As DNA Technology Advances, What Does It Mean To Be An Unknown Soldier?

By Laura Pellicer,

Published December 5, 2018 at 12:43 PM EST

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The grave of an unknown U.S. service member at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu. Hundreds of bodies of unknown soldiers will be exumed as part of a mass identification project.

Jay Price / WUNC

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Once-nameless troops are exumed at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.

Jay Price / WUNC

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The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu

Jay Price / WUNC

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Corporal Kenneth Reese (left) and Christine Porter were married for only one week before Reese deployed to fight in the Korean War. She never saw her husband again.

Jay Price / WUNC

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The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu

Jay Price / WUNC

The Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs are digging up hundreds of soldiers from the Korean War as part of a massive identification project. The disinterment operation is taking place at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honoluluand is based on recent advances in DNA and forensic technology. 650 Korean War dead will be exhumed.

WUNC Military Reporter Jay Price talks to Frank Stasio about his reporting trip to Honolulu to speak with scientists who are bringing new hope to thousands of aging family members.