Galesburg, IL – A groundbreaking DNA analysis has finally brought closure to the family of a Galesburg soldier, 75 years after he went missing during the Korean War. U.S. Army Corporal Paul Eugene Hoots, who disappeared in 1950 at age 25, has been officially accounted for following decades of uncertainty.
According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, new forensic technology led to the identification of CPL Hoots’ remains, which had previously been interred as “Unknown X-16 Taejon.” The remains were recovered in 1950 by the American Graves Registration Service Group near Suwon, South Korea, but could not be matched to any missing service member until advanced DNA testing was conducted in recent years.
CPL Hoots, a Galesburg native and 1944 graduate of Galesburg High School, served with the 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He went missing in action on July 8, 1950, after his unit clashed with North Korean forces near Ch’onan, South Korea. For decades, his fate remained a mystery to his loved ones and the Galesburg community.
The identification effort, finalized on November 15, 2024, combined dental and anthropological analysis with mitochondrial DNA tests performed by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System. Scientists from the DPAA lab worked meticulously to confirm the identity, providing long-awaited answers for Hoots’ family.
CPL Hoots’ name will remain on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, but a rosette will now mark his entry—signifying that he is no longer unaccounted for after 75 years.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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