot today!
This event is graciously sponsored by Austin and Mary Willis.Â
Dr. Calvin Mires is a maritime archaeologist and heritage specialist with nearly three decades of global experience documenting, interpreting, and protecting underwater cultural resources. His work bridges archaeology, marine science, and public storytelling, focusing on how underwater cultural heritage can deepen scientific understanding, inspire education, and connect communities to the past. As a Research Associate at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Mires helped establish WHOI’s interdisciplinary field of maritime heritage ecology, which investigates how submerged archaeological sites function as oases for biodiversity and evolve through natural and cultural processes over time. He also serves as a Lead Archaeologist for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), where he helps locate, identify, and excavate downed WWII aircraft to account for, recover, and repatriate missing U.S. service members. A dedicated educator and public communicator, Mires directs field schools, teaches at universities, develops outreach programs, and collaborates with museums, tribal partners, and marine sanctuaries to expand public engagement with underwater cultural heritage. His research has been published in International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, Journal of Maritime Archaeology, Historical Archaeology, Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, Trends in Ecology and Evolution, and Marine Ecology Progress Series. His latest book, Intertidal Shipwrecks: Management of a Historic Resource in an Unmanageable Environment, received the 2025 John R. Lyman Book Award in Nautical Archaeology and Maritime Archaeology Honorable Mention.
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Questions?Â
Contact Kayla Krieger at kayla.krieger@whoi.edu or 508-289-3152.
