Home At Last

Austin American-Statesman - Austin, TX, USA

MISSING SOLDIER
Home at last
The remains of an Army corporal missing in action since a 1950 Korean War battle return to Taylor.
By Suzannah Gonzales
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Sunday, November 23, 2008

The remains of Army Cpl. Librado Luna, who had been missing in action since a Korean War battle in 1950, came home on Saturday .

After years of keeping Luna in their thoughts and prayers, 13 family members, including Luna's brother and sister, gathered on the airfield at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to welcome him home.

"He was always on my mind," said Luna's brother, Pete Herrera .

Luna, who went missing the day after his 18th birthday, will be buried in Taylor with full military honors on Tuesday , the 58th anniversary of the battle and what would have been his 76th birthday.

A Delta Airlines plane from Atlanta carrying Luna's remains taxied to the gate under a "water cannon salute," arcs of water shot from fire trucks.

Family members embraced and shed tears even before the silver casket draped in an American flag emerged from the plane's belly.

Army honor guard members from Fort Hood served as pallbearers and carried the coffin to a white hearse as plane passengers peered out windows. Then a motorcade of Austin police and Patriot Guard Riders motorcycles traveled in front of and behind the hearse .

On the way to Providence Funeral Home in Taylor, motorists got out of their cars to salute, Luna's niece, Susie Mokry, said .

"Did you see the procession? What a way to come home," she said. "We were so proud."

A memorial Mass will be held at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Taylor at 2 p.m. Tuesday. Burial at Our Lady of Guadalupe Cemetery in Taylor will follow.

Luna's unit was near the Chinese border on Nov. 25, 1950, when the Chinese army attacked in the Battle of Ch'ongch'on River. Only 22 of the 91 men deployed in the area escaped safely. Luna and nine others were reported missing.

A decade ago, Mokry, who had never met her uncle but grew up hearing stories about him, responded to an announcement in the Taylor Daily Press asking families of missing military personnel to come forward.

Family members gave DNA samples a few years ago at a military conference in San Antonio.

Earlier this month, military officials confirmed that partial remains of Luna had been found: The family's DNA matched a hip bone that had been discovered years ago by Korean children planting trees near the battle site.

Mokry said she hopes this gives others in similar situations hope. "Just keep them in your thoughts and prayers," she said.

"It's been a long time coming, and we're very happy," Mokry said.

sgonzales@statesman.com; 445-3616.