At Camp Casey, Korea, on Sept. 16, 2022, American Legion Post 38 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9985 held the 2022 National POW/MIA Recognition Day ceremony at the Rock Garden (front gate) honoring those serving who were held captive and those remaining missing. During the ceremony, the names of 23 MIAs accounted for in the past year were read out loud and a small flag representing each encircled the flagpole.
Since 1982, the remains of over 450 Americans missing from the Korean War have been identified and returned to their families for burial with full military honors. However, as of today 7,529 Americans and over 130,000 ROK soldiers are still unaccounted for. Additionally, North Korea abducted over 80,000 ROK civilians during the war and none have been returned since the signing of the armistice. As a nation, we will continue our steadfast efforts to bring them home and ensure “none are forgotten.”
The names of the 23 Americans missing from the Korean War who have been accounted for over this past year and made their final journey home:
CPL MARVIN ACTKINSON
SGT HOWARD BELDEN
PFC KENNETH BRIDGER
SFC JAMES COLEMAN
CPL DAVID DEFIBAUGH
SGT ROY DELAUTER
PFC DON DOWLER
SGT CHARLES GARRIGUS
CPL GEORGE GRIMES
CPL TOMMIE HANKS
PFC HARRY HARTMANN
CPL FRANCIS JURY
PFC JACK LILLEY
PFC MELVIN LITTLE BEAR
CPL DONALD MENKEN
PFC EDWARD REITER
PFC JIMMY ROWLAND
SGT ALFRED SIDNEY
PFC ADELAIDO SOLIS
PFC ROBERT WRIGHT
MSG MERRITT WYNN
PVT FELIX YANEZ
CPL WILLIAM ZOELLICK