A U.S. Army private will be buried next week at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, more than 70 years after he was killed during the Korean War.Donald Born’s remains were recently identified. His family members, who live in Lancaster County, say it finally brings closure.Riverview Cemetery in Lancaster is where you’ll find a headstone for Born. His body was not buried there, just clothing.Born, who was 19, was reported missing in action in August 1950 during the Korean War. He had been in the country less than 30 days.”I think either he was killed by heavy tank action or a lot of machine gun fire,” family member David Hogan said.The government declared him dead in 1953 since it was unable to locate the body.The family held a memorial service on April 4, 1954. A typewritten program still survives.Family members always wondered what became of the young soldier, even those who never knew him. “My grandmother always had a picture of him where she lived, and I used to often think, ‘Well, who is that?’ I didn’t really know,” said Deborah Seiz, Born’s niece.At the request of the U.S. Army, Seiz and her mother – Born’s half-sister – provided DNA samples.”Just swab the inside of your cheek, put it in the little package they send,” Seiz said.In June, the Army notified the family that remains had been positively identified as Born.”I think it’s amazing that from 72 years ago, they can take your DNA and they can determine who you were from bones. That is amazing to me,” Seiz said.The Army gave the family an extensive booklet detailing where Born’s remains were found and how they were identified.”It’s exciting. It’s awesome. It’s just been a whole journey,” said Amber Hogan, Born’s great-niece.The remains took quite a journey. The body was initially buried in South Korea, then recovered and moved. The remains were eventually buried as an unknown at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu, Hawaii. They were exhumed in 2019 for the analysis that led to the identification.Born’s final resting place will be Indiantown Gap National Cemetery. He will be buried with full military honors. “Getting to bring him home, going through the proper services, will definitely be closure for us,” Hogan said.A rosette will be placed next to his name on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, indicating he has been accounted for.Born’s remains are due to arrive Friday evening at Philadelphia International Airport and will then be transported to the Charles F. Snyder Funeral Home in Lancaster.A group of veterans on motorcycles is expected to be at the funeral home to greet him.Born’s funeral is scheduled for Tuesday at the funeral home, followed by the burial.
A U.S. Army private will be buried next week at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, more than 70 years after he was killed during the Korean War.
Donald Born’s remains were recently identified. His family members, who live in Lancaster County, say it finally brings closure.
Riverview Cemetery in Lancaster is where you’ll find a headstone for Born. His body was not buried there, just clothing.
Born, who was 19, was reported missing in action in August 1950 during the Korean War. He had been in the country less than 30 days.
“I think either he was killed by heavy tank action or a lot of machine gun fire,” family member David Hogan said.
The government declared him dead in 1953 since it was unable to locate the body.
The family held a memorial service on April 4, 1954. A typewritten program still survives.
Family members always wondered what became of the young soldier, even those who never knew him.
“My grandmother always had a picture of him where she lived, and I used to often think, ‘Well, who is that?’ I didn’t really know,” said Deborah Seiz, Born’s niece.
At the request of the U.S. Army, Seiz and her mother – Born’s half-sister – provided DNA samples.
“Just swab the inside of your cheek, put it in the little package they send,” Seiz said.
In June, the Army notified the family that remains had been positively identified as Born.
“I think it’s amazing that from 72 years ago, they can take your DNA and they can determine who you were from bones. That is amazing to me,” Seiz said.
The Army gave the family an extensive booklet detailing where Born’s remains were found and how they were identified.
“It’s exciting. It’s awesome. It’s just been a whole journey,” said Amber Hogan, Born’s great-niece.
The remains took quite a journey. The body was initially buried in South Korea, then recovered and moved. The remains were eventually buried as an unknown at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu, Hawaii. They were exhumed in 2019 for the analysis that led to the identification.
Born’s final resting place will be Indiantown Gap National Cemetery. He will be buried with full military honors.
“Getting to bring him home, going through the proper services, will definitely be closure for us,” Hogan said.
A rosette will be placed next to his name on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, indicating he has been accounted for.
Born’s remains are due to arrive Friday evening at Philadelphia International Airport and will then be transported to the Charles F. Snyder Funeral Home in Lancaster.
A group of veterans on motorcycles is expected to be at the funeral home to greet him.
Born’s funeral is scheduled for Tuesday at the funeral home, followed by the burial.