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Defense POW/MIA Accounting AgencyFulfilling Our Nation's Promise

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## News Release

# Soldier Missing From Korean War Identified (Barker)

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced todaythat the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have beenidentified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Army Sgt. William T. Barker, 21, of Rockwall, Texas, will be buried August 15, inKilleen, Texas. In late November 1950, Barker, and elements of the 2nd Infantry Division wereattacked by Chinese forces near Kunu-ri, North Korea. On Dec. 1, 1950, Barker, along withmany other American soldiers, was listed as missing in action as a result of that heavy fighting.

In 1953, returning Americans who had been held as prisoners of war reported that Barkerhad been captured by the Chinese, and died in February of 1951 as a result of malnutrition whilein a prisoner of war camp known as “Camp 5” at Pyoktong, North Korea.

Between 1991 and 1994, North Korea gave the United States 208 boxes of remainsbelieved to contain the remains of 200-400 U.S. servicemen. North Korean documents, turnedover with some of the boxes, indicated that some of the human remains were recovered fromNorth Phyongan Province, where Barker was believed to have been held in “Camp 5.”

To identify the remains, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command andthe Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial evidence, forensicidentification tools such as dental records and mitochondrial DNA – which matched Barker’ssisters.

Today, more than 7,900 Americans remain unaccounted-for from the Korean War.Identifications continue to be made from the remains that were returned to the United States,using forensic and DNA technology.

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missingAmericans, visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.

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