A man in a white robe with red accents walks alongside two uniformed military personnel near a signpost in a rural setting.
Date: 08/08/2026
WESTMINSTER, Colo -- Some stories are simply too meaningful not to share.
Recently, one of our officers had the privilege of accompanying a Korean War veteran on his final journey home ... 79 years after his death in service to our country.
For our officer, this was more than an opportunity to honor a fallen service member. U.S. Army Sgt. Thomas J. O’Brien was his wife's great-uncle, making the journey deeply personal for their family.
Originally from Ireland, Sgt. O’Brien immigrated to the United States before joining the military. He was killed during the Korean War, and for decades his remains were among those listed as unknown.
In the summer of 1954, during Operation Glory, North Korea returned remains believed to have been recovered from various grave sites to the United Nations Command. Unidentified service members were buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii.
More than 60 years later, in March 2018, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) exhumed the remains of an unidentified service member for further analysis. Through laboratory testing and extensive research, scientists were able to positively identify Sgt. O’Brien.
In June 2026, Sgt. O’Brien’s remains were returned from Hawaii to Los Angeles, where they were received by family members. He was then escorted to Ireland, where three U.S. service members, our WPD officer and his family joined together to ensure he received a proper burial.
After nearly eight decades, Sgt. O’Brien is finally home. What an honor to pay tribute to a soldier whose sacrifice will never be forgotten.
Two military personnel in uniform folding an American flag solemnly in a cemetery setting with gravestones and greenery around.