Free presentation to address ‘Changing the Fate of the Unknown Soldier’

October 21, 2018 Utah Channel 3

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CEDAR CITY – This year marks the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. To commemorate this centennial event, Southern Utah University and Project Archaeology are holding a free community presentation Thursday funded by a Utah Humanities grant that will explore the work that goes on to return the remains of soldiers who die abroad to their families.

Changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery, Va., Dec. 24, 2005 | Photo courtesy of the U.S. Army, St. George News / Cedar City News

World War I was the first war that left large numbers of American citizens buried abroad, many of them lacking identification.

In the years that followed the end of the war, the U.S. and other countries created monuments to those unidentified soldiers to honor their ultimate sacrifice. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia is the final resting place for three soldiers: one killed during WWI, one from WWII and one from the Korean War.

Over time, there have been changes in the fate of soldiers who die in the line of duty. For one thing, the option to bury soldiers abroad ended in the Korean War. Advances in forensic science have meant that almost every fallen soldier can now be identified, even if they suffered significant injuries.

On Thursday at 7 p.m, Penny Minturn, a forensic anthropologist employed by the U.S. Government Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, will deliver the presentation”Frontline Forensics: Changing the Fate of the Unknown Soldier” at Cedar North Elementary in Cedar City. The presentation is free and open to the public.

Minturn will describe her work excavating and identifying the remains of missing soldiers and how she has been able to work with people around the world to bring these soldiers back to their homeland. Minturn has had a long and varied career, and most recently she has been selected as one of the scientists who will work to identify the soldiers recently returned from North Korea.

In addition to Minturn’s presentation, the evening program will feature local retired Naval Captain Ron Lewis, a former Navy helicopter pilot who has dedicated his retirement years to raising awareness about the POW/MIA issue. There will also be a brief choral performance by students from Canyon View High School.

Event details

What: “Frontline Forensics: Changing the Fate of the Unknown Soldier” presentation by Penny Minturn.
When: Thursday, Oct. 28, at 7 p.m.
Where: Cedar North Elementary School gymnasium, 550 W. 200 North, Cedar City.
Cost: Free and open to the public.
Additional information: Contact Shiree Roberts at robe0643@suu.edu.

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