Fighter Pilot Repatriated to US from China

[DanUCSB]

The remains of an F-86 pilot shot down during the Korean War have been found and finally repatriated to the United States.

Rest in peace, Capt. Cope.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/02/25/kor....ap/index.html

[Hooahman]

Blue Skies Sir! RIP

Carl P. Cope, a brother of Troy's and a World War II veteran, said in a telephone interview from his home in Ennis, Texas, that the burial will be at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery. He said that for years he held out hope that his brother had survived the crash and been taken prisoner.

"We never really knew," he said, until the Pentagon finally found and identified the remains.

Uncertainty is a gnawing, awful thing. Like having something pick at a scab. I can't imagine how family members of MIAs cope. I guess each family would figure out a way to rationalize it so that they don't think about it all the time.

A couple years ago a friend's high-school age daughter was out running and never came back. They live in a sleepy wealthy suburb. There was an intensive search but nothing ever found. The only theory that ever surfaced was one related to the house construction workers in the area. Whoever it was got away with it. Of course he wants to hold out hope, but he and his wife just have uncertainty.

FrontSight

[Jack Moroney (RIP)]

Welcome home Capt Cope.

[Trip_Wire (RIP)]

Not to hijack this thread, but there are many instances of F-86 pilots during the Korean war be observed ejecting and making it to the ground, etc. and never having been reported as captured or heard from again. Most think they were taken to the USSR and into the Gulag system. There are still more Korean War MIAs then Vietnam.

[Maas]

They call it "The Forgotten War", not by some of us. My father fought with the 8th Airborne Ranger Company and the 187th ARCT there. They are remembered.

Welcome home Sir.

[Trip_Wire (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Maas

They call it "The Forgotten War", not by some of us. My father fought with the 8th Airborne Ranger Company and the 187th ARCT there. They are remembered.

Welcome home Sir.

I was with the 14th Airborne Ranger Infantry Co. I also fought in the "Forgotten War," in ACo, 27th Regiment ("WolfHounds) 25th ID. '51-'52.

Does your Dad belong to RICA? (Ranger Infantry Companies Association (Of the Korean War.)

[Maas]

Small world.

Yes Sir, he did belong to RICA. He passed away in 2001. I was lucky enough to go to two of the reunions. 1991 when I was at Bragg and then the 2000 one at Benning.

Are you going to St Louis this year?

Wolfhounds another famous unit. By the way, thanks for your service. What you guys did in that war was incredible.