Soldier Accounted For From Korean War (Jones, W.)

WASHINGTON  –   The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today Army Pfc. William H. Jones, 19, of Whitakers, North Carolina, was accounted for on Sept. 13, 2018.

In November 1950, Jones was a member of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, engaged in attacks against the Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces near Pakchon, North Korea. On Nov. 26, 1950, after his unit made a fighting withdrawal, he could not be accounted for and was reported missing in action.

Throughout the remainder of the war, the United Nations Command regularly requested that the CPVF and Korean People’s Army (KPA) provide lists of American and allied servicemen held in their custody. No lists provided included his name as a prisoner of war. Additionally, no returning American prisoners provided any information on Jones. Based on the lack of information, the U.S. Army declared him deceased as of Dec. 31, 1953, and his remains were reported as non-recoverable.

On June 12, 2018, President Donald Trump met with North Korea Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore, in the first meeting between the leaders of the United States and North Korea. The leaders signed a joint statement, including a commitment to return the remains American service members lost in North Korea.

On July 27, 2018, North Korea turned over 55 boxes, purported to contain the remains of American service members killed during the Korean War. The remains arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii on Aug. 1, 2018, and were subsequently accessioned into the DPAA laboratory for identification.

To identify Jones’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA), Y-chromosome (Y-STR) and autosomal (auSTR) DNA analysis, dental, anthropological and chest radiograph comparison analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence.

Today, 7,674 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. Jones’ 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 Casualty office at (800) 892-2490.

Jones will be buried Aug. 22, 2019, in Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington, D.C.

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) 699-1420/1169.

Jones’ personnel profile can be viewed at https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt000000h169GEAQ