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News Release

Press Release | Nov. 23, 2016

Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For (Hunt)

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.



Army Pfc. Daniel Hunt, 18, of Columbiaville, Michigan, will be buried Dec. 2 in Phoenix, Arizona. On Sept. 28, 1951, Hunt was a member of Company A, 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, in the vicinity of Hill 1030, conducting operations near an area referred to as Heartbreak Ridge. The Chinese launched an attack, which the company repelled. They were then ordered to move east and attack the enemy on Hill 867 nearby. Prior to their attack, the enemy launched a barrage of mortar fire against the Americans, and survivors withdrew to friendly lines. Following the withdrawal, Hunt was reported missing in action.



During an investigation by the U.S. Army Casualty office, three members of Hunt’s unit reported that he had been killed during the fight. Based on this information, the U.S. Army declared him deceased.



On Feb. 12, 2016, the Republic of Korea unilaterally turned over remains believed to be unaccounted-for Americans from the Korean War. The recovered remains were reported to have been found near Heartbreak Ridge.



To identify Hunt’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial, Y-chromosome short tandem repeat and autosomal DNA analysis, which matched two brothers, as well as anthropological analysis, which matched his records and circumstantial evidence.



Today, 7,780 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously returned by North Korean officials or recovered from North Korea by American recovery teams.



For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420.