More than 70 years after he was killed in combat during the Korean War, a Texas soldier returned to his home state Wednesday, en route to his final resting ground at Arlington National Cemetery.
Major Harvey Storms, of McAllen, was 34 years old on Dec. 1, 1950, when he was shot at least ten times in a firefight at the Chosin Reservoir, where American service members were outnumbered by an estimated 120,000 Chinese soldiers. Storms led an attack on a Chinese position, and despite being mortally wounded he continued directing his soldiers in the battle. Official records show that Storms was last seen being placed into a military truck with other wounded soldiers.
Storms’ remains were unrecovered for 69 years, until after the 2018 summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. The North Koreans turned over 55 boxes to the United States that contained what were believed to be the remains of American service members killed in combat in the Korean War. One of Storms’ four sons was able to provide a DNA sample, which allowed for a match to be made.
An honor guard of North Texas Korean War veterans and supporters arrived at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport before 4 a.m. Wednesday in order to greet the American Airlines flight from Honolulu that was carrying Storms’ remains.
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“We're thankful that he's come home,” said AJ Key, an Air Force veteran and President of the local chapter of the Korean War Veterans of America. “But we also want to remind people that it was hateful for him to have been missing for this long. We didn't get the cooperation that was needed to get these guys back.”
Among those who arrived early to welcome Storms’ remains was Lt. General Richard Carey, of Grand Prairie, who commanded United States Marines during the battle at Chosin Reservoir.
“I have to honor the warriors who were there, each and every one of them gave their all because it was a tough, tough fight,” Carey said.
The remains of Storms will be removed from a large crate flown from Honolulu to DFW. The remains will then be placed into a flag-draped coffin and flown on to the Washington area, where Storms will finally be laid to rest.
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