Sarah E. Wagner is an anthropologist whose work examines the devastations of war, with a particular focus on forensic efforts to recover and identify victims of violence. Her writing explores the impacts of conflict in both the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Wagner's primary interest lies in a deep understanding of tragedy and finding ways to honor the memory of those lost. Her literary approach connects anthropological insight with urgent humanitarian need.
Nearly 1,600 Americans who took part in the Vietnam War are still missing and presumed dead. Sarah Wagner tells the stories of those who mourn and continue to search for them. Today's forensic science can identify remains from mere traces, raising expectations for repatriation and forcing a new reckoning with the toll of America's most fraught war.