The Department of Defense announced that the remains of U.S. Army Private William Calkins, a World War II soldier from Oregon, have been identified and will be returning to the state for burial. Calkins’ remains were exhumed from the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines, where he was buried as an unknown soldier. He was captured by Japanese forces after the surrender of U.S. troops in Bataan province and survived the Bataan Death March before passing away at Cabanatuan POW Camp #1 in 1942 at the age of 20.
After the war, Calkins’ remains, along with others, were relocated to Manila and buried as unknowns. In 2018, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency re-exhumed the remains associated with Common Grave 704 for identification. Through DNA analysis and other techniques, scientists were able to confirm Calkins’ identity. A rosette will be placed next to his name on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery.
The identified remains of William Calkins are scheduled to be transported back to Oregon for burial in Hillsboro, a suburb of Portland, in September. This marks the conclusion of a long process to bring closure to the family and honor the memory of the World War II soldier.