The remains of US Army Sergeant Celestino Chavez Jr, who went missing in action during the Korean War, have been identified through DNA analysis and laid to rest in his hometown of Gallup, New Mexico, authorities have confirmed.
Chavez, 19, was wounded while defending his post near the Changjin (Chosin) Reservoir in North Korea on 30 November 1950 and taken to an aid station. He was reported missing three days later when enemy fighters attacked his convoy. With no evidence of capture or survival, a presumptive finding of death was issued on 31 December 1950.
The breakthrough came in 2018, when then-US President Donald Trump met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. One month after the summit, North Korea returned over 55 boxes of remains believed to be those of American service members killed in the war. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) used anthropological analysis, circumstantial evidence, and DNA testing to identify Chavez.
Chavez was buried on 15 April 2025, exactly one year after his identification, with full military honours. The ceremony was attended by family, senior military leaders, and state officials. He posthumously received the Silver Star for his bravery, along with a Purple Heart and Korean Service Medal with two Bronze Service Stars.
