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“This is about Corporal Clarence ‘Bud’ H. Huff Jr of Hinckley (Ohio) who proudly served in the U.S. Marine Corps Item Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. Cpl Huff was also a member of the Hinckley Volunteer Fire Department at the time he went into the service.

CORPORAL CLARENCE “Bud” H. HUFF, JR., United States Marine Corps and Hinckley Township Volunteer Fire Department

“While most of the military related information we post is tragically involving recent wars in the middle east or Afghanistan, this one is very different – from a timing standpoint. In this case, Cpl. Huff  was reported killed in action on December 2, 1950 in the Battle at Chosin Reservoir, Korea. His body was never recovered. Keep reading.

“In 1954 the UN and Communist Forces exchanged the remains of war dead (Operation Glory) to Kokura, Japan for analysis. Cpl Huff’s remains returned to Hawaii from Japan in 1956 as an unidentified Marine. He was laid to rest at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) in Hawaii with fellow unidentified servicemen.

“Now fast forward to 2012…after Missing in Action for 62 years, the remains of Cpl. Clarence Huff, Jr. were actually  identified on May 18th, 2012 from chest x-rays and dental records by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command Identification Lab in Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.

There are so many organizations out there that so many are unaware of-but consider the needs of family members whose soldiers are POW/MIA to understand just how important the work of Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command Identification Lab. The Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) is a joint task force within DOD whose mission is to account for Americans who are listed as Prisoners Of War (POW), or Missing In Action (MIA), from all past wars and conflicts.  “The mission of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) is to achieve the fullest possible accounting of all Americans missing as a result of the nation’s past conflicts.” The motto of JPAC is “Until they are home”.  HERE is their website:  http://www.jpac.pacom.mil/

“Bud Huff enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserves upon graduation from high school in 1948. October 1950 he was sent to Camp Pendleton in California for deployment to Korea. Clarence “Bud” Huff was born on November 22, 1930 to the late Clarence Huff, Sr. and Betty (nee Zenk) in Parma, Ohio and grew up in Hinckley, Ohio with eight brothers and sisters. Bud graduated from Hinckley High School in 1948 and was a member of the Hinckley Volunteer Fire Department. The Hinckley FD covers a rural area of Medina county, 25 miles south of Cleveland.

“Cpl Huff’s mom lived to be 93 years old with the hopes that some day his remains would come home. Unfortunately, she passed away in 2002. In his honor, Betty was a “gold star mother” and led the parade in Hinckley on Memorial Day. He is survived by his many relatives and extended family. Cpl. Huff was followed in death by his parents and other siblings.

“Burial with full military honors will be held on Wednesday, August 15, 2012 at 11 a.m. at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery in Rittman, Ohio.  Rest In Peace.” – (SOURCE: FirefighterCloseCalls.com)

Here is a link to Corporal Huff’s obituary in the Cleveland, OH Plain-Dealer.

Here is a link to an article from the “hometown newspaper, The Medina-Gazette, Medina, OH.