A 25-year-old Galesburg native killed during the Korean War has finally been accounted for after more than seven decades.
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced on Nov. 15, 2024, that the remains of U.S. Army Cpl. Paul Eugene Hoots were identified, bringing long-awaited closure to his family. His flag-draped casket will arrive at Lambert International Airport in St. Louis on Tuesday, July 22, where a Funeral Honors Team from the Army will receive him before he is transported to Hinchliff-Pearson-West Funeral and Cremation Services in Galesburg for his final homecoming. Funeral services are set for Thursday, July 24.
Cpl. Hoots, born May 8, 1925, to John and Willie Eunice Hoots, grew up in Galesburg, attending Silas Willard School and graduating from Galesburg High School in 1944.
Accompanying his photo in the 1944 GHS Reflector yearbook was a quote that read, “I’ve been working on the railroad.” It further noted “Art major” and “Bicycle rider.”
He later studied at Coyne Electric School in Chicago, where he earned a diploma in 1945, before joining Burlington Railroad for five years. Enlisting in the U.S. Army on Oct. 12, 1948, he served with Company D, 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division and deployed to South Korea at the onset of the Korean War.
Obituary: Cpl. Paul Eugene Hoots: May 8, 1925 ~ July 7, 1950
On July 7, 1950, during intense fighting near Ch’anon, South Korea, he was reported missing in action. Historical records later indicated he was killed, but his remains could not be recovered at the time due to the chaotic early days of the conflict.
His death was confirmed later, and memorial services were originally held for him on Saturday, Jan. 23, 1954, at the Kimber and West Chapel in Galesburg. At the time of his death, Cpl. Hoots’ parents resided at 1535 Florence Ave.
For 74 years, his fate remained a mystery
His remains, buried as an “Unknown” at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, remained unclaimed until the DPAA’s forensic team matched them with family DNA provided in 2018.
According to the DPAA, Hoots’ remains were among those disinterred from the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, where unidentified soldiers from the Korean War were buried as “Unknowns.” Advances in forensic science, including mitochondrial DNA analysis and anthropological techniques, enabled scientists at the DPAA’s laboratory to confirm his identity.
In 2018, Hoots’ family, including his niece Ruth Gordon of Loogootee, Indiana, provided DNA samples by swabbing their cheeks.
“Back around 2018, we did the DNA thing,” Gordon, now 82, tells WGIL. “We never heard and never heard until just fall when they told us he was a match. It was wonderful to get the news. I thought it was never going to happen, because it had just been so long.”
Gordon, who was about 6 when she met her uncle, has faint but cherished memories of him.
“I remember seeing him one time at my grandparents’ house at Christmas,” she said. “I faintly remember when they had a memorial for him. My grandmother always talked about him. She always had his picture up on the piano.”
Gordon described her uncle as a quiet man with a passion for radios, a detail that stood out from family stories. She expressed excitement about the upcoming services, noting, “It sounds like they’re really going to go all out to honor him. It’s going to be something fantastic when his casket arrives at the airport.”
Final honors with military rites
A visitation for Cpl. Hoots is scheduled from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday, July 24 at Hinchliff-Pearson-West in Galesburg. A funeral service will follow at 11 a.m.
A six-soldier detail will oversee Cpl. Hoots’ body during the services and eventually escort him to East Linwood Cemetery, where he will be laid to rest alongside his parents with full military honors, including a 21-gun salute and the playing of Taps.
Cpl. Hoots was one of four children born to John and Willie Hoots, all of whom preceded him in death.
The family expressed gratitude to the DPAA and other U.S. agencies for their “meticulous labors” in identifying Cpl. Hoots. The DPAA’s mission, as outlined in their announcement, involves a multidisciplinary approach combining historical research, family interviews, and cutting-edge forensic science to account for the more than 7,500 U.S. service members still missing from the Korean War.
Community call to action: The Flagman’s Mission
The Flagman’s Mission Continues is calling on the Galesburg community and surrounding areas to assist in establishing a memorial of up to 600 3 x 5 flags on 10-foot poles to honor Cpl. Hoots.
The project—open to anyone able to carry 5 pounds and walk—will start with setup beginning at 4 p.m. on Wednesday at Hinchliff-Pearson-West, 1070 W. Fremont St., and take-down scheduled for 4 p.m. on Thursday, July 24.
Volunteers are advised to wear gloves and walking shoes, bring their own beverages, and stay hydrated.
Youth groups and children over 11 are encouraged to participate, and no pre-registration is required.
For inquiries, contact (618) 409-0323.
