Remains of Korean War Soldier Arlie P. Barrett Identified After 75 Years, Funeral Planned

The identity of a teenage soldier from Tennessee who died during the Korean War has been confirmed almost 75 years later. Privacy laws in Tennessee limit access to birth and death certificates for those born within the last 100 years, leading to the teenager being referred to as "D".

The Long Journey to Identification

The search for "D" began when a controlled access set of remains was discovered in December 1950, near the Naktong river in South Korea. Almost 50 years later, in 2000, Prince George's County police officer Calvin Wells and forensic detective Michael E. Malinowski began cataloging the remains.

Senior forensic specialist Joseph Witherspoon from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner's Office played a pivotal role in the identification of these remains, utilizing his expertise in genetics and forensic science to analyze mitochondrial DNA and genome analysis, along with dental and anthropological examination.

In June 2021, the remains were exhumed and subjected to a comprehensive analysis at the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) laboratory. Following a thorough assessment employing advanced techniques, the remains were positively identified as those of Arlie P. Barrett, U.S. Army Pvt. 1st Class, who had been reported missing in action.

Return to Hometown and Final Resting Place

On September 27, 2024, Barrett's remains will be laid to rest with full military honors in Mountain Home, Tennessee. This solemn occasion marks not only the return of a soldier to his {hometown} but also brings closure to decades of unanswered questions surrounding his fate in the Korean War.

The identification of Arlie P. Barrett brings to light the continuing efforts of the U.S. government to account for missing servicemembers from past conflicts. Since 1982, more than 450 American remains from the Korean War have been identified and returned to their families, underscoring the importance of DNA technology and forensic analysis in resolving long-standing mysteries of the past.