SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 – The body of Pfc. Donald M. Born, a U.S. Soldier from Lancaster who went missing in action during the Korean War, was laid to rest 72 years later Aug. 30 under the care of Pennsylvania National Guard Soldiers.
“This shows our commitment to truly never forgetting those who came before us,” said 1st Sgt. Regina Miller, the casualty assistance officer for Born’s family. “All these years later, we are remembering our fallen, ensuring he receives a proper burial and honoring his family.”
Though the Army issued a presumptive finding of Born’s death on Dec. 31, 1953, remains that are recently identified are given the same respect due to those who are killed in action and the Army assigns CAOs to help family members.
“It’s very rare that I deliver good news,” said Miller. “Obviously, we remember and honor Pfc. Born for his sacrifice, but I think it brought some comfort to his family that his body was identified and that he could be given a proper burial and memorial.”
Before Born’s burial service at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, a funeral service was held in Lititz. During the funeral, Born was posthumously awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge, Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Korean Service Medal with bronze star, United Nations Service Medal, Army Occupation Service Medal, Republic of Korea Service Medal and Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation.
The awards were presented to Born’s family by Col. Francis Montgomery, the Pennsylvania National Guard’s director of military support.
During the burial service, the American flag was presented to Amber Hogan, Born’s great-niece, by the Pennsylvania National Guard Funeral Honors team.
Maj. Gen. Mark Schindler, the adjutant general of Pennsylvania, was present for the burial service, joined by Brig. Gen. Laura McHugh, deputy adjutant general-Army, and Command Sgt. Maj. Jon Worley, senior enlisted leader of the PA NG.
According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Born was a member of Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division in July 1950. His unit took part in defensive action near Chinju at the southern end of the Korean peninsula. Early the morning of July 30, the North Korean People’s Army launched a probing attack against Born’s unit, which withdrew to a new position. He went missing during the attack but was not reported as officially missing in action until a month later. Born was never listed as a prisoner of war.
Though his remains were recovered in 1951, they could not be definitively identified. He was buried as an Unknown at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii.
In March 2019, his remains were disinterred as part of the DPAA’s Korean War Disinterment Project. To identify Born’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis and circumstantial evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA analysis.
By Capt. Travis Mueller
Joint Force Headquarters – Pennsylvania National Guard