PFC Albert A. Gosnell

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Homecoming and Final Honors for Local Hero, Albert A. Gosnell
Greenville/Spartanburg, SC – September 12, 2023 – After nearly 73 years, the long-awaited homecoming of a local hero, Albert A. Gosnell, is set to take place on September 22, 2023. Mr. Gosnell, who tragically lost his life in action during the Korean War on July 16, 1950, will finally return to his hometown thanks to the relentless efforts of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Albert A. Gosnell's remains were recently identified by the DPAA, bringing closure to a chapter of local history that had remained open for decades. The arrival of his body at Greenville/Spartanburg Airport marks a poignant moment for the community, as they prepare to welcome one of their own back home.
The Cremation Society of South Carolina-Westville Funerals will be overseeing the proceedings upon Mr. Gosnell's arrival. A memorial service to honor his memory will be held on September 24, 2023, at 2:00 PM in the chapel of the Cremation Society of South Carolina-Westville Funerals and the public is encouraged to attend to honor the sacrifice of PFC, Albert Gosnell.
On September 29th, 2023 a deeply moving dual service, Albert Gosnell will not be the only one receiving recognition. His brother, Kenneth Bruce Gosnell, who had prepared to serve in Korea but did not deploy, will also be remembered. Bruce, who was four years younger than Albert, had embarked on his own journey of service but did not make it to the Korean War.
On the morning of September 29, 2023, Bruce Gosnell's ashes will be placed during a brief memorial with family and friends at 9:30 AM, followed by a graveside memorial service for Albert Gosnell at 10:30 AM at the M.J. "Dolly" Cooper Veterans Cemetery in Anderson, SC. This day will be a testament to the bravery and sacrifice of these two brothers who, in their own ways, demonstrated their dedication to their country.
The Gosnell family, along with the community, eagerly awaits this homecoming and the opportunity to bid a final farewell to these two local heroes. The memory of Albert A. Gosnell and Kenneth Bruce Gosnell will forever remain in the hearts and minds of those who honor their service and sacrifice.
For more information or media inquiries, please contact:

Cremation Society of SC-Westville Funerals
6010 White Horse Road
Greenville, SC 29611
(864) 269-5073

Soldier Accounted for From Korean War (Gosnell, A.)

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Pfc. Albert A. Gosnell 18, of Greenville, South Carolina, who was killed during the Korean War, was accounted for May 15, 2023.

In July 1950, Gosnell was a member of Heavy Mortar Company, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action after his unit was forced to retreat in the vicinity of Taejon, South Korea, on July 16, 1950. Due to the fighting, his body could not be recovered at that time, and there was never any evidence that he was a prisoner of war. The Army issued a presumptive finding of death on Dec. 31, 1953.

After regaining control of Taejon in the fall of 1950, the Army began recovering remains from the area and temporarily interring them at the United Nations Military Cemetery (UNMC) Taejon. One set of remains recovered during this period was designated Unknown X-274 Taejon. After extensive analysis by the Central Identification Unit-Kokura in Japan was unable to identify X-274, the remains were declared unidentifiable. They were later sent to Hawaii where they were buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu, with other Korean War Unknowns.

In July 2018, the DPAA proposed a plan to disinter 652 Korean War Unknowns from the Punchbowl. In July 2019, DPAA disinterred Unknown X-274 as part of Phase Two of the Korean War Disinterment Project and sent the remains to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.

To identify Gosnell’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as chest radiograph comparison. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.

Gosnell’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are still missing from the Korean War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Gosnell will be buried in Anderson, South Carolina, on a date to be determined.

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, go to the Korean War Accounting page on the DPAA website at: https://dpaa-mil.sites.crmforce.mil/dpaaFamWebKorean .

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil , find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or https://www.linkedin.com/company/defense-pow-mia-accounting-agency .

Gosnell’s personnel profile can be viewed at https://dpaa-mil.sites.crmforce.mil/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt000000K6I7wEAF .