Eloise Ogden/MDN The American Legion Post of White Shield is named in honor of Joseph Young Hawk, a World War I hero, and Elmer Bear, who remains unaccounted for from the Korean War. This photo was taken during a Memorial Day program in White Shield in May 2015 when Bear’s family members received his medals and awards from Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk, then North Dakota adjutant general.

Capt. G.R. Duane Cross, originally from Minot, was a pilot with the famed Marine Corps’ “Death Rattlers” attack squadron when he was killed in action while on a mission deep into North Korea on Oct. 25, 1952. He remains unaccounted for from the Korean War and is among 27 military members from North Dakota unaccounted for from that war.

The 27 military members from North Dakota are among nearly 7,700 American military service people unaccounted for from the Korean War. About 5,300 of the total nearly 7,700 unaccounted for are thought to be in North Korea.

The return of remains of U.S. military personnel in North Korea has been in national news in recent months. This past summer a U.S. military plane made a rare trip into North Korea to retrieve the remains of 55 Americans presumed dead from the Korean War. The remains were returned to U.S. soil when they arrived at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. This was followed by the process to identify the 55 remains at the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency Lab at Hickam AFB. The return of the remains were part of an agreement reached during a June summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, an agency within the United States Department of Defense, has the mission to recover missing personnel who are listed as prisoners of war or missing in action (MIA), from all past wars and conflicts and from countries around the world.

Sgt. 1st Class Kristen Duus, of the U.S. Army Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency in Washington, D.C., said in an email on Friday, “As of now, we have not received any more remains from North Korea, aside from the 55 that arrived in Hawaii, August 1. At this point, we have identified two of the service members, and are in the process of identifying more.”

She said the two identified are:

– Pvt. 1st Class William H. Jones, 19, of Whitakers, North Carolina

– Master Sgt. Charles H. McDaniel, 32 of Vernon, Indiana.

McDaniel, accounted for Sept. 12, is being buried Oct. 27 in

Greenwood, Indiana. Jones, accounted for Sept. 13, is still pending burial, Duus said.

Capt. G.R. Duane Cross was born in Minot and graduated from Minot High School where he was a star athlete, according to Minot Daily News files. He first served as a Marine dive-bomber pilot and later as an observation pilot in the Pacific Theater during World War II. After World War II, he went to then Minot State Teachers College for a time. He married the former Gertrude Campion of Minot in 1947. When he was recalled for active duty he was with the Seattle police department and he left for Korea in July 1952.

Cpl. Elmer Bear of the Fort Berthold Reservation is another military member among the 27 from North Dakota who remains unaccounted for from the Korean War.

Born at Elbowoods, Bear served during World War II and was a member of the U.S. Army Reserve. He was recalled in August 1950 and later served with Company E, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Divison during the Korean War. He left for Korea in September 1950.

According to the U.S. Army, Bear’s unit was attacked by Chinese forces in November 1950, at the international boundary between the Koreas and China. He was reported missing following the battle.

More than 60 years after Bear was declared missing in action by the Department of Defense, Bear’s family was presented his Purple Heart and other military awards. Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk, then North Dakota adjutant general, made the presentation in White Shield in 2015.

The White Shield Legion post initially carried the name of Joseph Young Hawk, a World War I hero. In 1957, Elmer Bear’s name was added to the post’s name and now it is Joseph Young Hawk-Elmer Bear American Legion Post 253.

N.D’s unaccounted for from Korean War

The 27 North Dakota military members reported unaccounted for from the Korean War include the following:

(The information is from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), updated Oct. 19. The date each was unaccounted for is included.)

– Cpl. Jacob William Allmaras of New Rockford, U.S. Army, May 13, 1951.

– Master Sgt. Donald Wayne Arneson of Hillsboro, U.S. Army, April 25, 1951.

– Cpl. Harry James Barth of Almont, U.S. Army, June 11, 1953.

– Cpl. Elmer Bear of McLean County, U.S. Army, Nov. 26, 1950.

– Cpl. Edmund John Bergum of Grand Forks County, U.S. Army, June 14, 1952.

– Sgt. Milton Paul Billigmeier of Stutsman County, U.S. Army, July 27, 1950.

– 1st Lt. Charles Herbert Blomberg of Dickinson, U.S. Air Force, July 7, 1951.

– Cpl. Dennis Harold Brady of Eddy County, U.S. Army, May 17, 1951.

– Capt. Cecil William Brandsted of Amenia, U.S. Air Force, March 22, 1952.

– Pfc. Herbert Edward Buik Jr. of Wells County, U.S. Army, July 26, 1950.

– Capt. George Robert Duane Cross of Minot, U.S. Marine Corps, Oct. 25, 1952.

– Sgt. 1st Class Donald Leroy Duff of Sargent County, U.S. Army, Dec. 1, 1950.

– Master Sgt. Mojmir Peter Ficek of Dunn County, U.S. Army, June 28, 1952.

– Pfc. Clifford Telford Gilstad of McKenzie County, U.S. Army, Nov. 10, 1951.

– Pfc. Lavern Paul Gohl of Williams County, U.S. Army, July 16, 1950.

– Pvt. Alton Elmer Graf of Kintyre, U.S. Army, Aug. 18, 1952.

– Pfc. Ronald Wayne Hagen of Grand Forks County, U.S. Army, Dec. 1, 1950.

– Sgt. Kenneth Hefta of Traill County, U.S. Army, Feb. 14, 1951.

– Capt. Elon Lewis House of Stark County, U.S. Army, Nov. 27, 1950.

– Pfc. Boyd La Verne Jothen of Crosby, U.S. Army, July 19, 1952.

– Tech. Sgt. Karl Vernon Kludt of of McClusky, U.S. Marine Corps, Sept. 24, 1950.

– Pfc. Fred Beecher Sayre of Traill County, U.S. Army, April 27, 1951.

– 1st Lt. Robert Gerard Schmitt of Sykeston, U.S. Army, Dec. 1, 1950.

– 2nd Lt. William Sproat Smith Jr. of Carrington, U.S. Air Force, March 28, 1952.

– Capt. Carl Edward Soreide of Bowman, U.S. Marine Corps, July 23, 1952.

– Cpl. Eugene Van Steenvoort of Ramsey County, U.S. Army, Nov. 30, 1950.

– Cpl. Walter William Warnke of Grand Forks County, U.S. Army, Nov. 9, 1950.

Accounted for

from Korean War

Three North Dakota military members from the Korean War have been accounted for in recent years. They are:

– Cpl. Cletus Roman Lies of Bremen, U.S. Army, Nov. 28, 1950. Remains identification date-Sept. 20, 2013.

– Cpl. Allen Lyle Mettler of Drake, U.S. Army, Feb. 12, 1951. Remains identification date-May 31, 2006.

– Pfc. Joseph Kenneth Meyer of Wahpeton, U.S. Army, Dec. 12, 1950. Remains identification date-Oct. 22, 2007.