To the calm, Mother Earth's
Waiting breast;
Duty done, Like the sun:
Going West.
Posted on 06/09/2008 9:29:09 PM PDT by Dubya
Soldier Missing In Action From Korean War Is Identified
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.
He is Sgt. 1st Class W.T. Akins, U.S. Army, of Decatur, Ga. He will be buried on June 26 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
Requesting prayer for the family, friends, and loved ones of Sgt. 1st Class W.T. Akins, U.S. Army, of Decatur, Ga..
Representatives from the Army met with Akins' next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process, and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the Secretary of the Army.
In November 1950, Akins was a member of the Medical Company, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division then occupying a defensive position near Unsan, North Korea north of a bend in the Kuryong River known as the Camel's Head. On Nov. 1, elements of two Chinese Communist Divisions struck the 1st Cavalry Division's lines, collapsing the perimeter and forcing a withdrawal. Akins was reported missing on Nov. 2, 1950 and was one of the more than 350 servicemen unaccounted-for from the battle at Unsan.
In April 2007, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (D.P.R.K.), acting through the intermediary of New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and former U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony Principi, repatriated to the United States six boxes of human remains believed to be those of U.S. soldiers. The D.P.R.K. reported that the remains were excavated in November 2006 near Unsan in North Pyongan Province.
Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA and dental comparisons in the identification of Akins' 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.
Requesting prayer for the family, friends, and loved ones of Sgt. 1st Class W.T. Akins, U.S. Army, of Decatur, Ga..
Praying that his family can now find some solice....
rest in peace...go with God......words fail me..
OK...His name ??
“W.T.”is not enough
What was this young mans name?
OK...His name ??
“W.T.”is not enough
What was this young mans name?
**
He’s home on American soil. Special thanks to the commies as well.
Before I crash and go to bed... I need to bump post.
“Special thanks to the commies as well.”
I don’t understand this comment..??
Truly, please explain... if you wish...
The commies (or North Koreans) could’ve kept his remains (or worse) on their side of the border, and we wouldn;t even know about it.
So.... no response. from you ..thats OK ..I saw that there were a lot of viewers to your post, but no responders...please don’t think that people don’t care....they do....your post hits home...the fear that their their fathers ,brothers and sons may not come home......
Goodnight my friend
Either your Stevie Wonder or you didn’t care to read post #8 before you pressed Enter/Send.
No I am not Stevie Wonder and I was typing my response and did not see your reply......I understand your anger....but why are you taking it out on me??
Is it because I am the only one who is there for to you to vent to??
Bump
Welcome home Sgt. Akins, thank you.
mrs
It always gives me hope when I hear of things like this. My uncle, RICHARD THOOS, is still MIA WWII.
Do you know for a FACT that is not his name? My cousin’s name is R.L. and I know someone named T.C. and they are not initials, those are their real first names. Just two letters and their last name, that is all.
Rest in Peace Sarge, and God Bless his Family.
William Thomas Akins Jr.
SOURCE: kwp.org
- Cathy Van Eck
Niece of SFC Thomas G Carr, POW, DIC 28 Feb 1951, Camp 5. Family DNA obtained. Waiting on results.
(”WT’s” page on my “Tribute To Soldiers Whose Remains Were Not (immediately or confirmed) Returned From Korea” on Ancestry.com: http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/person.aspx?tid=7501757&pid=-1040376551)
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