Korean War Soldier lost in 1950 returns to Ireland for burial

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES

06.09.2026

Story by Daniela Vestal 

U.S. Army Human Resources Command

FORT KNOX, Ky. – The remains of U.S. Army Sgt. Thomas J. O’Brien, 23, who died as a prisoner of war during the Korean War, will be cremated in Newhall, California before returning to his hometown of Emly, Ireland for interment.

In late 1950, O’Brien was a member of Headquarters Battery, 90th Field Artillery Battalion, Division Artillery, 25th Infantry Division. He was reported killed in action by tank fire on Oct. 26, 1950, after his unit was attacked by Korean People’s Army forces while moving through the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea). Following the end of hostilities, there was no information to suggest O’Brien was being held as a prisoner of war, and there was no body recovered.

O’Brien was one of 28 Irish-born service members who did not survive service in the Korea War.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency accounted for O’Brien on Sept. 27, 2024.

For more information on DPAA’s efforts to locate and identify O’Brien, please visit: [https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/ID-Announcements/Article/4337243/soldier-accounted-for-from-korean-war-smith-l/](https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/ID-Announcements/Article/3932532/soldier-accounted-for-from-korean-war-obrien-t/)

U.S. Army Human Resources Command’s Past Conflict Repatriations Branch plays a vital role in the process of identifying, locating and contacting subsequent generation family members of Soldiers missing or killed in action during WWII and the Korean War to positively identify previously undiscovered or unknown remains.

Media interested in covering and/or obtaining more information about the funeral and interment should contact Eternal Valley Memorial Park & Mortuary, 661-259-0800.

• Date Taken: 06.09.2026
• Date Posted: 06.12.2026 10:54
• Story ID: 567563
• Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, US