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.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-03-31 19:09:002025-03-31 19:09:01Cpl. Lindsey C. Lockett
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Pitman)
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 Sgt. Arnold Pitman, 22, of Nebo, N.C., will be buried April 26, in Dysartville, N.C. In late 1950, Pitman was assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT), 7th Infantry Division. From Nov. 27 to Dec. 2, 1950, the 31st RCT, known historically as Task Force Faith, fought against enemy assaults in the vicinity east of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, where the 31st RCT suffered tremendous losses. Following the battle, Pitman was reported missing in action Dec. 12, 1950.
During Operation Glory in September 1954, the United Nations and Chinese forces exchanged remains of war dead, some of which were reportedly from the area where Pitman was lost.
To identify Pitman’s remains, scientists from DPAA used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including 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 buried as unknowns in American cemeteries, or those 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.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-03-31 19:08:152025-03-31 19:08:17Sgt. Arnold Pitman
Soldier Missing from Korean War Accounted For (Sturm)
The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Donald R. Sturm, 23, of Elmo, Mo., will be buried April 25, in St. Louis. In late November 1950, Sturm, while assigned to Company C, 19th Infantry Regiment (IR), 24th Infantry Division (ID), was engaged in fighting with enemy forces northwest of Anju, North Korea. After elements of the 19th IR withdrew to a more defensible position, he was reported missing in action Nov. 4, 1950, in the vicinity of Anju.
A soldier who returned after the Armistice was signed in 1953, told debriefers that Sturm had been captured on Nov. 4, 1950, and died from malnutrition and lack of medical care while in captivity at a prisoner of war camp, known as Camp 5, in Pyokdong, North Korea. His remains were not among those returned in 1954 during Operation Glory.
Between 1991 and 1994, North Korea turned over to the U.S. 208 boxes of human remains subsequently determined to be those of more than 400 U.S. servicemen lost during the war. North Korean documents, turned over at that time, indicated that some of the remains were recovered from the vicinity where Sturm was believed to have died.
In the identification of Sturm, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and two forms of DNA analysis; mitochondrial DNA and Y-STR DNA analysis, which matched his brothers.
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.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-03-31 19:07:462025-03-31 19:07:47Sgt. 1st Class Donald R. Sturm
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Andring)
The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency 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 Sgt. Arnold V. Andring, 24, of Gary, Minn., will be buried April 25, in Mahnomen, Minn. In early February 1951, Andring and elements of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment (IR), 2nd Infantry Division (ID), were occupying a position in the vicinity of Wonju, South Korea, when their unit was overwhelmed by Chinese forces. This attack caused the 9th IR to withdraw south to a more defensible position. Andring was reported missing after the attack.
In September 1953, as part of a prisoner of war exchange, known as Operation Big Switch, returning American soldiers who had been held as prisoners of war reported that Andring had been captured by Chinese forces. Reports indicated he died from malnutrition in a prisoner of war camp in Suan, North Korea. A military board later amended Andring’s status to deceased.
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 Andring was believed to have died.
In the identification of Andring’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including two forms of DNA analysis, mitochondrial DNA, which matched his sister and brother, and Y-Chromosome Short Tandem Repeat (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 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.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-03-31 19:07:162025-03-31 19:07:17Sgt. Arnold V. Andring
Airman Missing From Vietnam War Accounted For (Cooper)
The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Air Force Col. William E. Cooper, 45, of Dothan, Ala., will be buried April 23, in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C. On April 24, 1966, Cooper was the pilot of an F-105D Thunderchief conducting a daytime strike mission on a railroad bridge near the Thai Nguyen Industrial Complex in Vietnam, when his aircraft was struck by an enemy surface-to-air missile causing it to crash. Another pilot on the mission reported seeing Cooper eject from the aircraft before impact. He was initially carried in the status of missing in action. A military review board later amended his status to presumed killed in action.
On July 31, 1989, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) repatriated a box of remains to the U.S. that allegedly contained the remains of Cooper. Due to the state of technology at that time, the remains could not be identified.
On Oct. 31, 1993, a joint U.S./S.R.V. team surveyed a site associated with Cooper’s loss, but found no evidence of an aircraft; however, one local villager recalled seeing an American F-105 crash on April 24, 1966, about nine miles from the current site. The villager also reported that after the aircraft crashed, he went to the scene, where he helped bury the pilot’s remains and after the war helped a Vietnamese military official exhume the remains. The joint team then surveyed the purported crash site.
From April to November 1997, multiple joint U.S./S.R.V. teams excavated the purported crash site and possible burial site of Cooper. The team recovered human remains, as well as aircraft wreckage and crew-related materials. The support from Vietnam was vital to this recovery operation.
Between October 1995 and April 2013, samples of the remains were sent to the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) for analysis; however, due to state of technology, the remains could not be identified at that time. With the advances in technology, DPAA and AFDIL scientists re-examined the remains and were able to make an identification.
In the identification of Cooper, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including mitochondrial DNA, which matched his sisters’ DNA.
Today there are 1,628 American service members that are still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.
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.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-03-31 19:03:432025-03-31 19:03:45Col. William E. Cooper
Sailor Missing From Vietnam War Accounted For (Clark)
The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a serviceman missing from the Vietnam War have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Navy Lt. j.g. Richard C. Clark, 26, of Richland, N.D., will be buried April 18, in Tacoma, Wash. On Oct. 24, 1967, Clark was the radar intercept officer of an F-4B Phantom II that launched off of the USS Coral Sea on a combat air patrol mission over Vinh Phuc Province, Vietnam. While on patrol, the aircraft was struck by an enemy missile causing it to crash. The pilot of the aircraft successfully ejected from the aircraft and was captured by enemy forces; he was later returned to U.S. control. However, Clark, who could not be confirmed as having successfully ejected the aircraft, was carried as missing in action. A military review board later amended his status to presumed killed in action.
On Jan. 16, 1991, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) repatriated 11 boxes of remains to the U.S. that allegedly contained the remains of unaccounted for American servicemen. One box contained remains reportedly recovered in 1990 from the area where Clark’s aircraft crashed.
Between 1998 and 2002, joint U.S./S.R.V. teams investigated and excavated an F-4B crash site in Vinh Phuc Province. Vietnamese locals indicated that the crash site was the same site from which remains were recovered in 1990. The joint teams collected aircraft wreckage which correlated to Clark’s aircraft. The support from Vietnam was vital to this recovery operation.
In 2014, due to the advances in technology, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), a predecessor organization to DPAA, and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) re-examined the remains and made an identification.
In the identification of Clark, scientists from DPAA and the AFDIL used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including mitochondrial DNA, which matched his mother and sister.
Today there are 1,628 Americans still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War
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.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-03-31 19:02:072025-03-31 19:02:08Lt. j.g. Richard C. Clark
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Hurt)
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 Pfc. Norbert G. Hurt, 20, of Philadelphia, will be buried April 17, in Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington D.C. In late November 1950, Hurt was assigned to Company A, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT). The 31st RCT was deployed east of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, when it was attacked by overwhelming numbers of Chinese forces. On Nov. 29, 1950, remnants of the 31st RCT, known historically as Task Force Faith, began a fighting withdrawal to more defensible positions near Hagaru-ri, south of the reservoir. On Dec. 2, 1950, Hurt was reported as missing in action.
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 area where Hurt was believed to have died.
To identify Hurt’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools including mitochondrial DNA and Y-STR DNA analysis, which matched Hurt’s brothers.
Today, 7,852 Americans service members 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.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-03-31 19:01:302025-03-31 19:01:32Pfc. Norbert G. Hurt
Airman Missing From Vietnam War Accounted For (Chorlins)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Air Force Capt. Richard D. Chorlins, 24, of St. Louis, will be buried April 14, 2015, at the Air Force Academy in, Colorado Springs, Colo. On Jan. 11, 1970, Chorlins was the pilot of an A-1H Skyraider aircraft that crashed into a mountain while attacking enemy targets in Khammouan Province, Laos. Neither the forward controller directing the attack, nor Chorlins’ wingman saw him exit the aircraft before impact. Chorlins was reported as missing in action. A military review board later amended his status to dead, body not recovered.
From 1994 through 2013, joint U.S./ Lao People’s Democratic Republic and joint U.S./Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) teams investigated the A-1H loss both in Laos and Vietnam. Investigations revealed that the crash site was scavenged after the war, and all attempts to recover human remain were unsuccessful.
On Feb. 11, 2003, the Department of Defense (DoD) laboratory received a package labeled with Chorlins’ information from an American citizen, who had previously received the remains from a Vietnamese local living near Cam Ranh Bay. The remains received were too small to test for DNA at that time, but by 2014 advances in technology enabled the remains to be tested again by the Armed Forces Identification Laboratory (AFDIL).
In the identification of Chorlins, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched his mother.
Today there are 1,628 American service members that are still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.
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.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-03-31 19:00:592025-03-31 19:01:01Capt. Richard D. Chorlins
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.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-03-31 19:00:222025-03-31 19:00:23Cpl. Lindsey C. Lockett
Soldier Missing from Korean War Accounted For (Higgins)
The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency 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. Robert Higgins, 20, of Philadelphia, will be buried April 11, in New Town, Pa. In mid-February 1951, Higgins was assigned to Battery C, 15th Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division and was deployed near Hoengsong, South Korea, when their defensive line was attacked by Chinese forces. U.S. forces suffered more than 200 casualties and more than 100 men were taken prisoner. This battle is commonly known as the Hoengsong Massacre. During the battle, the unit was forced to withdraw south to a more defensible position. Higgins was reported as missing in action Feb. 13, 1951. While there are no reports naming Higgins as captured, more than 100 men from his unit were documented to have been captured and taken to 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.
In June 1999, a joint U.S./Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (D.P.R.K.) team excavated a burial site east-northeast of Kujang, North Korea, and recovered human remains. Bone samples from the remains were sent to the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) for analysis. This analysis revealed that Higgins’ remains were among those turned over by North Korea and among those recovered during excavation.
To identify Higgins’ remains, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence, radiograph comparison, mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched his cousin, and Y-chromosome Short Tandem Repeat (Y-STR) DNA analysis, which matched his 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, recovered by American recovery teams, or turned over by South Korean 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) 699-1169.
https://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpg00adminhttps://pow-mia-kia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/logo-300x200.jpgadmin2025-03-31 18:58:462025-03-31 18:58:48Cpl. Robert Higgins
Cpl. Lindsey C. Lockett
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | April 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.
Sgt. Arnold Pitman
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | April 16, 2015
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Pitman)
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 Sgt. Arnold Pitman, 22, of Nebo, N.C., will be buried April 26, in Dysartville, N.C. In late 1950, Pitman was assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT), 7th Infantry Division. From Nov. 27 to Dec. 2, 1950, the 31st RCT, known historically as Task Force Faith, fought against enemy assaults in the vicinity east of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, where the 31st RCT suffered tremendous losses. Following the battle, Pitman was reported missing in action Dec. 12, 1950.
During Operation Glory in September 1954, the United Nations and Chinese forces exchanged remains of war dead, some of which were reportedly from the area where Pitman was lost.
To identify Pitman’s remains, scientists from DPAA used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including 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 buried as unknowns in American cemeteries, or those 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.
Sgt. 1st Class Donald R. Sturm
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | April 15, 2015
Soldier Missing from Korean War Accounted For (Sturm)
The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Donald R. Sturm, 23, of Elmo, Mo., will be buried April 25, in St. Louis. In late November 1950, Sturm, while assigned to Company C, 19th Infantry Regiment (IR), 24th Infantry Division (ID), was engaged in fighting with enemy forces northwest of Anju, North Korea. After elements of the 19th IR withdrew to a more defensible position, he was reported missing in action Nov. 4, 1950, in the vicinity of Anju.
A soldier who returned after the Armistice was signed in 1953, told debriefers that Sturm had been captured on Nov. 4, 1950, and died from malnutrition and lack of medical care while in captivity at a prisoner of war camp, known as Camp 5, in Pyokdong, North Korea. His remains were not among those returned in 1954 during Operation Glory.
Between 1991 and 1994, North Korea turned over to the U.S. 208 boxes of human remains subsequently determined to be those of more than 400 U.S. servicemen lost during the war. North Korean documents, turned over at that time, indicated that some of the remains were recovered from the vicinity where Sturm was believed to have died.
In the identification of Sturm, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and two forms of DNA analysis; mitochondrial DNA and Y-STR DNA analysis, which matched his brothers.
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.
Sgt. Arnold V. Andring
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | April 15, 2015
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Andring)
The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency 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 Sgt. Arnold V. Andring, 24, of Gary, Minn., will be buried April 25, in Mahnomen, Minn. In early February 1951, Andring and elements of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment (IR), 2nd Infantry Division (ID), were occupying a position in the vicinity of Wonju, South Korea, when their unit was overwhelmed by Chinese forces. This attack caused the 9th IR to withdraw south to a more defensible position. Andring was reported missing after the attack.
In September 1953, as part of a prisoner of war exchange, known as Operation Big Switch, returning American soldiers who had been held as prisoners of war reported that Andring had been captured by Chinese forces. Reports indicated he died from malnutrition in a prisoner of war camp in Suan, North Korea. A military board later amended Andring’s status to deceased.
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 Andring was believed to have died.
In the identification of Andring’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including two forms of DNA analysis, mitochondrial DNA, which matched his sister and brother, and Y-Chromosome Short Tandem Repeat (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 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.
Col. William E. Cooper
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | April 15, 2015
Airman Missing From Vietnam War Accounted For (Cooper)
The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Air Force Col. William E. Cooper, 45, of Dothan, Ala., will be buried April 23, in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C. On April 24, 1966, Cooper was the pilot of an F-105D Thunderchief conducting a daytime strike mission on a railroad bridge near the Thai Nguyen Industrial Complex in Vietnam, when his aircraft was struck by an enemy surface-to-air missile causing it to crash. Another pilot on the mission reported seeing Cooper eject from the aircraft before impact. He was initially carried in the status of missing in action. A military review board later amended his status to presumed killed in action.
On July 31, 1989, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) repatriated a box of remains to the U.S. that allegedly contained the remains of Cooper. Due to the state of technology at that time, the remains could not be identified.
On Oct. 31, 1993, a joint U.S./S.R.V. team surveyed a site associated with Cooper’s loss, but found no evidence of an aircraft; however, one local villager recalled seeing an American F-105 crash on April 24, 1966, about nine miles from the current site. The villager also reported that after the aircraft crashed, he went to the scene, where he helped bury the pilot’s remains and after the war helped a Vietnamese military official exhume the remains. The joint team then surveyed the purported crash site.
From April to November 1997, multiple joint U.S./S.R.V. teams excavated the purported crash site and possible burial site of Cooper. The team recovered human remains, as well as aircraft wreckage and crew-related materials. The support from Vietnam was vital to this recovery operation.
Between October 1995 and April 2013, samples of the remains were sent to the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) for analysis; however, due to state of technology, the remains could not be identified at that time. With the advances in technology, DPAA and AFDIL scientists re-examined the remains and were able to make an identification.
In the identification of Cooper, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including mitochondrial DNA, which matched his sisters’ DNA.
Today there are 1,628 American service members that are still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.
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.
Lt. j.g. Richard C. Clark
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | April 10, 2015
Sailor Missing From Vietnam War Accounted For (Clark)
The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a serviceman missing from the Vietnam War have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Navy Lt. j.g. Richard C. Clark, 26, of Richland, N.D., will be buried April 18, in Tacoma, Wash. On Oct. 24, 1967, Clark was the radar intercept officer of an F-4B Phantom II that launched off of the USS Coral Sea on a combat air patrol mission over Vinh Phuc Province, Vietnam. While on patrol, the aircraft was struck by an enemy missile causing it to crash. The pilot of the aircraft successfully ejected from the aircraft and was captured by enemy forces; he was later returned to U.S. control. However, Clark, who could not be confirmed as having successfully ejected the aircraft, was carried as missing in action. A military review board later amended his status to presumed killed in action.
On Jan. 16, 1991, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) repatriated 11 boxes of remains to the U.S. that allegedly contained the remains of unaccounted for American servicemen. One box contained remains reportedly recovered in 1990 from the area where Clark’s aircraft crashed.
Between 1998 and 2002, joint U.S./S.R.V. teams investigated and excavated an F-4B crash site in Vinh Phuc Province. Vietnamese locals indicated that the crash site was the same site from which remains were recovered in 1990. The joint teams collected aircraft wreckage which correlated to Clark’s aircraft. The support from Vietnam was vital to this recovery operation.
In 2014, due to the advances in technology, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), a predecessor organization to DPAA, and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) re-examined the remains and made an identification.
In the identification of Clark, scientists from DPAA and the AFDIL used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including mitochondrial DNA, which matched his mother and sister.
Today there are 1,628 Americans still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War
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.
Pfc. Norbert G. Hurt
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | April 9, 2015
Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Hurt)
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 Pfc. Norbert G. Hurt, 20, of Philadelphia, will be buried April 17, in Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington D.C. In late November 1950, Hurt was assigned to Company A, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT). The 31st RCT was deployed east of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, when it was attacked by overwhelming numbers of Chinese forces. On Nov. 29, 1950, remnants of the 31st RCT, known historically as Task Force Faith, began a fighting withdrawal to more defensible positions near Hagaru-ri, south of the reservoir. On Dec. 2, 1950, Hurt was reported as missing in action.
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 area where Hurt was believed to have died.
To identify Hurt’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools including mitochondrial DNA and Y-STR DNA analysis, which matched Hurt’s brothers.
Today, 7,852 Americans service members 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.
Capt. Richard D. Chorlins
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | April 7, 2015
Airman Missing From Vietnam War Accounted For (Chorlins)
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Air Force Capt. Richard D. Chorlins, 24, of St. Louis, will be buried April 14, 2015, at the Air Force Academy in, Colorado Springs, Colo. On Jan. 11, 1970, Chorlins was the pilot of an A-1H Skyraider aircraft that crashed into a mountain while attacking enemy targets in Khammouan Province, Laos. Neither the forward controller directing the attack, nor Chorlins’ wingman saw him exit the aircraft before impact. Chorlins was reported as missing in action. A military review board later amended his status to dead, body not recovered.
From 1994 through 2013, joint U.S./ Lao People’s Democratic Republic and joint U.S./Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) teams investigated the A-1H loss both in Laos and Vietnam. Investigations revealed that the crash site was scavenged after the war, and all attempts to recover human remain were unsuccessful.
On Feb. 11, 2003, the Department of Defense (DoD) laboratory received a package labeled with Chorlins’ information from an American citizen, who had previously received the remains from a Vietnamese local living near Cam Ranh Bay. The remains received were too small to test for DNA at that time, but by 2014 advances in technology enabled the remains to be tested again by the Armed Forces Identification Laboratory (AFDIL).
In the identification of Chorlins, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched his mother.
Today there are 1,628 American service members that are still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.
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.
Cpl. Lindsey C. Lockett
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | April 1, 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.
Cpl. Robert Higgins
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | March 31, 2015
Soldier Missing from Korean War Accounted For (Higgins)
The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency 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. Robert Higgins, 20, of Philadelphia, will be buried April 11, in New Town, Pa. In mid-February 1951, Higgins was assigned to Battery C, 15th Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division and was deployed near Hoengsong, South Korea, when their defensive line was attacked by Chinese forces. U.S. forces suffered more than 200 casualties and more than 100 men were taken prisoner. This battle is commonly known as the Hoengsong Massacre. During the battle, the unit was forced to withdraw south to a more defensible position. Higgins was reported as missing in action Feb. 13, 1951. While there are no reports naming Higgins as captured, more than 100 men from his unit were documented to have been captured and taken to 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.
In June 1999, a joint U.S./Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (D.P.R.K.) team excavated a burial site east-northeast of Kujang, North Korea, and recovered human remains. Bone samples from the remains were sent to the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) for analysis. This analysis revealed that Higgins’ remains were among those turned over by North Korea and among those recovered during excavation.
To identify Higgins’ remains, scientists from DPAA and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence, radiograph comparison, mitochondrial DNA analysis, which matched his cousin, and Y-chromosome Short Tandem Repeat (Y-STR) DNA analysis, which matched his 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, recovered by American recovery teams, or turned over by South Korean 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) 699-1169.