He disappeared in combat more than 70 years ago. Now, the remains of Central Coast man have finally been identified, and are coming home.
It’s the bittersweet end to a story which started in 1951. Carmen Carrillo of Lompoc was in the U.S. Army, deployed in South Korea. The 20-year-old’s unit was part of a defensive line on a hill which was attacked by North Korean and Chinese soldiers.
The United Nations forces were overwhelmed. He disappeared, and he was never reported to be a prisoner of war. In 2013, South Korean Defense Ministry officials recovered the remains of several unidentified soldiers in the area.
Six of the remains were transferred to the United States, because they were believed to be U.S. service members. In 2021, they were taken to a special military lab in Hawaii. Using dental records and other technology, they were able to positively identify the remains.
The Defense Department located some of Carrillo relatives. They are planning a private burial in Lompoc.
