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U.S. Army corporal killed in combat in 1950 finally coming home to Butler

BUTLER COUNTY, Pa. — A U.S. Army corporal who was killed during combat in 1950 is finally returning home to Butler.

Cpl. James T. "Tommy" Mainhart’s family members have known for decades that he died on Nov. 30, 1950, in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War, but they had little hope of ever being able to lay him to rest.

That all changed in December when the U.S. Army contacted Mainhart's nephew, Tom Mainhart, with news that DNA had been used to positively identify his uncle’s remains.

For almost 20 years, Mainhart had been trying to locate his uncle’s remains to have them returned home. He said he was motivated by his heartbroken grandmother.

“Every year, it’s the same story that she’d tell me, and (she’d say), ‘Boy, it’d really be great to have Tom come back, to bring him back and bury him,’” Mainhart said.

Mainhart said when he and his father learned the Army was using DNA to identify the remains of missing soldiers, both of them gave samples. Years went by, and then right before Christmas, the call finally came.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Mainhart said.

He told Channel 11 News that his uncle could’ve been buried in Arlington National Cemetery, but his family chose to bring him back to Butler, where he’ll be buried with full military honors.