So far, relatives of seven servicemen missing in the Korean War have contacted the Utah Department of Veterans Affairs, following the Deseret News' publication of a list of those missing in action.
The department is helping the Pentagon build a database to identify remains of servicemen, should new discoveries be made. In the 50 years since the Korean War began, military officials lost track of the families of an estimated 8,000 individuals nationally listed as missing in action.
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They were unable to locate families of 26 Utahns who were missing in action in Korea. Now the number has dropped to 19. Because relations seem to be thawing between North Korea and the United States, the possibilities are better that more remains will be found and returned to this country. Officials decided to create a database of families of the missing for purposes of identification or burial.
Recently, Pentagon officials asked the department for assistance in finding the families. On Nov. 26, the Deseret News published a list of the 26 MIAs whose families weren't identified.
The response was gratifying.
"We've had seven different people call us," each representing the family of a different missing serviceman, said Ralph Young of the Utah Department of Veterans Affairs.
"We have three sisters, a brother, a wife, a niece and a cousin." He said the department expected that after the list was published, one or two relatives might call, "but not seven."
Larry Greer, a Pentagon public affairs officer, told the Deseret News Thursday that Utah is unique in its response. The Pentagon sent letters to each state, seeking help with finding families.
"We haven't had any call-back from the other states as a result of that letter," he said.
Greer added, "It'll come. No doubt, of the 8,000 names or so in the Korean War MIAs, it will flush out a name or two here or there.
"Obviously, we're getting much better results in the state of Utah."
Young said he has heard gripping stories from relatives of the MIAs. In the case of Air Force members, a couple of families were contacted at the time of the Korean War "either by the wingmen or representatives of the Air Force who had seen the individuals crash into the sea," he said.
A wingman saw people get out of a crashed plane and float for five or 10 minutes in extremely cold water.
One family member was surprised to find their serviceman listed, thinking he had been killed in Germany during World War II.
Anyone with information on how to reach relatives of the MIAs should contact the Pentagon at 703- 602-2102, extension 167, or the Utah Department of Veterans Affairs at 1-800-894-9497.
Missing Utah servicemen whose families still are not located are:
Army Cpl. Ralph Asher
Army Pfc. William Brown
Army Cpl. Gerald Durbin
Army Sgt. Frank Gallegos
Air Force 1st Lt. Robert Gillespie
Army Pfc. Frank Hoesch
Army Sgt. Walter Jensen
Army Sgt. Hugh Killam
Navy AN (E3) Lawrence Larsen
Army Capt. Auburn Marr
Army Cpl. Joseph Marrelli
Army Master Sgt. Richard Matthews
Army Maj. Paul Nestler
Army Sgt. David Pethel
Army Sgt. Orville Phillips
Army Cpl. Vincent Ryan
Army Pfc. Glen Shupe
USMC Cpl. William Edward Wagner
Army 1st Lt. Samuel Westerman
E-MAIL: bau@desnews.com