World War I Veteran's Ashes Find Final Rest in Ulster County

Ulster County, NY -

The ashes of a World War I veteran, who had been missing for over a century, have finally been found and laid to rest in Ulster County, New York.

Sergeant William Henry Harrison was a member of the 308th Infantry Regiment of the 77th Infantry Division.

He was killed in action on October 4, 1918, during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, one of the deadliest battles of the war. His body was never recovered, and he was listed as missing in action.

In 2021, a team of researchers from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) began searching for Harrison's remains in the Argonne Forest in France.

After months of searching, they discovered his remains in a mass grave containing the bodies of 25 other American soldiers.

Harrison's remains were identified using DNA analysis and dental records.

He was buried with full military honors at the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery in Schuylerville, New York, on June 29, 2023.

Harrison's family was overjoyed to finally have closure after all these years.

His sister, Mary Harrison, said that she was "so grateful" to the DPAA for finding her brother's remains. "We never gave up hope that he would be found," she said.

Harrison's story is a reminder of the sacrifices made by American soldiers in World War I.

He was one of over 116,000 American soldiers who were killed in the war. His remains being found and laid to rest in Ulster County is a fitting tribute to his service and sacrifice.