Remains of a U.S. serviceman have been identified as a south Arkansas native who was declared missing in action more than 65 years ago during the Korean War.
On Sept. 6, 1950, Army Sgt. Donald Baker, 20, of Thornton was reported missing in action after a battle near Haman, South Korea, the Defense POW MIA Accounting Agency said in a statement Tuesday.
Baker was a member of Company H, 2nd Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division.
A set of unidentified remains found Jan. 6, 1951, southwest of Haman, South Korea, were interred at the United Nations Military Cemetery in Masan, South Korea.
In January 1955, as a result of lack of evidence, they were declared unidentifiable and were transferred to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.
Until Jan. 25 of this year, the remains had been labeled as "Unknown X-209 Masan," the agency said.
Baker's remains, disinterred Oct. 30, 2017, were identified using chest radiograph comparison, which matched his records, as well as dental and anthropological analysis, the release said.
The agency said Baker will be buried June 19 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with full military honors.
Metro on 06/13/2018