A Korean War veteran was finally laid to rest after his remains were missing for more than seven decades.
Corporal Joshua Corruth enlisted in the Army in 1947 at just 17 years old. He served in the Korean War, where he was captured and held as a prisoner of war and was declared missing in action in Kwang-ju, South Korea, in 1950.
Corruth was a member of the 24th Infantry Regiment, one of the historic all-black military units known as the Buffalo Soldiers. His remains were determined to be unrecoverable in 1956 until new DNA testing led to his homecoming.
“Thank God for science and DNA that they were able to determine through his nephews, and determine that was Josh’s remains, so we are all thankful for that,” said Corruth’s cousin, Renard Brown.
Corruth’s nephew, Myron Johnson, received the honors on his behalf, as many family members had passed away while waiting for his return.
“It would’ve meant so much to my aunt Tina and my mom, my uncle Josh, we’re so thankful that we have him here and honor him as he should be,” Johnson said.
Local and state officials participated in the honors, marking April 23 as Corporal Joshua Corruth Day. Corruth was laid to rest in the South Florida National Cemetery in Lake Worth.
