REPATRIATED REMAINS OF KOREAN WAR SOLDIER RETURNED TO IOWA 68 YEARS AFTER BEING REPORTED MIA
Iowa National Guard
Nearly 68 years after being reported missing in action during the Korean War, the repatriated remains of Army Sgt. Donald L. Baker are being returned to his family in Iowa for burial with full military honors.
Baker, 20, originally of Thornton, Arkansas, will be honored during a June 19 ceremony beginning at 1 p.m. at Word of Faith Pentecostal Church, 2325 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, followed by a burial at Oak Hill Cemetery, 1705 Mount Vernon Road SE. Full military honors will provided by the Iowa National Guard. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend the memorial service.
In September 1950, Baker was a member of Company H, 2nd Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on Sept. 6, 1950, as a result of fighting that occurred between his unit and enemy forces near Haman, South Korea.
Following the battle, the U.S. Army Graves Registration Services (AGRS) created Field Search Cases (FSCs) to track unaccounted-for service members, assigning Baker to FSC 182-F. AGRS teams searched battlefields for remains and interred recovered remains at temporary cemeteries in South Korea. FSC 182-F contained 34 associated individuals who corresponded to Baker’s unit. Because of the lack of evidence to verify identity, some of the remains recovered in late September 1950 were buried as “Unknowns.”
On January 6, 1951, a set of unidentified remains recovered southwest of Haman, labeled as “Unknown X-209 Masan,” were interred at United Nations Military Cemetery (UNMC) in Masan, South Korea.
In January 1955, the remains were declared to be unidentifiable and were transferred to the National Memorial Cemetery in the Pacific (NMCP) in Honolulu, known as the Punchbowl.
In 2016, based on research regarding two individuals who remained unaccounted-for from FSC182-F, analysts from DPAA determined that Unknown X-209 could be associated with one of the missing Soldiers from FSC 182-F. DPAA disinterred Unknown X-209 on Oct. 30, 2017 and sent the remains to the laboratory for analysis.
To identify Baker’s remains, scientists from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency used chest radiograph comparison, which matched his records, as well as dental and anthropological analysis, and circumstantial evidence.
Baker’s military awards and honors include the Purple Heart, Prisoner of War Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal (with Bronze Service Stars), Combat Infantryman Badge, United Nations Service Medal, Republic of Korean-Korean War Service Medal, and Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation.
– Media Information for Memorial Service –
The family of Sgt. Donald Baker asks that the dignity of his memorial service be respected. Media may shoot photos and video at the memorial service and media availability with the family will be held at the Word of Faith Pentecostal Church, 2325 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids following the graveside service. Media point of contact at the funeral is Lt. Col. Michael Wunn at (cell) 515-971-6385.
For questions concerning this release as well as additional information about the operations, training, and activities of the Iowa Army and Air National Guard, please contact Lt. Col. Michael Wunn, Iowa National Guard Public Affairs Officer by email at michael.a.wunn.mil@mail.mil or 515-252-4582 (office) or 515-971-6385 (cell), or contact Lt. Col. Tim Mills by email at timothy.d.mills10.mil@mail.mil or 515-252-4282 (office).
