Missing U.S. Soldier Returns Home to Be Buried

More than 8,000 American soldiers were unaccounted for after the Korean War. One of them was Sergeant John Hershel White. Now however, Sgt. White's remains have been found and identified. Next week he will be buried in Jackson County, Ala. right next to his mother and father.

After sixty years of not knowing whether he was dead or alive Faye Cooper and Nina Ruth Clark are getting ready to bury their brother.

"He'd put me in a cotton sack and wouldn't let me out. Anything he could do to aggravate me he did," says his sister Nina Ruth Clark.

Memories of a seventeen year old John Hershel White have kept him alive in their minds after he left for the Army in 1947 and was declared MIA during the Korean War three years later.

"I've wondered would he stay gone this long and not get in touch then I think what they do to him maybe so," says Faye Cooper.

After almost six decades archeologists found Hershel's nearly complete remains in Korea.

Archeologists suspect he and several other soldiers were killed by a bomb. With his sister's DNA they identified him earlier this year next week he is coming home. In a meeting at the Trenton American Legion his sisters were able to talk publicly about his bittersweet return.

"Ive always felt like he was alive. I've even felt like he was with some woman just to show you the thoughts you'll have," says Faye Cooper.

White has officially gone from MIA to KIA and in a few days he will be buried in military fashion in his hometown of Bryant, Alabama. The United States Army and the Trenton American legion are helping the family get ready for the funeral..

After all these years the sisters says until he is buried the fact that its him will be hard to believe.

"Its just like if somebody you know dies it nearly kills you but you have to go on with your life but it's not this hard," says Nina Ruth Clark.

The funeral arrangements for Sergeant John Hershel White have been made for next Saturday in Jackson County. On Friday July 11th the family will recieve guests from 2:00pm until 9:00pm at the Moore Funeral home in Bryant, Alabama.

On Saturday July 12th there will be a funeral at Moore Funeral Home starting at 1pm EST. All services are open to the public.