News Releases

Soldier Accounted For From Korean War (Mares, C.)

Release No: 19-026 March 5, 2019
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WASHINGTON — The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Master Sgt. Charlie J. Mares, 30, of Waelder, Texas, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for on Feb. 4, 2019.

In July 1950, Mares was a member of Company C, 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, engaged in combat against the Korean People’s Army. Mares was reported missing in action following the battle, fought near Kwonbin-ni, South Korea, on July 31, 1950.

In May 1951, a set of remains located in the vicinity of where Mares was lost, arrived at the Central Identification Unit in Kokura, Japan. The remains, designated X-1273 Tanggok, could not be identified, and were transferred to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu, where they were buried as an Unknown.

In October 2018, DPAA disinterred Unknown X-1273 from the Punchbowl, and sent the remains to the laboratory for analysis.

To identify Mares’ remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological and chest radiograph comparison analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.

DPAA is grateful to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in this mission.

Today, 7,663 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. Mares’ name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with the others who are missing from the Korean War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

For family contact information, contact the Army Service Casualty office at (800) 892-2490.

Mares will be buried March 29, 2019, in Cistern, Texas.

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil or call (703) 699-1420/1169.

Mares’ personnel profile can be viewed at https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt000000BFeHcEAL

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