Ellis R. Kerley

Who was Ellis R. Kerley?

Ellis R. Kerley was an American anthropologist, and pioneer in the field of Forensic anthropology, which is a field of expertise particularly useful to criminal investigators and for the identification of human remains for humanitarian purposes. Best known for his work in age dating of specimens, Kerley also made humanitarian contributions by identifying the remains of repatriated American soldiers from the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

Kerley published 40 papers during his lifetime and is considered by most to be a founding father of the science of Forensic anthropology. Kerley managed to take what was once considered a speculative field and transform it into a highly respected and scientifically accepted discipline. Kerley is most famous for his work in the identification of the remains of Josef Mengele, the former Nazi surgeon known as the "Butcher of Auschwitz".

Kerley served in the U.S. Army during World War II and later worked for the Army and the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. Kerley earned his B.A. from the University of Kentucky and his Masters and Phd. from the University of Michigan. Kerley was employed during the 1950s with the U.S. Army American Graves Registration Service identifying the remains of deceased soldiers from World War II and the Korean War.