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Jake Wallace wants to know if Kim Jong Un has at last released his two buddies. 

The Nashville Air Force veteran, along with Watson "Watty" Wheelwright and Harry Chant, were light bombers in the Korean War who flew at night. They also worked in intelligence and debriefed crews when they returned from their missions. 

"We just hit if off," Wallace said of his "Baltimore boys."

But the friendship lasted only a season, from spring 1952 to the summer that year, he said in an interview with USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee. 

Wallace and Wheelwright grabbed beers before a mission, he recalled. Wheelwright didn't make it back. A few months later, Wallace spoke with Chant about the unease his friend had. He later disappeared along with his plane.

"It was painful," Wallace said. "I wrote Harry’s mother, but there was very little I could tell her as little was known about what had happened.


The remains of dozens of presumed U.S. war dead began their journey home to the United States following a repatriation ceremony in South Korea on Wednesday. North Korea handed over the remains in 55 boxes last week. (Aug. 1) AP

"I have always felt a very deep sympathy for their families even though I did not know them, and I just know how much it would mean to those surviving family members to know their remains were recovered and back in the USA," he said. 

Wallace said he holds on to hope that his friends might be among the remains handed over by North Korea to the United States last week.

The remains were confirmed to be human and are likely to be American soldiers, officials announced Wednesday.

READ: Why the Korean War is the 'forgotten victory' for this Tennessee veteran

MORE: Presumed US war remains returned by North Korea headed to Hawaii

"Sixty-six years is a long time, but for the first time in a long while it looks like we might bring down the final curtain on that mostly forgotten conflict - the outcome of which created a prosperous South Korea and sad and isolated North," Wallace said. 

After basic forensic review at an American Air Force base outside of Seoul, the remains, draped in the blue United Nations flags, are being flown to Hawaii on Wednesday, to undergo the arduous identification process by the U.S. military. 

Here's what to know about identifying remains:

Where will the remains be taken?

The remains are being taken to a lab in Hawaii run by Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, the military agency that identifies missing servicemen and women from past conflicts. 

The agency has a second lab at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, but these remains will be studied at Hawaii’s Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

From that point, the process of identifying the service members can range from days to years, according to Army Sgt. First Class Kristen Duus, a public affairs officer for the agency. The length of time depends on whether records are on file for the fallen person and what types of testing, from dental to DNA, are necessary to make an identification.

READ: Never lost and not forgotten, a fallen brother may finally come home

How will the remains be identified?

Forensic experts will study any evidence found with the remains for clues. North Korea only provided a single military dog tag, but the remains include military uniforms, shoes, canteens and personal items like wedding rings.

Experts will study remains to determine sex, race, size and age. Bone will be examined for evidence of trauma to determine cause of death and for previous injuries and conditions.

According to Lab Director Dr. John Byrd, nearly three-quarters of remains the agency identifies are determined with the assistance of mitochondrial DNA — a type of DNA passed from mother to child.

The lab will do this by taking DNA samples from bones and teeth and comparing them with samples in a lab that houses donated DNA samples.

How can you donate DNA?

DNA can be used to help experts analyze the recovered remains and can sometimes be used as the primary means of identification.

The military can compare the DNA sequences of the remains and cross-reference DNA they have on file.

Donating your DNA sample is painless and free. You can have a DNA kit mailed to your home that contains a special swab for wiping your inner cheek to collect cells. You then place the sample in a pre-addressed and pre-paid envelope to the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory in Dover, Delaware

Your DNA information is then placed in a database that is only used during comparisons to remains associated with missing service personnel.

The lab aims to have at least two DNA samples for every case. Here’s a chart to determine if you are an eligible donor.

How many soldiers are missing?

About 7,700 U.S. service members are listed as missing from the Korean War, and 5,300 of the remains are believed to still be in North Korea. 

In Tennessee, 172 veterans who fought in Korea are still missing. 

The agency in the past has faced criticism for clearing so few cases.

Previously, the POW/MIA Accounting Command, an arm of the Pentagon, was responsible for finding and returning the nation's war dead. Three years ago it underwent a top-to-bottom reorganization after an internal investigation revealed staff members spent more time travleing and ejoying "military tourism."

The agency also misidentified many remains of recovered service members. They were dissolved and later merged into what the group is today. 

The agency has identified the remains of about only 100 veterans each year. In 2017, that figure rose to 201. So far this year, 97 remains have been identified, including seven soldiers whose remains were returned from North Korea. 

How can I find out who has been ID'ed?

The agency maintains a running list of soldiers identified on their website. There is a searchable list of soldiers by name and branch of military.

There are separate lists broken down by conflicts the soldier served and their state of residence.

You can also call the agency to establish a case agent for you and your family if you have not already done so. 

Case managers will be your first point of contact for information about your missing soldier and will provide information about the personnel accounting process. They can also guide you through submitting DNA and about future events your family can attend. 

Includes reporting by Anita Wadhwani. 

Yihyun Jeong covers veterans and military affairs for the USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee. Reach her at or 615-881-7309. Follow her on Twitter @yihyun_jeong.

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