Another Comes Home
DPAA has identified and accounted for the following formerly-missing US soldier.
From Korea
• PFC William W. Cowan, M Company, 3rd Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 12 February 1951 in South Korea. He was accounted for on 23 September 2016.
Welcome back, elder brother-in-arms. Our apologies that your return took so long.
Rest in peace. You’re home now.
. . .
Over 73,000 US personnel remain unaccounted for from World War II; over 7,800 US personnel remain unaccounted for from the Korean War; and over 1,600 remain unaccounted for in Southeast Asia (SEA). Comparison of DNA from recovered remains against DNA from some (but not all) blood relatives can assist in making a positive ID for unidentified remains that have already been recovered, or which may be recovered in the future.
On their web site’s “Contact Us” page, DPAA now has FAQs. The answer to one of those FAQs describes who can and cannot submit DNA samples useful in identifying recovered remains. The chart giving the answer can be viewed here. The text associated with the chart is short and can be viewed in DPAA’s FAQs.
If your family lost someone in one of these conflicts and you qualify to submit a DNA sample, please arrange to submit one. By doing that you just might help identify the remains of a US service member who’s been repatriated but not yet been identified – as well as a relative of yours, however distant. Or you may help to identify remains to be recovered in the future.
Everybody deserves a proper burial. That’s especially true for those who gave their all while serving this nation.
Category: No Longer Missing
Welcome home Brother.
On 10/11 February 1951, in sub-zero temperature, the Chinese 40th and 66th armies and the North Korean V Corps launched an attack that was signaled with bugles, whistles, and the beating of drums. (Korea 1951-53, John Miller, et al.) It was bloody hell. PVT Cowan’s 3rd Battalion was effectively surrounded and its perimeter infiltrated. The Chinese infiltrators were repulsed but, after “furious battle” (after-action report) ammo ran short. A tank platoon was sent in to support and replenish them but was stopped cold. 3rd battalion requested an air drop, which was effected, but the ammo fell outside if the perimeter and into enemy hands. Several companies lost all of their officers and 1st SGTS, as well as many NCOs. The result of that was that records were entirely lost, soldiers were unaccounted for, and changes were recommended to how and where records would be maintained. At some point in that battle, PVT Cowan, perhaps out of ammo, perhaps wounded, was taken prisoner and later died in captivity. He was 20 or 21 years old, a farm boy from Sumner, TN, it strongly appears. Today, we remember William Cowan and the sacrifice he and his fellow soldiers made in a god awful place. And we are grateful he is returned.
Welcome home brother. Rest in peace in your home soil now. God be with your family.
He went off to war and never came home. For decades, his mortal remains were unknown. They are now known. So, just read his name, maybe say it aloud. Remember him. He deserves that much.
Despite all else we are fortunate to live in a country that tries to get all home no matter how long it takes or what stands in the way.
Welcome home
You were gone but never forgotten, Brother.