64 years after death, Korean
War vet to be laid to rest in Greenville Co.
Read more: http://www.foxcarolina.com/story/28535741/korean-war-vet-killed-in-action-to-be-laid-to-rest-in-greenville-co#ixzz3UhvuIQTW
Read more: http://www.foxcarolina.com/story/28535741/korean-war-vet-killed-in-action-to-be-laid-to-rest-in-greenville-co#ixzz3UhvuIQTW
GREENVILLE, SC (FOX
Carolina) -
A
veteran is finally coming home to the Upstate 64 years after he was killed in
the Korean War. The family of Army Pfc. John Russell Bowers learned just a few
months ago his remains had been recovered in North Korea.
The Piedmont native's last days were spent in a North Korean prisoner of war camp. It is presumed Bowers lost his life after being injured in an accidental air raid, according to records from the U.S. Army.
He died in 1951, but his remains were never recovered.
The Piedmont native's last days were spent in a North Korean prisoner of war camp. It is presumed Bowers lost his life after being injured in an accidental air raid, according to records from the U.S. Army.
He died in 1951, but his remains were never recovered.
His
nephew, Neal Collins, never knew him.
"My mom has been working with the Korean War Project and it's in conjunction with the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command," said Collins. "They've been working for the last decade and I believe the project has been over two decades long of trying to find bodies and then positively identifying them."
"My mom has been working with the Korean War Project and it's in conjunction with the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command," said Collins. "They've been working for the last decade and I believe the project has been over two decades long of trying to find bodies and then positively identifying them."
Collins'
mother, who also lives in the Upstate and is Bowers' youngest sister, was born
three years after he was killed.
"My mom for the past handful of years has been attending conferences and just a few years ago she submitted her DNA," said Collins.
"My mom for the past handful of years has been attending conferences and just a few years ago she submitted her DNA," said Collins.
The family received a call last Christmas Eve
that the remains of their lost relative had been recovered through DNA matches,
dental and skeletal records.
Collins comes from a family of veterans, some of which did not live to have closure over Bowers' death. The remains will come home to South Carolina on Thursday. They will be brought to GSP Airport around 1 p. m. There will be a salute at the airport.
The funeral will then be held at Greenville Memorial Gardens on Saturday, March 21, starting at 1 p. m.
Collins will be buried next to his parents.
Copyright 2015 FOX Carolina (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.
Collins comes from a family of veterans, some of which did not live to have closure over Bowers' death. The remains will come home to South Carolina on Thursday. They will be brought to GSP Airport around 1 p. m. There will be a salute at the airport.
The funeral will then be held at Greenville Memorial Gardens on Saturday, March 21, starting at 1 p. m.
Collins will be buried next to his parents.
Copyright 2015 FOX Carolina (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.
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