Gov. Beshear Recognizes Sacrifice of Kentucky Soldier Killed in Korean War

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Sept. 17, 2024) - Gov. Andy Beshear recognizes the sacrifice of a Kentucky soldier who was killed during the Korean War but who was not accounted for until May 10, 2024, and whose family was not fully briefed on the identification until recently.

"We owe a debt to those who are working so diligently to identify our unknown heroes from past wars," said Gov. Beshear. "While it is heartbreaking to learn about the loss of this Korean War soldier, it is also healing to be able to finally bring him home."

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Raymond E. Hall of Mountain Ash, Kentucky, was a member of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, in July 1950. He was originally reported missing in action on July 31 after his unit engaged in intensive combat actions against North Korean People's Army (NKPA) forces in the vicinity of Sunchon, Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Hall had actually been captured by enemy forces and was being transported north with other POWs when NKPA guards suddenly executed him and 65 other U.S. POWs in what would be called the "Sunchon Tunnel Massacre." The remains of the men were found by U.S. forces the following day and were transported to the United Nations Military Cemetery (UNMC) Pyongyang for temporary interment. Hall was initially identified by FBI fingerprint comparison while at UNMC, but Pyongyang had to be evacuated due to enemy activity and his remains were not recovered.

Following the war, in 1954, the opposing nations reached an agreement to exchange war dead, the execution of which was known as Operation GLORY. One set of Unknown remains, designated X-17101 OP GLORY, was not accompanied by any clothing, personal effects or any identification media. While Hall had been previously identified, U.S. Army Central Identification investigators could not correlate X-17101 with Hall at the time. Those remains were then sent to Hawaii where they were buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu.

In August 2017, DPAA personnel exhumed Unknown X-17101 from the Punchbowl and sent the remains to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.

To identify Hall's remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as chest radiograph comparison and circumstantial evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.

Hall's name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are still missing from the Korean War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Hall will be buried in Calverton, New York, on Oct. 21, 2024.

Gov. Beshear will order flags lowered to half-staff in honor of Hall on the day of interment.

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