The remains of U.S. Army Sgt. George Schipani, who has been classified as missing in action since 1951, were recently identified, and they were returned to Arlington Saturday, June 15.
The ACMi video above, by Brenda Dowdall Mahoney, shows the return, as a former POW speaks about the return of his comrade’s remains 68 years after having buried him when he died in a prison camp during the Korean war.
Schipani succumbed to illness and died in a prisoner-of-war camp in North Korea in March 1951, a news release from Jeffrey A. Chunglo, town veteran agent, says.
His body was buried by his fellow prisoners following his passing. His identification occurred as part of ongoing efforts to locate the remains of American service members listed as MIA in North Korea.
Schipani entered the military in Somerville. His next of kin, Robert Schipani, is an Arlington resident.
The flight returning the remains is scheduled to arrive at Logan International Airport at 3:26 p.m. June 15. The military will conduct an honorable transfer from the plane to the hearse. Following an escort from the airport to Arlington, another such transfer will take place at the Keefe Funeral Home.
Arlington residents are encouraged to attend his arrival ceremony at the funeral home, estimated to occur at 4:30 p.m..
Chunglo asks the public to join the ceremony to support Schipani’s service and his family in their time of grief.
This news announcement was published Friday, June 7, 2019, and updated June 20.
