Third US Service Member Identified from Remains Returned by the North Koreans

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency identified another U.S. service member that was among the 55 remains the North Koreans returned in a deal with President Donald Trump.

Army Sgt. Frank J. Suliman, who died during the Korean War in 1951, was accounted for on January 15, 2019, DPAA said in a statement:

In late 1950, Suliman was a member of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, fighting against members of the Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces (CPVF) in North Korea. On Dec. 1, 1950, the convoy of trucks Suliman was riding in was halted by a roadblock south of Kunuri, North Korea, and the Soldiers were commanded to abandon the vehicles and attempt to get through the [roadblock] on foot. Fellow Soldiers reported that Suliman was captured and taken to the CPVF prisoner of war camp at Pukchin-Tarigol, North Korea, where he reportedly died in March 1951.

The agency said Suliman reportedly died from dysentery and pneumonia while in the holding camp.

“DPAA remains fully prepared to resume recovery operations in the DPRK, and looks forward to the continued fulfillment of the commitment made by President Donald Trump and Chairman Kim Jong-un on the return and recovery of U.S. servicemen in North Korea,” they added.

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Suliman is the third U.S. service member whose remains have been identified by the DPAA. The other two are Army Master Sgt. Charles H. McDaniel and Army Pfc. William H. Jones, according to the AP.

In a presentation ceremony last year, the sons of Master Sgt. Charles McDaniel said they were happy to get some closure on their father despite being very young when he went missing in action.

“In one small sense, we’re the most fortunate because we’re the only one that has a name now,” Charles Jr. told reporters. “At least we have this and we’re thankful for that.”

“I have to say I didn’t think about the emotions that were very deep, even though I was a small boy and have very little memory of my father. But I sat there and cried for awhile and it took awhile to compose myself,” Charles Jr. explained on when he got the phone call.