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    Remains of World War II Soldier to be buried in Emporia, Kansas

    FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY, UNITED STATES

    11.01.2024

    Story by Fonda Bock 

    U.S. Army Human Resources Command

    FORT KNOX, Ky. – The remains of Army Sgt. John O. Herrick, a Soldier killed during World War II, will be interred Nov. 11 at Maplewood Memorial Lawn Cemetery, Emporia, Kansas. Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home will perform graveside services preceding the interment.

    A native of Emporia, Herrick served in Company B, 149th Engineer Combat Battalion, in the European Theater. He was killed in action June 6,1944, at age 21, when the landing craft carrying him and members of his unit was destroyed during the assault on Omaha Beach, in Normandy, France.

    Herrick was accounted for by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency Aug. 21, 2023, after his remains were exhumed in summer 2021 from Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer, France, for laboratory analysis and identification.

    The Past Conflict Repatriations Branch, under the Army Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operations Division at the U.S. Army Human Resources Command, Fort Knox, Kentucky, plays a key role in the process of locating Family members of missing Soldiers from WWII, the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

    The process begins with locating the Family member most closely related to the missing Soldier, known as the primary next of kin, followed by a request for Family reference samples or DNA, which are used as a main source in identifying remains.

    Once a Soldier has been identified by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner, the PCRB notifies and briefs the Family about the results of historical, forensic and DNA reports, benefits and the mortuary process including burial with full military honors.

    Media interested in covering and/or obtaining more information about the funeral and interment should contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490 and/or Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home, 620-342-2134.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 11.01.2024
    Date Posted: 11.01.2024 12:53
    Story ID: 484454
    Location: FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY, US
    Hometown: EMPORIA, KANSAS, US
    Hometown: TOPEKA, KANSAS, US
    Hometown: WICHITA, KANSAS, US

    Web Views: 45
    Downloads: 0

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