Sgt. First Class Vejar was reported missing in action on November 30, 1950, while fighting in the battle of the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. That battle was brutal, lasting 17-days in freezing weather in 1950. United Nations Troops were encircled and attacked by about 120,000https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Chosin_Reservoir – cite_note-FOOTNOTE%E5%8F%B62007259-4 Chinese troops.
Sgt. First Class Frank Vejar’s remains were returned to the family in Douglas, Arizona, this past November. They gave him a proper burial with his resting place next to his mother and father.
The City of Douglas showed their support. Hundreds came out to honor this Korean War Veteran who was posthumously awarded the purple heart, combat infantryman’s badge, Korean service medal and Korean presidential unit citation.
According to Mayor Donald Huish, it was an honor for the City to welcome him home.
“We are so proud of his service in the Korean War and for the ultimate sacrifice he made to our country. The City of Douglas, Douglas American Legion Post #11, Patriot Riders, and community volunteers collaborated to coordinate the services with the Vejar family. It was our pleasure to speak with the family to pay our respects and show how proud Douglas, a Purple Heart City, is of its military service members.”
Mayor Huish added, “By observing the procession, the City, American Legion, Patriot Riders, and the community paid their respects. It was incredible and heartwarming to witness our community’s outpouring of love and support for a man many of us had never heard of. What a wonderful memory and occasion to have been a part of. We paid our respects to a man who fought for our freedom, and we will never forget his story, sacrifice, and his journey home to be laid to rest.
Sergeant Vejar was 19 years old at his death and was a member of the Heavy Mortar Company, 31st Infantry Regiment, and 7th Infantry Division. On Tuesday, August 24, 2021, the Defense Prisoner of War (POW) and Missing In Action (MIA) Accounting Agency announced that Army Sergeant Vejar was accounted for on April 14, 2021.
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency strives to provide the fullest possible accounting for missing personnel to their families and the nation. They work with other countries to find the remains of the MIA and KIA and return them home. The agency has the largest forensics anthropological laboratory and the largest staff of forensic anthropologists and odontologists under one roof anywhere in the world. In FY 2021, they accounted for the remains of 142 DOD personnel. You can learn more about their efforts online at: https://www.dpaa.mil/.
