The Associated Press
A Missouri man who died in North Korea almost 54 years ago was laid to rest Friday in a cemetery on the shore of the Lake of the Ozarks.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Carl Brewington died Dec. 2, 1950 near the Chosin Reservoir in a remote area of North Korea. He was listed as missing in action until his remains, which were recovered in 2001, were identified last year. His remains were brought home to Missouri on May 4.
The Chosin Reservoir Battle of the Korean War is considered one of the fiercest battles ever involving U.S. troops. A Chinese force launched a massive surprise attack at night against a convoy of U.S. troops. An estimated 25,000 Chinese and 3,000 Americans were killed.
Farmers in Korea found a grave site in 1979. An American crew began excavating the site in September 2001, and found the remains of seven people. The next month, they found five more remains. All were flown to the U.S. Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii.
Army Chaplain Capt. Kelly Porter said Friday that Brewington's burial will release emotions that family members have held for years because of questions about his fate.
"He's finally home," the chaplain said.
Brewington's son, Robert Brewington of North Carolina, sat stoically as the family wept for a grandfather and great-grandfather they had never known. A tear rolled down the son's cheek as he was handed the flag that had covered his father's casket.
"He holds his feelings very close," said Joyce Brewington, Robert's wife. "But he is so thankful to the military, especially the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command at Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii, for bringing his father home."
Robert Brewington, 67, a Marine for 23 years and a psychologist for 20 years, said he couldn't believe it when he was notified that his father's remains would be coming home. He said he called the Pentagon and the Army to be sure it was true.
Brewington said he would think of his father from time to time during the years, but his disappearance wasn't a constant subject of discussion. And he said he didn't think he would ever find out what happened to his father.
At one point, he placed a memorial stone next to his mother's grave, but he thought that would be the end of it.
Sgt. 1st Class Carl Brewington was born Oct. 4, 1914, near Cape Girardeau. He joined the Army in 1942 and served in Europe during World War II and then in the Korean War. He was reported missing Dec. 2, 1950, when his unit, the 31st Regimental Combat Team of the 7th Infantry, was surrounded by Chinese soldiers.
Robert Brewington and his wife live in Smithfield, N.C. He said his mother moved to the Lake of the Ozarks after he joined the service and lived there the rest of her life.
Besides his son, Sgt. 1st Class Brewington is survived by seven grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson, with a second expected in October.
More than 8,000 U.S. troops remain missing from the Korean War, including more than 1,000 from the Chosin campaign.