Remains of Korean War sergeant arrive home in Maryland

HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Tears accompanied members of the family’ emotions of long-awaited closure and happiness as long-missing Korean Struggle veteran and Smithsburg resident Sgt. Roy Charles DeLauter’s stays arrived dwelling in Washington County on April 19.

A procession of household and authorities, together with Maryland State Police, the Maryland Transportation Authority Police from BWI, Military officers, and the Maryland Patriot Guard Riders escorted the hearse carrying DeLauter from Baltimore-Washington Worldwide Thurgood Marshall Airport to Relaxation Haven Funeral Residence and Cemetery. The aircraft departed Hawaii the day earlier than.

“I simply thank God. I’m simply pleased to have him dwelling. I prayed for this,” stated Evelyn Eccard, 93, one in every of DeLauter’s three sisters.

Sue Draper, DeLauter’s youngest daughter, stated the day — with its honorary festivities and folks standing at freeway overpasses paying respect to her father — had been “superb.”

“You couldn’t assist however cry. Good tears,” stated Draper, 73, of the Hagerstown space.

Draper was about 2 years previous when her household acquired a telegram that Roy, 21, was lacking in motion.

After ready 71 years for information of their brother and father, the household was notified in January that DeLauter’s stays had been recognized utilizing DNA from blood donated by Eccard and her sister, Margaret Carr.

His stays had been amongst these contained in 55 containers the Democratic Folks’s Republic of Korea returned to the U.S. in 2018, in response to the Protection POW/MIA Accounting Company, a part of the U.S. Division of Protection.

DeLauter was buried April 22 at Cedar Garden Memorial Park close to Hagerstown’s West Finish after a funeral service at Willow Brook Seventh-Day Adventist Church close to Boonsboro.

DeLauter’s unit was on the east facet of North Korea’s Chosein Reservoir on Nov. 27, 1950, “when Chinese language Communist Forces launched a large-scale shock assault in opposition to U.S. forces on the reservoir,” in response to the accounting company’s profile web page for DeLauter.

4 days later, the variety of Chinese language Communist Forces compelled the thirty second Infantry Regiment of the seventh Infantry Division to withdraw south towards pleasant traces at Hagaru-ri. DeLauter was in Firm D, 1st Battalion of the thirty second Infantry Regiment.

DeLauter was reported lacking in motion on Dec. 2, 1950, after the thirty second Infantry Regiment of the seventh Infantry Division withdrawal to Hagaru-ri.

DeLauter is memorialized on the Nationwide Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific’s Courts of the Lacking in Honolulu.

Sharlene DeLauter, Roy’s oldest daughter, stated the festivities on the airport all the way in which to Relaxation Haven had been “greater than we ever anticipated.”

“To truly see the coffin coming off (the aircraft) was simply closure for me — and with the ability to contact it,” stated Sharlene DeLauter, 74, who lives close to Smithsburg.

“I can’t clarify how I felt. I noticed the casket, it was simply superb,” she stated.

Jane Kline, 91, of the Smithsburg space, stated she by no means thought she’d dwell lengthy sufficient to see her large brother come dwelling.

“I’m simply glad he’s dwelling,” she stated.

Carr stated she was “overjoyed that he’s right here. That is dwelling, a homecoming for him.”

“However he’s been dwelling for a very long time. He’s been in Heaven,” Carr stated.