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FORT KNOX, Ky. – The remains of U.S. Army Sgt. Orace J. Mestas, 22, a Soldier killed during the Korean War, will be interred Jun 20 at Trinidad Catholic Cemetery. Mullare-Murphy Funeral Home will perform graveside services preceding the interment.
A native of Trinidad, Colorado, Mestas was a member of I Company, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He went missing in action April 25, 1951, after his unit was attacked near Chip’o-ri, North Korea.
Mestas was accounted for by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency Jan. 31, 2024.
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.
For additional information about Sgt. Mestas, go to: https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/ID-Announcements/Article/4162685/soldier-accounted-for-from-korean-war-mestas-o/
Media interested in covering and/or obtaining more information about the funeral and interment should contact Mullare-Murphy Funeral Home, 719-846-2281.
| Date Taken: | 06.17.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.17.2025 11:35 |
| Story ID: | 500808 |
| Location: | FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY, US |
| Hometown: | TRINIDAD, CO |
| Hometown: | PUEBLO, COLORADO, US |
| Hometown: | RATON, NEW MEXICO, US |
| Web Views: | 50 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Remains of Korean War Soldier to be buried in Trinidad, Colorado, by William Costello, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
