For information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, call (703) 699-1169 or visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo.

Recent updates are marked with an asterisk*

May 1, 2009

Patrick J. Arthur

Patrick J Arthur, from Broken Bow, NE, has been identified and his remains are being returned and buried at Arlington Cemetary on May 1, 2009.

In attendance at his reburial was our President, Fred Liddell, Ollie (Obie) Wickersham, Phil O’Brien and Ollie Wickersham’s niece and family. This is all the information we have on Patrick Arthur’s return.

From Fred Liddell: May 1st, Obis Wickersham and I were present at Arlington National Cemetery to participate in the reburial of Patrick J. Arthur, H & H Co. 2ndBn,38 Inf, 2 Div. We had buried him at the Mining Camp, July 8, 1951. Somehow or another, the North Koreans must have dug up the Suan Area and sent a lot of remains to JPAC in the 90’s. There are over 260 bones in the human body. DNA testing does not really go as fast as it does on TV, so it took awhile but we were told most of the bones were returned and “POP” Arthur was buried in a class A uniform with all of his medals, from a Silver Star and three Purple Hearts on down. When we buried him in Korea, I put a dog tag in his mouth. That and his dental work were found, anyway he is home and with the expanded facilities at JPAC, more will be pieced together and get the burial that they deserve, hope a fully burial.

April 16, 2009

*PFC David Woodruff

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. He is Pfc. David Woodruff, U.S. Army, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. He was buried on April 22 in St. Louis, Mo.

Woodruff was assigned to Company K, 3rd Battalion, 9th Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. In early 1951, the 2nd ID was augmented by Republic of Korea (R.O.K.) forces and was occupying positions near Hoengsong, South Korea. On February 11, the Chinese Army launched a massive attack on the U.S. line, overwhelming R.O.K. forces and exposing the American flank. The 2nd ID was forced to withdraw to the south and Woodruff was captured by enemy forces. He died in, or near, one of the North Korean prison camps in Suan County, North Hwanghae Province.

Between 1991-94, North Korea turned over to the U.S. 208 boxes of remains believed to contain the remains of 200-400 U.S. servicemen. One box turned over in 1991 contained Woodruff’s military identification tag, and a box turned over in 1992 contained remains recovered from Suan County.

April 3, 2009

*CPL Samuel C. Harris, Jr., CPL Lloyd D. Stidham, CPL Robert G. Schoening

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of four U.S. servicemen, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to their families for burial with full military honors. They are Cpl. Samuel C. Harris, Jr., of Rogersville, Tenn; Cpl. Lloyd D. Stidham, of Beattyville, Ky.; Cpl. Robert G. Schoening, of Blaine, Wash; and one serviceman whose name is being withheld pending a briefing to his family. All men were U.S. Army.

Harris was buried April 10 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C., Stidham was buried April 13 in Nicholasville, Ky., and Schoening was buried June 19 in Arlington.

These Soldiers were assigned to Company C, 65th Combat Engineer Battalion, 25th Infantry Division. On Nov. 25, 1950, Company C came under intense enemy attack when it was occupying a position near Hill 222 situated south of the Kuryong River east of the “Camel’s Head” bend, North Korea. The men were reported missing in action on November 27.

In 2000, a joint U.S./Democratic People’s Republic of Korea team, led by JPAC, excavated a site overlooking the Kuryong River in P’yongan-Pukto Province where U.S. soldiers were believed to be buried. One soldier who was also recovered there with this group, 1st Lt. Dixie Parker, was previously identified and buried in December 2007 in Arlington.

Feb. 17, 2009

Sgt. Stanley E. Baylor

Sgt. Stanley E. Baylor, U.S. Army, of Webster, N.Y., has been identified and his remains returned to his family for buriel. His funeral will be held on Aug. 1 in Warsaw, N.Y.

Baylor was assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. On Nov. 1, 1950, the 8th Cavalry was occupying a defensive position near Unsan, North Korea in an area known as the “Camel’s Head,” when elements of two Chinese Communist Forces divisions struck the 1st Cavalry Division’s lines, collapsing the perimeter and forcing a withdrawal. The 3rd Battalion was surrounded and effectively ceased to exist as a fighting unit. Baylor was reported missing on Nov. 2, 1950 and was one of the more than 350 servicemen unaccounted-for from the battle at Unsan.

Between 1991-94, North Korea gave the U.S. 208 boxes of remains believed to contain the remains of 200-400 U.S. servicemen. Accompanying North Korean documents indicated that some of the remains were exhumed near Chonsung-Ri, Unsan County. This location correlates with Baylor’s last known location.

Jan. 12, 2009

*SGT. Dougall H. Espey, Jr.

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. He is Sgt. Dougall H. Espey, Jr., U.S. Army, of Mount Laurel, N.J. He was buried April 3 in Elmira, N.Y.

Espey was assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. On Nov. 1, 1950, the 8th Cavalry was occupying a defensive position near Unsan, North Korea in an area known as the “Camel’s Head,” when elements of two Chinese Communist Forces divisions struck the 1st Cavalry Division’s lines, collapsing the perimeter and forcing a withdrawal. The 3rd Battalion was surrounded and effectively ceased to exist as a fighting unit. Espey was one of the more than 350 servicemen unaccounted-for from the battle at Unsan.

Between 1991-94, North Korea turned over to the U.S. 208 boxes of remains believed to contain the remains of 200-400 U.S. servicemen. North Korean documents turned over with several boxes in 1993 indicated that the remains from those boxes were exhumed near Chonsung-Ri, Unsan County. This location correlates with Espey’s last known location. Back to Top

See information about the POWs/MIAs that were returned in 2008.

See information about the POWs/MIAs that were returned June-December 2007.

See information about the POWs/MIAs that were returned January - May 2007.

See information about the POWs/MIAs that were returned in 2006.