Missing Vet Found After 51 Years Laid to Rest by Family Who Never Gave Up

Under a clear-blue autumn sky, a 21-gun salute reverberated through Arlington National Cemetery's Section 47 on Monday, splitting the silence that had enveloped the mourners paying their final respects to Marine Corps Capt. Ronald Forrester. Two V-22 Ospreys performed a flyover while "The President's Own" U.S. Marine Band sounded taps and Marine leaders offered their condolences to the fallen veteran's family.

"This is a resting place to receive those who have served faithfully with honor and courage and commitment," said Navy Capt. Doyl McMurray, a chaplain officiating the service. "Today, Capt. Ronald W. Forrester, at long last, takes his rightful place on these hallowed grounds."

The ceremony lasted only about 30 minutes, but for Forrester's family and friends, it was 51 years in the making. The 25-year-old Forrester was shot down in an A6A Intruder over North Vietnam on Dec. 27, 1972, and was declared missing in action. He remained unaccounted for until Dec. 5, 2023, when his remains were finally identified by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.

Karoni Forrester was just 2 when her father disappeared. She started looking for answers when she was a teen. Over the decades, she attended DPAA family member updates and other accountability events, where she's made lifelong friends with other POW/MIA families, many of whom showed up at Arlington to support her at her father's long-awaited funeral.

"I went into the Marine Corps in 1972. I was in boot camp when her dad came up MIA," said veteran Chuck Price, who attended the services after meeting Karoni during a Run for the Wall cross-country ride years ago. "You [attend these funerals] with mixed emotions. You're glad the family got closure."

"I sang at the service today," said Rosalie Glascock, who met Karoni in 2015 at a National League of Families convention. "I actually sang at the convention. … [Karoni] loved my voice. She said, 'When daddy gets home, I want you to sing at his service.' And she called it in, because daddy's home."

A Daughter's Wish Realized

Karoni said that, for her, the most emotional part of this portion of the journey was when she received her father's remains last Friday at a dignified transfer in Baltimore - which happened to fall on her 54th birthday.

"It was that night when I went to blow out my birthday candle, all this emotion started coming up inside me. I realized that I always knew what my wish was," Karoni said, referring to her father's return. "But I didn't have a backup plan for a birthday wish!"

She said in her father's casket, she placed several mementos, including various POW/MIA bracelets that folks had worn in support of her father over the years.

"His best friend growing up passed away three or four years ago. I had gone to high school with his sons, and they found a bracelet that his dad had worn for mine. So, they sent it to me, and I thought it was appropriate to bury that with him," Karoni said. "And back when they used to put little pictures in charms, I found one of me as a little baby, and I gave him that."

Karoni said seeing all the faces of veterans and POW/MIA families who she's met over the years made the services particularly special.

"It's people like this showing up," she said while talking to Glascock. "I haven't seen her in years, but years ago I asked her, 'If he comes home, will you sing?' And it was so beautiful."

A Brother Found

"I'm so proud of my niece," said Capt. Forrester's twin brother, Donald Forrester. "She has devoted her life to advocacy - finding her dad and finding others - and she'll continue to do that."

He said his brother's positive identification was an answer to a prayer. "Knowing with certainty that he's not here gives me the ability to rest in peace," he said.

Donald said the groundswell of support has also been a great comfort for the family.

"We had a celebration of life service in Austin in February, and the church was packed. I'm thinking there was 600-700 people that came," he said.

Donald remembered his brother fondly as a "geek" who carried a slide rule around in high school and "always colored within the lines."

"Ron enriched my life in so many ways. It was fun being a twin. We were competitive. We were close. We had different friends, but it was a good time," he said.

Donald also remembered being contacted by a Marine who served with his brother.

"He said that enlisted men didn't really socialize with officers, but he said, 'Your brother was always kind. He always took the time to share supportive words,'" Donald said. "And that's a nice compliment."

When Donald attended the dignified transfer, he said he didn't expect to be allowed to spend time by the coffin - something that gave him a bit of anxiety.

"I was very teary-eyed that day, but sometimes tears express what you can't put into words," he said. "I try to always let things that surface that remind me of him be the catalyst for gratitude. It makes a world of difference."

While Capt. Forrester's long journey has finally been closed, many other POW/MIA families continue to hold out hope for their loved ones to return. From the Vietnam War alone, there are still more than 1,500 U.S. personnel unaccounted for.