Soldier Missing in Action From Korean War Identified (Sluss)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. William R. Sluss, 21, of Nickelsville, Va., will be buried Feb. 18, in Gate City, Va. In late November 1950, Sluss and elements of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division were attacked by Chinese forces near Kunu-ri, North Korea. On Nov. 30, 1950, Sluss, along with many other American soldiers, was listed as missing in action as a result of that heavy fighting. In 1953, returning Americans who had been held as prisoners of war reported that Sluss had been captured by the Chinese, and died in the spring of 1951 as a result of malnutrition while in a prisoner of war camp in North Phyongan Province, North Korea.
Between 1991 and 1994, North Korea gave the United States 208 boxes of remains believed to contain the remains of 200-400 U.S. servicemen. North Korean documents, turned over with some of the boxes, indicated that some of the human remains were recovered from North Phyongan Province, where Sluss was believed to have been held in “Camp 5.”
To identify the remains, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial evidence, forensic identification tools such as dental records and radiographs, and mitochondrial DNA – which matched Sluss’s brother and sister.
Today, more than 7,900 Americans remain unaccounted-for from the Korean War. Identifications continue to be made from the remains that were returned to the United States, using forensic and DNA technology.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo 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.jpgadmin2025-03-30 21:50:172025-03-30 21:50:19Cpl. William R. Sluss
Soldier Missing in Action From Korean War is Identified (Porter)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Pfc. George A. Porter, 21, of Philadelphia, will be buried Jan. 27, in Somerton, Pa. On Feb. 11, 1950, Porter and the Battery B, 15th Field Artillery Battalion were supporting South Korean forces in a major offensive near Hoengsong, South Korea when Chinese forces attacked in what became known as the “Hoengsong Massacre.” Porter and more than 100 men were taken as prisoners. Following the war, Porter’s remains were not accounted for.
Between 1991 and 1994, North Korea gave the United States 208 boxes of remains believed to contain the remains of 200-400 U.S. servicemen. North Korean documents, turned over with some of the boxes, indicated that some of the human remains were recovered in Suan County, which had been the location of the Suan Mining and Bean camps, where Porter was believed to have been held. A metal identification tag bearing Porter’s name was included among the remains.
Scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, as well as mitochondrial DNA – which matched that of Porter’s sister and nephew – in the identification of the remains.
Today, more than 7,900 Americans remain unaccounted-for from the Korean War. Identifications continue to be made from the remains that were returned to the United States, using forensic and DNA technology.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo 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.jpgadmin2025-03-30 21:49:372025-03-30 21:49:38Pfc. George A. Porter
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Sgt. Willie D. Hill, 20, of Catawba, N.C., will be buried Jan. 21 in his hometown. In late November 1950, the U.S. IX Corps was advancing north through North Korea in a push to the Yalu River. A battle unfolded as Chinese forces attacked elements of three U.S. Infantry Divisions. Hill and the G Company of the 24th Infantry Regiment, a “Buffalo Soldier” formation, held vital terrain near the junction of the 25th Division and the adjacent 2nd Division. On Nov. 26, Hill and members of the G Company were encircled by Chinese forces and suffered heavy losses. On Nov. 27, Hill was reported as missing in action near Anju, North Korea.
In 1998, a joint U.S./Democratic People’s Republic of Korea recovery team was informed by a local farmer of a burial site from 1950, believed to be an American soldier. The site, on a wooded hill in Kujang County, P’yongan Province, correlated closely with the area where Hill had been lost. The team excavated the site and recovered human remains and buttons from an American military uniform. In 2001, the remains were submitted to the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) for DNA testing.
Scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence, forensic identification tools, and mitochondrial DNA – which matched that of Hill’s cousins—in the identification of the remains.
Today, more than 7,900 Americans remain unaccounted-for from the Korean War. Identifications continue to be made from the remains that were returned to the United States, using forensic and DNA technology.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo 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.jpgadmin2025-03-30 21:49:052025-03-30 21:49:07Sgt. Willie D. Hill
U.S. Soldier Missing From Korean War Identified (Roy)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family with full military honors.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Charles A. Roy, 42, of Henderson, Ky., will be returned to his family on Jan. 17, for a memorial ceremony in Blue Springs, Mo. On Nov. 5, 1950, Roy was reported missing in action after his unit, Battery A, 61st Field Artillery Battalion, was overrun by Chinese forces near Pakchon, North Korea. In August 1953, several returned U.S. prisoners of war reported Roy had been captured by Chinese forces, and died in April 1951 from malnutrition and lack of medical care while in the prisoner of war camp known as “Camp 5,” near the Chinese/North Korean border.
In 1954, communist forces returned the remains of more than 3,000 U.S. servicemen who had died in POW camps, and on the battle field, in what was called “Operation Glory.” Given the technology of the times, Roy, and many other men, were not able to be identified, and their remains were buried as “unknown” in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.
In 2009, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) re-examined Roy’s records and concluded that because of advances in identification technology, the remains could be exhumed and identified. Along with forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC used radiograph records in the identification of the remains.
Today, more than 7,900 Americans remain unaccounted-for from the Korean War. Identifications continue to be made from the remains that were returned to the United States, using forensic and DNA technology.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at www.dtic.mil/dpmo 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.jpgadmin2025-03-30 21:48:302025-03-30 21:48:31Sgt. 1st Class Charles A. Roy
Soldier Missing From Korean War Identified (Tucker)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Cpl. Robert J. Tucker, 27, of Princeton, Ind., will be buried Jan. 15, in Patoka, Ind. On Nov. 25, 1950, Tucker and the 2nd Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Division, were attacked by the Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces near Kujan, North Korea. The Americans had been deployed in a defensive line that ran east-west across the center of North Korea. Tucker was listed as missing in action the day after the attack. In 1954, after the war, surviving POWs said Tucker died of a gunshot wound on Nov. 27, 1950.
In 2001, a joint U.S./Democratic People’s Republic of Korea team interviewed a local witness who told them of a burial site of three Americans. The team investigated and then conducted an excavation of the site in Kujan County, North Korea. The site correlated to the location of the 24th Infantry Regiment on Nov. 27, 1950. The team recovered human remains, military uniforms, and other evidence. In 2009, the remains were submitted for DNA testing.
Among forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used dental comparisons and mitochondrial DNA – which matched that of Tucker’s sister and niece – in the identification of the remains.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo 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.jpgadmin2025-03-30 21:47:582025-03-30 21:48:00Cpl. Robert J. Tucker
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman from World War II have been identified and are being returned to the family with full military honors.
Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Hilding R. Johnson, 20, of Sacramento, Calif., will be returned to his family this week to be honored in a private memorial ceremony this summer. On Dec. 25, 1944, Johnson was flying a bombing mission near St. Vith, Belgium, when his P-47D Thunderbolt aircraft crashed after being struck by German anti-aircraft fire. The pilot of an additional U.S. aircraft flying in the mission reported that no parachute was observed when Johnson’s aircraft went down. After the war, an investigation conducted by U.S. Army Graves Registration personnel was not able to locate the crash site.
In August 2006, a group of German citizens located the crash site on the edge of a forest near Setz, Belgium. The group notified Johnson’s niece, and together they excavated the site and recovered human remains in 2008. The remains were turned over to the Joint Personnel Accounting Command (JPAC) for further analysis and DNA testing. In 2011, a JPAC team completed the excavation of the crash site and recovered additional human remains, aircraft wreckage, and military equipment. The serial number on a .50-caliber machine gun found at the site correlated with a weapon on Johnson’s aircraft.
Among forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC used mitochondrial DNA — which matched that of Johnson’s niece and grandniece — in the identification of his remains.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died. At the end of the war, the U.S. government was unable to recover and identify approximately 79,000 Americans. Today, more than 73,000 remain unaccounted-for from the conflict.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo 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.jpgadmin2025-03-30 21:47:192025-03-30 21:47:212nd Lt. Hilding R. Johnson
Soldier Missing From Korean War Identified (Bowen)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Sgt. Joseph A. Bowen, 19, of Augusta, Ga., will be buried Jan. 7 in Hephzibah, Ga., near his hometown. On Nov. 30, 1950, he was assigned to the 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT) in North Korea. Elements of the 31st RCT were attacked and encircled by Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces along the east side of the Chosin Reservoir. The team, also known as Task Force Faith, regrouped and worked southward to more defensible positions near Hagaru-ri, while enemy forces continued to amass in the area. Bowen, killed by enemy fire on at a base camp within the Sinhung Perimeter, was among more than 1,000 soldiers reported as killed, missing or captured during the course of the battle. In the days that followed, the 31st RCT and other friendly forces set out to withdraw from the Chosin Reservoir to the port of Hungnam, where they were evacuated by the U.S. Navy.
In 2001, joint U.S. and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), conducted two excavations of a mass grave near the Chosin Reservoir. The site correlated closely with defensive positions held by the 31st RCT at the time of the Chinese attacks. The teams recovered remains believed to be those of 11 U.S. servicemen.
Among forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used dental comparisons and mitochondrial DNA – which matched that of Bowen’s sisters—in the identification of the remains.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo 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.jpgadmin2025-03-30 21:46:522025-03-30 21:46:54Sgt. Joseph A. Bowen
U.S. Soldier Missing From Korean War Identified (Alvarez)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. Agustin Alvarez, 22, of Los Angeles, Calif., will be buried on Dec. 17, in his hometown. In November 1950, Alvarez and soldiers from the Heavy Mortar Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, were forced to withdraw during a battle on the eastern side of the Chosin Reservoir, near Kaljon-ri, North Korea. Alvarez and many other men were taken as prisoners of war at that time.
Following the end of the Korean War, returned prisoners reported that Alvarez had died from wounds and lack of medical care while in enemy hands, sometime in December 1950. In the fall of 1954, during Operation Glory, Communist forces turned over remains of U.S. servicemen who died in the Korean War, but Alvarez was not included among those remains.
Between 1991 and 1994, North Korea gave the United States 208 boxes of remains believed to contain the remains of 200-400 U.S. servicemen. North Korean documents, turned over with some of the boxes, indicated that some of the human remains were recovered near Kaljon-ri, where Alvarez been held as a prisoner of war. Metal identification tags that were included with the remains bore Alvarez’s name and service number.
Along with forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and AFDIL used mitochondrial DNA – which matched that of Alvarez’s nephew—in the identification of the remains.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
U.S. Soldier Missing From Korean War Identified (Troche)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Pfc. Maximo A. Troche, 24, of New York, will be buried on Dec. 17, in Hartsdale, N.Y. On Feb. 4, 1951, Troche and soldiers from the I Company, 3rd Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, fought against Communist forces near Yangpyeong, Kyonggi Province, South Korea. After the battle, Troche was listed as missing in action.
Following the end of the Korean War, returned prisoners reported that Troche had been held as a prisoner of war in Suan Bean Camp in North Korea, and died from dysentery sometime in April 1951. In the fall of 1954, during Operation Glory, Communist forces turned over remains of U.S. servicemen who died in the Korean War, but Troche was not included among those remains.
On Dec. 21, 1993, North Korea gave the United Nations Command 34 boxes believed to contain the remains of U.S. servicemen. The remains were recovered from Suan County, North Hwanghae Province, North Korea, which is where Troche had reportedly died as a prisoner of war. In 1996, the remains could not be identified given the technology of the time.
Along with forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and AFDIL used dental records and mitochondrial DNA – which matched that of Troche’s cousins—in the identification of the remains.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at www.dtic.mil/dpmo 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.jpgadmin2025-03-30 21:14:492025-03-30 21:14:50Pfc. Maximo A. Troche
Airman Missing In Action From WWII Identified (Bono)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. John J. Bono, 28, of Denver, will be buried on Dec. 2 in his hometown. On Sept. 13, 1944, Bono and eight other crew members were on a B-17G Flying Fortress that crashed near Neustaedt-on-the-Werra, Germany. Only one of the crewmen is known to have successfully parachuted out of the aircraft before in crashed. The remaining eight crewmen were buried by German forces in a cemetery in Neustaedt.
Following the war, U.S. Army Graves Registration personnel attempted to recover the remains of the eight men, but were only able to move the remains of one man to a U.S. military cemetery in Holland. In 1953, with access to eastern Germany restricted by the Soviet Union, the remains of the seven unaccounted for crewmen were declared Non-Recoverable.
In 1991, a German national who was digging a grave in the cemetery in Neustaedt, discovered a metal U.S. military identification tag and notified officials. The U.S. Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) was not able to gain access to the site until 2007, and in 2008 excavated the area within the cemetery, and recovered human remains, and additional metal identification tags from three of the crewmembers, including Bono.
To identify Bono’s remains, scientists from the JPAC used forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, including dental comparisons. Additionally, the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA—which matched that of Bono’s cousin and niece—in the identification of his remains.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died. At the end of the war, the U.S. government was unable to recover and identify approximately 79,000 Americans. Today, more than 73,000 are unaccounted for from the conflict.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo 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.jpgadmin2025-03-30 21:13:292025-03-30 21:13:31Staff Sgt. John J. Bono
Cpl. William R. Sluss
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Feb. 13, 2012
Soldier Missing in Action From Korean War Identified (Sluss)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. William R. Sluss, 21, of Nickelsville, Va., will be buried Feb. 18, in Gate City, Va. In late November 1950, Sluss and elements of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division were attacked by Chinese forces near Kunu-ri, North Korea. On Nov. 30, 1950, Sluss, along with many other American soldiers, was listed as missing in action as a result of that heavy fighting. In 1953, returning Americans who had been held as prisoners of war reported that Sluss had been captured by the Chinese, and died in the spring of 1951 as a result of malnutrition while in a prisoner of war camp in North Phyongan Province, North Korea.
Between 1991 and 1994, North Korea gave the United States 208 boxes of remains believed to contain the remains of 200-400 U.S. servicemen. North Korean documents, turned over with some of the boxes, indicated that some of the human remains were recovered from North Phyongan Province, where Sluss was believed to have been held in “Camp 5.”
To identify the remains, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial evidence, forensic identification tools such as dental records and radiographs, and mitochondrial DNA – which matched Sluss’s brother and sister.
Today, more than 7,900 Americans remain unaccounted-for from the Korean War. Identifications continue to be made from the remains that were returned to the United States, using forensic and DNA technology.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1420.
Pfc. George A. Porter
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Jan. 23, 2012
Soldier Missing in Action From Korean War is Identified (Porter)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Pfc. George A. Porter, 21, of Philadelphia, will be buried Jan. 27, in Somerton, Pa. On Feb. 11, 1950, Porter and the Battery B, 15th Field Artillery Battalion were supporting South Korean forces in a major offensive near Hoengsong, South Korea when Chinese forces attacked in what became known as the “Hoengsong Massacre.” Porter and more than 100 men were taken as prisoners. Following the war, Porter’s remains were not accounted for.
Between 1991 and 1994, North Korea gave the United States 208 boxes of remains believed to contain the remains of 200-400 U.S. servicemen. North Korean documents, turned over with some of the boxes, indicated that some of the human remains were recovered in Suan County, which had been the location of the Suan Mining and Bean camps, where Porter was believed to have been held. A metal identification tag bearing Porter’s name was included among the remains.
Scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, as well as mitochondrial DNA – which matched that of Porter’s sister and nephew – in the identification of the remains.
Today, more than 7,900 Americans remain unaccounted-for from the Korean War. Identifications continue to be made from the remains that were returned to the United States, using forensic and DNA technology.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
Sgt. Willie D. Hill
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Jan. 18, 2012
Soldier Missing From Korean War Identified (Hill)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Sgt. Willie D. Hill, 20, of Catawba, N.C., will be buried Jan. 21 in his hometown. In late November 1950, the U.S. IX Corps was advancing north through North Korea in a push to the Yalu River. A battle unfolded as Chinese forces attacked elements of three U.S. Infantry Divisions. Hill and the G Company of the 24th Infantry Regiment, a “Buffalo Soldier” formation, held vital terrain near the junction of the 25th Division and the adjacent 2nd Division. On Nov. 26, Hill and members of the G Company were encircled by Chinese forces and suffered heavy losses. On Nov. 27, Hill was reported as missing in action near Anju, North Korea.
In 1998, a joint U.S./Democratic People’s Republic of Korea recovery team was informed by a local farmer of a burial site from 1950, believed to be an American soldier. The site, on a wooded hill in Kujang County, P’yongan Province, correlated closely with the area where Hill had been lost. The team excavated the site and recovered human remains and buttons from an American military uniform. In 2001, the remains were submitted to the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) for DNA testing.
Scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and AFDIL used circumstantial evidence, forensic identification tools, and mitochondrial DNA – which matched that of Hill’s cousins—in the identification of the remains.
Today, more than 7,900 Americans remain unaccounted-for from the Korean War. Identifications continue to be made from the remains that were returned to the United States, using forensic and DNA technology.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1420.
Sgt. 1st Class Charles A. Roy
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Jan. 12, 2012
U.S. Soldier Missing From Korean War Identified (Roy)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family with full military honors.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Charles A. Roy, 42, of Henderson, Ky., will be returned to his family on Jan. 17, for a memorial ceremony in Blue Springs, Mo. On Nov. 5, 1950, Roy was reported missing in action after his unit, Battery A, 61st Field Artillery Battalion, was overrun by Chinese forces near Pakchon, North Korea. In August 1953, several returned U.S. prisoners of war reported Roy had been captured by Chinese forces, and died in April 1951 from malnutrition and lack of medical care while in the prisoner of war camp known as “Camp 5,” near the Chinese/North Korean border.
In 1954, communist forces returned the remains of more than 3,000 U.S. servicemen who had died in POW camps, and on the battle field, in what was called “Operation Glory.” Given the technology of the times, Roy, and many other men, were not able to be identified, and their remains were buried as “unknown” in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.
In 2009, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) re-examined Roy’s records and concluded that because of advances in identification technology, the remains could be exhumed and identified. Along with forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC used radiograph records in the identification of the remains.
Today, more than 7,900 Americans remain unaccounted-for from the Korean War. Identifications continue to be made from the remains that were returned to the United States, using forensic and DNA technology.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
Cpl. Robert J. Tucker
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Jan. 11, 2012
Soldier Missing From Korean War Identified (Tucker)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Cpl. Robert J. Tucker, 27, of Princeton, Ind., will be buried Jan. 15, in Patoka, Ind. On Nov. 25, 1950, Tucker and the 2nd Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Division, were attacked by the Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces near Kujan, North Korea. The Americans had been deployed in a defensive line that ran east-west across the center of North Korea. Tucker was listed as missing in action the day after the attack. In 1954, after the war, surviving POWs said Tucker died of a gunshot wound on Nov. 27, 1950.
In 2001, a joint U.S./Democratic People’s Republic of Korea team interviewed a local witness who told them of a burial site of three Americans. The team investigated and then conducted an excavation of the site in Kujan County, North Korea. The site correlated to the location of the 24th Infantry Regiment on Nov. 27, 1950. The team recovered human remains, military uniforms, and other evidence. In 2009, the remains were submitted for DNA testing.
Among forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used dental comparisons and mitochondrial DNA – which matched that of Tucker’s sister and niece – in the identification of the remains.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
2nd Lt. Hilding R. Johnson
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Jan. 9, 2012
Airman Missing From WWII Identified (Johnson)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman from World War II have been identified and are being returned to the family with full military honors.
Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Hilding R. Johnson, 20, of Sacramento, Calif., will be returned to his family this week to be honored in a private memorial ceremony this summer. On Dec. 25, 1944, Johnson was flying a bombing mission near St. Vith, Belgium, when his P-47D Thunderbolt aircraft crashed after being struck by German anti-aircraft fire. The pilot of an additional U.S. aircraft flying in the mission reported that no parachute was observed when Johnson’s aircraft went down. After the war, an investigation conducted by U.S. Army Graves Registration personnel was not able to locate the crash site.
In August 2006, a group of German citizens located the crash site on the edge of a forest near Setz, Belgium. The group notified Johnson’s niece, and together they excavated the site and recovered human remains in 2008. The remains were turned over to the Joint Personnel Accounting Command (JPAC) for further analysis and DNA testing. In 2011, a JPAC team completed the excavation of the crash site and recovered additional human remains, aircraft wreckage, and military equipment. The serial number on a .50-caliber machine gun found at the site correlated with a weapon on Johnson’s aircraft.
Among forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC used mitochondrial DNA — which matched that of Johnson’s niece and grandniece — in the identification of his remains.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died. At the end of the war, the U.S. government was unable to recover and identify approximately 79,000 Americans. Today, more than 73,000 remain unaccounted-for from the conflict.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1420.
Sgt. Joseph A. Bowen
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Jan. 4, 2012
Soldier Missing From Korean War Identified (Bowen)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Sgt. Joseph A. Bowen, 19, of Augusta, Ga., will be buried Jan. 7 in Hephzibah, Ga., near his hometown. On Nov. 30, 1950, he was assigned to the 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT) in North Korea. Elements of the 31st RCT were attacked and encircled by Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces along the east side of the Chosin Reservoir. The team, also known as Task Force Faith, regrouped and worked southward to more defensible positions near Hagaru-ri, while enemy forces continued to amass in the area. Bowen, killed by enemy fire on at a base camp within the Sinhung Perimeter, was among more than 1,000 soldiers reported as killed, missing or captured during the course of the battle. In the days that followed, the 31st RCT and other friendly forces set out to withdraw from the Chosin Reservoir to the port of Hungnam, where they were evacuated by the U.S. Navy.
In 2001, joint U.S. and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), conducted two excavations of a mass grave near the Chosin Reservoir. The site correlated closely with defensive positions held by the 31st RCT at the time of the Chinese attacks. The teams recovered remains believed to be those of 11 U.S. servicemen.
Among forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used dental comparisons and mitochondrial DNA – which matched that of Bowen’s sisters—in the identification of the remains.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
Cpl. Agustin Alvarez
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Dec. 14, 2011
U.S. Soldier Missing From Korean War Identified (Alvarez)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Cpl. Agustin Alvarez, 22, of Los Angeles, Calif., will be buried on Dec. 17, in his hometown. In November 1950, Alvarez and soldiers from the Heavy Mortar Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, were forced to withdraw during a battle on the eastern side of the Chosin Reservoir, near Kaljon-ri, North Korea. Alvarez and many other men were taken as prisoners of war at that time.
Following the end of the Korean War, returned prisoners reported that Alvarez had died from wounds and lack of medical care while in enemy hands, sometime in December 1950. In the fall of 1954, during Operation Glory, Communist forces turned over remains of U.S. servicemen who died in the Korean War, but Alvarez was not included among those remains.
Between 1991 and 1994, North Korea gave the United States 208 boxes of remains believed to contain the remains of 200-400 U.S. servicemen. North Korean documents, turned over with some of the boxes, indicated that some of the human remains were recovered near Kaljon-ri, where Alvarez been held as a prisoner of war. Metal identification tags that were included with the remains bore Alvarez’s name and service number.
Along with forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and AFDIL used mitochondrial DNA – which matched that of Alvarez’s nephew—in the identification of the remains.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
Pfc. Maximo A. Troche
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Dec. 14, 2011
U.S. Soldier Missing From Korean War Identified (Troche)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Pfc. Maximo A. Troche, 24, of New York, will be buried on Dec. 17, in Hartsdale, N.Y. On Feb. 4, 1951, Troche and soldiers from the I Company, 3rd Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, fought against Communist forces near Yangpyeong, Kyonggi Province, South Korea. After the battle, Troche was listed as missing in action.
Following the end of the Korean War, returned prisoners reported that Troche had been held as a prisoner of war in Suan Bean Camp in North Korea, and died from dysentery sometime in April 1951. In the fall of 1954, during Operation Glory, Communist forces turned over remains of U.S. servicemen who died in the Korean War, but Troche was not included among those remains.
On Dec. 21, 1993, North Korea gave the United Nations Command 34 boxes believed to contain the remains of U.S. servicemen. The remains were recovered from Suan County, North Hwanghae Province, North Korea, which is where Troche had reportedly died as a prisoner of war. In 1996, the remains could not be identified given the technology of the time.
Along with forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and AFDIL used dental records and mitochondrial DNA – which matched that of Troche’s cousins—in the identification of the remains.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
Staff Sgt. John J. Bono
Recently IdentifiedPress Release | Nov. 28, 2011
Airman Missing In Action From WWII Identified (Bono)
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. John J. Bono, 28, of Denver, will be buried on Dec. 2 in his hometown. On Sept. 13, 1944, Bono and eight other crew members were on a B-17G Flying Fortress that crashed near Neustaedt-on-the-Werra, Germany. Only one of the crewmen is known to have successfully parachuted out of the aircraft before in crashed. The remaining eight crewmen were buried by German forces in a cemetery in Neustaedt.
Following the war, U.S. Army Graves Registration personnel attempted to recover the remains of the eight men, but were only able to move the remains of one man to a U.S. military cemetery in Holland. In 1953, with access to eastern Germany restricted by the Soviet Union, the remains of the seven unaccounted for crewmen were declared Non-Recoverable.
In 1991, a German national who was digging a grave in the cemetery in Neustaedt, discovered a metal U.S. military identification tag and notified officials. The U.S. Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) was not able to gain access to the site until 2007, and in 2008 excavated the area within the cemetery, and recovered human remains, and additional metal identification tags from three of the crewmembers, including Bono.
To identify Bono’s remains, scientists from the JPAC used forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, including dental comparisons. Additionally, the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA—which matched that of Bono’s cousin and niece—in the identification of his remains.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died. At the end of the war, the U.S. government was unable to recover and identify approximately 79,000 Americans. Today, more than 73,000 are unaccounted for from the conflict.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1420.