Army Sgt. Thomas E. Zimmer, missing from the Korean War, has now been accounted for.
In late November, 1950, Zimmer was a member of Battery A, 57th Field Artillery Battalion, 31st Regimental Combat Team, 7th Infantry Division, on the east side of the Chosin River, North Korea, when Chinese People's Volunteer Forces (CPVF) attacked the regiment and forced the unit to withdraw to Hagaru-ri. Many soldiers became surrounded and attempted to escape, but were captured or killed. Zimmer was subsequently declared missing in action as a result of the battle that occurred Dec. 6, 1950.
Zimmer's name did not appear on any lists provided by the CPVF or the Korean People's Army as a prisoner of war, and no returning American prisoners were able to provide any information concerning Zimmer. Based on the lack of information, the U.S. Army declared him deceased as of Dec. 31, 1953.
In August and September 2004, an joint U.S. and Korean People's Army recovery team conducted a Joint Recovery Operation in the vicinity of the East Chosin Reservoir, where Zimmer went missing. The team recovered possible human remains and sent them to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.
Laboratory analysis and circumstantial evidence were used in the identification of his remains.
Interment services are pending.