Vietnam veteran's remains identified after nearly 47 years missing

The remains of Army Maj. Donald G. Carr of San Antonio, Texas, who has was missing in action since 1971, were recently recovered and identified. (Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency)

The remains of a U.S. Green Beret who went missing in action during the Vietnam War nearly 47 years ago have been recovered.

The remains of Army Maj. Donald G. Carr of San Antonio, Texas were returned to his family after DNA analysis helped identify the fallen hero, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced Monday.

Records show Carr was assigned to Mobile Launch Team 3 with the 5th Special Forces Group when he went on a reconnaissance mission from which he failed to return. On July 6, 1971, Carr's flight crashed during bad weather and a ground team failed to immediately locate the spot where the plane went down.

Carr was declared missing in action.

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The Defense agency said between September 1991 and March 2014, joint U.S. and Lao Peoples’ Democratic Republic teams conducted more than 25 investigations and site surveys, but could not locate his remains.

In April 2014, however, a Vietnamese citizen contacted U.S. officials about possible remains found in Kon Tum Province. The wreckage included personal items belonging to Carr and his remains were identified through DNA.

A service is set to be held Friday to honor Carr and he'll be buried at the San Antonio National Cemetery.

Currently there are 1,598 American servicemen and civilians from the Vietnam War still declared missing. Their names are recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu. Carr’s name, which is part of the memorial, will now include a rosette to indicate he had been accounted for.