A Jewish-American soldier who fought in the Korean War was buried in Indianapolis.
Army Cpl. Morris Meshulam, 19, was captured by the Chinese army during the Korean War and died from severe malnutrition in January 1951.
His remains were recovered in July 1951 but were unidentified until earlier this year.
His family had been asked about 12 years ago to provided DNA samples to help identify his remains. Each year the remains of between 30 and 50 soldiers killed in war are identified through advanced DNA techniques.
Meshulam dropped out of school at the age of 18 in order to join the army, according to the Jewish War Veterans. He served in Battery D of the 82nd Anti-Aircraft Battalion in the 2nd Infantry Regiment.
His Battery fought in the Battle of the Ch’ongch’on River, with a mission to protect the rear and right flank of the Eighth Army as it retreated to the South, according to JWV. After this battle, while surrounded and outgunned, Meshulam’s Battery fought through what later was known as “The Gauntlet” – a valley where United Nations forces faced road blocks and heavy fire from Chinese forces. Meshulam was captured in the Gaunlet near Kunu-ri on December 1, 1950 and taken as a Prisoner of War. He later died in January 11th of 1951 either from severe malnutrition or injuries that he received during the battle.
He was buried at Etz Chaim Cemetery in his hometown of Indianapolis on Sunday, alongside his twin sister.
His last surviving sibling, Rose Goldstein, received his medals and flag at Sunday’s burial.