The Duty to Remember: Identifying the Missing from the Korean War

In honor of Veterans Day, we continue our series on the Duty to Remember by welcoming special guest, Dr. Jennie Jin, a forensic anthropologist who works for the DPAA (Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency). Dr. Jin leads to the Korean War Identification Project of the DPAA. Under her leadership, hundreds of missing US service members who fought in the Korean War have been identified.  In this special episode, Dr. Jin discusses her work, and two recent identifications of Michiganders who fought in the Korean War: PFC John Shelemba of Hamtramck, and SFC Jesse “Johnnie” Hill of Highland Park.  Dr. Jin discusses the different circumstances surrounding these identifications, the different methodologies used in each, the respective challenges that are faced in these identifications, and how this work is not only important to the families of the missing, but also to international cooperation, especially involving the U.S., ROK (South Korea) and DPRK (North Korea).

Photo credit: Tara Copp/Military Times