Burial set for Korean War Soldier “unknown” for decades

FORT KNOX, KY, UNITED STATES

08.13.2019

Story by William Costello 

U.S. Army Human Resources Command

A burial service is set for a U.S. Army soldier who died during the Korean War. The identity of his remains were unknown for nearly 70 years.

Army Pfc. Sterling Geary, Jr., 24, a native of Cooper, Texas, will be buried with full military honors on Thursday, in Dallas - Ft. Worth National Cemetery, Dallas, Texas.

Geary was a member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, when he was declared missing in action on Nov. 27, 1950 in the vicinity of Tong-dong Village, North Korea. An American prisoner of war reported that Geary had been captured by the Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces and died while being held at a prisoner of war camp. The U.S. Army declared him deceased as of March 31, 1951.

In October 2000, two joint Korean and U.S. Central Identification Laboratory Hawaii Recovery Operations excavated sites in Kujang County, North Korea, which is near Unsan County, and an area associated with individuals captured and sent to the same prisoner of war camp where Geary was reported to have died. Geary was positively identified on April 8, 2019.

To identify Geary’s remains, scientists from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA,) Y-chromosome STR DNA (Y-STR) and autosomal DNA (auSTR) analysis.

For more information about this service, contact Chamberland Funerals & Cremations, Garland, Texas, 972-276-0333.

• Date Taken: 08.13.2019
• Date Posted: 08.13.2019 14:59
• Story ID: 335732
• Location: FORT KNOX, KY, US
• Hometown: DALLAS, TX, US