The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced on Friday that the remains of a soldier that was killed during the Korean War was accounted for on May 19, 2020.
The DPAA says the soldiers family just recently received their full briefing on his identification and that is why public notification had been delayed.
20-year-old Army Sgt. William Edward Cavender from Leslie will be laid to rest in his hometown.
Cavender was a member of Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division.
On November 28, 1950 Cavender was reported missing in action after his unit was attacked by enemy forces near the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. Following the battle, Cavender’s remains could not be recovered.
Following the summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un in June 2018, North Korea turned over 55 boxes full of remains.
The remains were of American service members who were killed during the Korean War. On August 1, 2018 the remains arrived to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii and were handed over to the DPAA laboratory to start being identified.
Scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence to identify Cavender.
They also had scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System use mitochondrial DNA analysis to help identify the remains.
The DPAA says Cavender’s name has been recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl and a rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For family and funeral information, contact the Army Casualty Office at 800-892-2490.
To see the most up-to-date statistics on DPAA recovery efforts for those unaccounted for from the Korean War, visit .
Cavender’s personnel profile can be viewed .
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