U.S. service members carry boxes containing the possible remains of U.S service personnel killed in Korea out of the C-17 Globemaster at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, on July 27, 2018
Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Monday, July 30, 2018
(WASHINGTON. D.C.) - A U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft containing 55 cases of possible remains of U.S. service members flew from North Korea to Osan air base in South Korea Thursday night, completing the first stage of a repatriation promised during the Trump-Kim summit.
"Today's actions represent a significant first step to recommence the repatriation of remains from North Korea and to resume field operations in North Korea to search for the estimated 5,300 Americans who have not yet returned home," the White House said in a statement. "We are encouraged by North Korea's actions and the momentum for positive change."
Tom Squitieri, of Talk Media news reports, escorting the remains were members of United Nations Command Korea and technical experts from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. A formal repatriation ceremony is planned at Osan for Aug. 1.
U.S. service members carry boxes containing the possible remains of U.S service personnel killed in Korea out of the C-17 Globemaster at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, on July 27, 2018
"It was a successful mission following extensive coordination," Gen. Vincent Brooks, commander of U.S. forces in South Korea, said in a statement. "Now, we will prepare to honor our fallen before they continue on their journey home."
The remains will undergo initial examination, triage and testing to determine status. Initial tests will help confirm if all the remains are human remains and if there are any allied service members remains among those returned.
In North Korea, each case of remains was opened and photographed before being transferred, the Pentagon said.
Eventually the remains will be sent to the U.S. military lab at Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii for DNA analysis, the Pentagon has said.
The transfer occurred on Friday, local time, on the Korea peninsula. That fell on the 65th anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended the Korean War in 1953.
In June, the U.S. sent 100 transfer cases to the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas to prepare for any transfers.
According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, 7,702 American service members remain unaccounted for from the 1950-53 Korean War. Joint U.S.-North Korean military search teams recovered from North Korea the remains of 229 U.S. service members between 1990 and 2005. The search was suspended in 2005 because of rising nuclear tensions.
Information Talk Media News, http://www.talkmedianews.com
1340 AM WBIW welcomes comments and suggestions by calling 812.277.1340 during normal business hours or by email at comments@wbiw.com
© Ad-Venture Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.