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MIA: Finding Korean War dead is important

It is likely few people had more than passing interest in the report this summer that North Korea had turned over to U.S. representatives 55 boxes said to contain the remains of Americans killed during the Korean War. That conflict was a long, long time ago, after all.

But for one West Virginia family, the news had a very personal impact.

Lawrence J. “Buddy” Watt grew up with his family in a rural area near Wellsburg, in the Northern Panhandle. In 1949, even before he reached 18 years of age, he enlisted in the Army.

He was sent to South Korea where, in July 1950, he was among U.S. troops who had no chance of stopping a massive invasion by North Korean forces. He was declared missing in action.

In the decades since, Watt’s family members have heard various reports of what may have happened to him. All they know with certainty is that he never came home.

Earlier this month, Watt was honored in ceremonies at the Brooke County Veterans Memorial Park. Army officers presented medals he earned to members of his family.

For many people, occasional reports about the remains of Americans listed for decades as missing in action may not even be noticed. For a few, they are at the same time rays of hope and reminders of an aching uncertainty.

There are more people on the military’s missing in action lists than you may imagine — 72,884 from World War II, 7,686 from the Korean War and 1,594 from the Vietnam War.

And many of the missing are West Virginians and Ohioans. Seventeen Mountain State natives and 75 from Ohio still are “MIA” from the Vietnam War. The Korean War list includes 164 West Virginians and 423 Ohioans. Another 4,102 from our states did not return from World War II.

“If they could find him, that would be nice,” Warren Watt, of Follansbee, said of his brother.

Yes, it would.

Let us hope that happens soon.

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