WASHINGTON –
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced today that U.S. Army Pfc. James C. Bowman, 20, of Jordan, West Virginia, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for Sept. 25, 2024.
Bowman’s family recently received their full briefing on his identification, therefore, additional details on his identification can be shared.
In the winter of 1950, Bowman was assigned to K Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on Nov. 28 after his unit was attacked by Chinese People's Volunteer Army as the 31st Regimental Combat Team withdrew from Pungnyri Inlet of the Chosin Reservoir to Hagaru-ri, North Korea.
In September and October 1954, during Operation Glory, Chinese Communist Forces turned over remains to the United Nations Command, including one set, designated Unknown X-15647. These remains were reportedly recovered from the east side of the Chosin Reservoir, but could not be positivity identified as any unaccounted-for Soldier. Unknown X-15647 was subsequently buried as an Unknown in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii, also known as the Punchbowl.
In July 2018, the DPAA proposed a plan to disinter 652 Korean War Unknowns from the Punchbowl. In March 2021, DPAA personnel disinterred Unknown X-1564 as part of Phase Three of the Korean War Disinterment Plan and sent the remains to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.
To identify Bowman’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
Bowman’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.
Bowman will be buried in Fairmont, West Virginia, on a date yet to be determined.
For family and funeral information, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
To see the most up-to-date statistics on DPAA recovery efforts for those unaccounted for from the Korean War, go to the Korean War fact sheet on the DPAA website at: https://www.dpaa.mil/Resources/Fact-Sheets/Article-View/Article/569610/progress-on-korean-war-personnel-accounting/.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving their country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil or on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa, https://www.linkedin.com/company/dodpaa,
https://www.instagram.com/dodpaa/, or https://x.com/dodpaa.
Bowman’s personnel profile can be viewed at https://dpaa-mil.sites.crmforce.mil/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt0000003Pr8VEAS.
Read Bowman’s initial ID announcement here: Bowman.