Soldier Accounted For From Korean War (Murphy, D.)

Release No: 19-166 Oct. 31, 2019
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WASHINGTON — The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Sgt. Donald L. Murphy, 20, of San Diego, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for Sept. 3, 2019.

(This identification was initially published Sept. 5, 2019.)

In late 1950, Murphy was a member of Company A, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 31st Regimental Combat Team. He was reported missing in action Dec. 2, 1950, when his unit engaged against enemy forces near the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea. His remains could not be recovered following the battle.

On July 27, 2018, following the summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un in June 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 Murphy’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), Y-chromosome DNA (Y-STR) and autosomal DNA (auSTR) analysis.

Today, 7,607 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously returned by Korean officials, recovered from Korea by American recovery teams or disinterred from unknown graves. Murphy’s 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 information, contact the Army Casualty office at (800) 892-2490.

Murphy will be buried Nov. 9, 2019 in San Diego.

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.

Murphy’s personnel profile can be viewed at
https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt000000cCRNDEA4