Press Release | May 29, 2015

Marine Missing From Korean War Accounted For (McLaughlin)

The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Marine Corps Sgt. John McLaughlin, 19, of Pittsburgh, will be buried June 6, in his hometown. In early December 1950, McLaughlin and elements of Company D, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, occupied positions in Hagaru-ri, North Korea, on the southern end of the Chosin Reservoir. As elements of the 1st Marine Division began to withdraw from Hagaru-ri, Company D engaged a large Chinese force east of Hagaru-ri, that hindered the company’s withdrawal south to a more defensible position. During this battle, McLaughlin was reported killed in action.

In 1954, United Nations and Communist Forces exchanged the remains of war dead in what came to be called “Operation Glory.” All remains recovered in Operation Glory were turned over to the Army’s Central Identification Unit for analysis. The remains they were unable to identify were interred as unknowns at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii, known as the “Punchbowl.”

In 2012, with advances in technology, the Department of Defense (DoD) re-examined records and concluded that the possibility of identification of some of these unknowns now existed.

In the identification of McLaughlin’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence, dental analysis, and chest radiographs, which matched his records.

Today, 7,852 Americans remain unaccounted-for from the Korean War. Using modern technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously turned over by North Korean officials or recovered by American teams.

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil or call (703) 699-1420.

Press Release | May 21, 2015

Marine Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Ball)

The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Marine 1st Lt. Raymond O. Ball, 31, of Fort Laramie, Wyo., was buried May 19, in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington D.C. In November 1950, Ball was assigned to Company E, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, when his unit was engaged by a much larger enemy force on the western bank of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea. From Dec. 1-2, the Marine Division disengaged from the enemy and began a fighting withdrawal to a more defensible position south, but not before sustaining heavy losses. On Nov. 27, 1950, Ball was killed in action in the vicinity of Hill 1282, while fighting on the western side of the Chosin Reservoir; however, his remains were not recovered after the battle.

In 1954, United Nations and Communist Forces exchanged the remains of war dead in what came to be called “Operation Glory.” All remains recovered in Operation Glory were turned over to the Army Central Identification Unit for analysis. The remains they were unable to identify were interred as unknowns at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii, known as the “Punchbowl.”

In 2012, analysts from the Department of Defense reevaluated Ball’s records and determined that portions of the remains recovered from Operation Glory should be exhumed for identification.

To identify Ball’s remains, scientists from DPAA used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, such as radiograph comparison, which matched Ball’s records.

Today, 7,852 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously turned over by North Korean officials or recovered by American teams.

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans, who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil or call (703) 699-1420.

Press Release | May 18, 2015

Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Tingle)

The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. soldier, missing from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Army Pfc. Paul L. Tingle, 36, of Montpelier, Ohio, will be buried June 8, in his hometown. In late 1950, Tingle was assigned to Company I, 3rd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division (ID), which was deployed north and east of the town of Kujang, North Korea, when their defensive line was attacked by Chinese forces, forcing the unit to withdraw south to a more defensible position. Before they could disengage, the 2nd ID was forced to fight through a series of Chinese roadblocks, commonly known as the Gauntlet. Tingle was reported missing in action during the battle.

In 1953, returning American soldiers who had been held as prisoners of war reported that Tingle had been captured by Chinese forces and died in a prisoner of war camp known as Camp 5 in Pyokdong, North Korea.

Between 1991 and 1994, North Korea turned over to the U.S. 208 boxes of human remains believed to contain more than 400 U.S. servicemen who fought during the war. North Korean documents, turned over with some of the boxes, indicated that some of the remains were recovered from the vicinity where Tingle was believed to have died.

In July 2001, a joint U.S./D.P.R.K. team excavated a secondary burial site in a field near Kujang, where they recovered human remains. Those remains, and some of the remains turned over between 1991 and 1994, were identified as Tingle.

To identify Tingle’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, to include mitochondrial and autosomal DNA, which matched his sister and nephew.

Today, 7,852 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously turned over by North Korean officials or recovered by American recovery teams.

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans, who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil or call (703) 699-1420.

Press Release | May 18, 2015

Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Wing)

The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. soldier, missing from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Army Cpl. Richard L. Wing, 19, of Toledo, Ohio, will be buried June 5, in Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington D.C. In late November 1950, Wing was assigned to Company H, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, which was deployed north and southeast of the town of Kunu-ri, North Korea, when their defensive line was attacked by Chinese forces, forcing the unit to withdraw south to a more defensible position, near the town of Sunchon. Before they could disengage, the 1st Cavalry Division was forced to fight through a series of Chinese roadblocks, commonly known as the Gauntlet. Wing was reported missing in action after the battle.

In 1953, returning American soldiers who had been held as prisoners of war reported that Wing had been captured by Chinese forces in November 1950 near Kunu-ri, and died of dysentery in a prisoner of war camp known as Camp 5 in Pyokdong, North Korea.

Between 1991 and 1994, North Korea turned over to the U.S. 208 boxes of human remains believed to contain more than 400 U.S. servicemen who fought during the war. North Korean documents, turned over at that time, indicated that some of the remains were recovered from the vicinity where Wing was believed to have died.

To identify Wing’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, to include two forms of DNA analysis; mitochondrial DNA, which matched his sister and brother and Y-STR DNA, which matched his brother.

Today, 7,852 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously turned over by North Korean officials or recovered by American recovery teams.

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans, who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil or call (703) 699-1420.

Press Release | May 17, 2015

Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Lockett)

The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Army Cpl. Lindsey C. Lockett, 24, of Richmond, Va., will be buried April 25, in his hometown. In late 1950, Lockett and elements of Medical Detachment, 503rd Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, were occupying a position in the vicinity of Somin-dong, North Korea, when their unit was overwhelmed by Chinese forces. Lockett was reported missing Dec. 1, 1950.

In 1954, United Nations and Communist Forces exchanged the remains of war dead in what came to be called “Operation Glory.” All remains recovered in Operation Glory were turned over to the Army Central Identification Unit in Kokura, Japan for analysis. The unidentified remains were interred as unknowns at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii, known as the “Punchbowl.”

In 2014, with advances in technology, the Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii re-examined the records and concluded that the possibility of identification now existed.

In the identification of Lockett’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and chest radiography which matched his records.

Today, 7,852 Americans remain unaccounted-for from the Korean War. Using modern technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously turned over by North Korean officials or recovered by American teams.

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans, who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil or call (703) 699-1169.