Korean War soldier from Alabama laid to rest
The Associated Press
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GREEN POND, Ala. (AP) Ñ More than 100 residents gathered at Green Pond Presbyterian Church to remember a "hometown hero" who went missing in action 57 years ago while fighting in the Korean War.
U.S. Army 1st Lt. Dixie Siniard "Jackie" Parker Jr., whose remains were found in 2000 and recently positively identified through DNA testing, was given an Alabama Distinguished Service Medal at Sunday's memorial service. He earlier had been awarded a number of medals, including the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Parker, a member of Battery B, 8th Field Artillery Battalion, 25th Infantry Division, went missing in action while fighting in the Korean War on Nov. 27, 1950. He was declared to be presumed dead on Dec. 31, 1953.
Green Pond library director Noel Hubbard, 68, had led the effort to locate Parker's remains.
Parker's second cousin, Butch Hammond of Alma, Neb., thanked Green Pond residents for trying to find answers.
"We're very thankful to this community for that, and that this community held this service for him, and for basically raising a hometown hero," Hammond said.
Parker's remains will be buried with military honors Dec. 6 at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. Residents of Green Pond, where Parker grew up, also had a marble marker in his honor placed on the family plot in the church cemetery.
"He was my neighbor growing up," Hubbard said. "He was older than I, but he would play ball in the cow pastures with us and buzz our house with his airplane. He was our hero. He was the most phenomenal person from our community."
Hubbard, concerned that Parker's remains had never been recovered, began a search about 10 years ago.
"I got a call several years ago from an agency with the Army that asked me to find DNA for Jackie," he said. "I started looking that very day. At times over the years we got very discouraged, but we left no avenue unturned."
Parker's DNA was eventually identified through a female relative of Parker in Pennsylvania. Hammond, now Parker's oldest living relative, said the Pennsylvania woman died this year.
Parker's remains were found at a mass American grave site in Yongbyon, North Korea, in 2000. They eventually were turned over to U.S. authorities by the North Korean government.
©2007 Associated Press