The remains of a U.S. Army soldier who died as a prisoner of war during the Korean War were returned to McComb this afternoon and will be laid to rest with full military honors Saturday, more than 70 years after his death.
Sgt. 1st Class Ellis Coon, who was from Mount Hermon, La., and lived in Osyka when he joined the military, was reported missing in action on Dec. 1, 1950, after his unit was engaged in the Battle of Ch’ongch’on.
Using information provided by repatriated POWs after the war, military officials determined Coon had been held in Camp No. 5 and died of malnutrition and lack of medical care around Feb. 14, 1951.
Army officials declared him dead in March 1954 and his remains unrecoverable in January 1956.
His were among 34 sets of remains North Korea turned over to the U.S. in 1993, and he was positively identified in September.
His remains arrived at Louis Armstrong Airport International Airport today around 1:45 p.m.
After plane side honors, The Patriot Guard Riders of Louisiana, along with law enforcement, will escort Coon to the Mississippi Welcome Center in Chatawa before Patriot Guard Riders from Mississippi join the procession, which will travel down Delaware Avenue en route to Craft-Dillon Funeral Home.
Coon’s funeral will be 2 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Following the service, Coon will be laid to rest with full military honors.
