A story in the Tennessean last week informed that DNA match had been made to a soldier left in Korea in 1950. He was drafted in 1950 and was inserted into Korea at Inchon on September 15, 1950. He progressed with his unit and was making a defensive stand at Pungnyuri Inlet east of the Chosin Reservoir. The result of this encounter was that he was captured by the Chinese on November 28, 1950. He died as a prisoner of war on December 29, 1950. He was 20 years old. He died of starvation. He was returned to his family, three brothers and one sister at the Nashville Airport on Thursday, January 10, 2013 after 62 years absence from home. Sixty years is a dam long wait for his family.
I told Ellen that I was going to the funeral scheduled for Saturday, January 11 with full military honors. Normally when the remains of a soldier arrive in the USA a Prayer Shawl is blessed and presented to the wife or mother by a Chaplin at the location where relatives witness their arrival. Ellen started the Prayer Shawl Ministry at church a few years ago and she suggested that I take Prayer Shawls to the sister and three brothers. Inquiries verified that they had not previously received any Prayer Shawls.
So rather than go to the funeral I chose to go to the visitation to present the Prayer Shawls. Ellen asked if she could go with me.
We arrived early to plan the presentation. While waiting for the funeral home owner, a young lady, a relative, approached and introduced herself and after a short visit she took me by the arm and walked me into the room where the flag draped containment was, leaving Ellen to fend for herself, and introduced me personally to each of the sister and brothers.
Ellen had a long visit with the young lady and I visited with each of the brothers quite awhile.
We finally got around to the presentation about three quarters of the way through the visitation. I made a little speech about how the Prayers Shawls were handled at Dover Air Force Base and Ellen made the presentation. They loved them.
I got my third hug from the young lady and we drove home, 150 miles over mountain roads from Palmer, Tennessee in the dark.
Thank you for sharing this story. I wondered if you would be going to the funeral or visitation. I thought a lot of this family and how long they waited for the return of their brother and how close to home it hits for you as a Korean War Veteran. I'm glad that you and mom were able to provide the prayer shawls to the family.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Connie