Presumed Remains Of War Dead In North Korea Returned To U.S.
Follow CBSPHILLY Facebook | Twitter
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- As the presumed remains of American soldiers who died in North Korea came back to the United States on Wednesday, a Bucks County veteran watched the ceremony on television with pride.
Local Veteran Awaiting Remains Of US Soldiers Who Died In Korean War
"I joined the Marine Corps at the beginning of the Korean War at the end of 1950 and was in Korea in 1952 and 1953," retired Marine Sergeant Jerry Jonas told Eyewitness News.
"I don't have particularly pleasant thoughts when you dream about it, but you just kind of avoid something like that," Jonas added.
Vice President Mike Pence gave remarks at the ceremony in Hawaii where soldiers took 55 remains draped in American flags off a military aircraft.
"Some have called the Korean War the forgotten war. Today we prove these heroes were never forgotten," Pence said to the crowd.
A U.S. official said this week just one dog tag was found among the remains six weeks after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met with President Trump in Singapore and promised to return them.
Officials will spend the next several months analyzing DNA from the presumed remains. Jerry Jonas was there just a few miles away when the armistice was signed 65 years ago last week. Now he wants to see more remains come back to the states and soon.
Veterans, Community Leaders Gather At Penn's Landing To Mark 68th Anniversary Of Korean War
"I would not get my hopes up that 7,000 bodies will come back. If we get a couple hundred back, I think that would be a lot," Jonas said.
