The journey of a fallen veteran to his resting place at Arlington

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The daughter of a marine killed in the Vietnam war is praising Hawaii scientists for helping bring her family closure.
On a clear day at Arlington National Cemetery, Capt. Ronald Forrester was laid to rest, ending his daughter’s 51-year journey to find her father after his plane disappeared over Vietnam when she was just two-years-old.
“When daddy was shot down we were told not to give up hope,” said Karoni Forrester.
But after years of waiting, Karoni’s hope was shattered when all service men missing in action in Southeast Asia were presumed dead.
“I remember being so confused because nobody could tell me what happened to my dad,” Karoni recalled.
Captain Forrester’s name was engraved on the walls at the National Cemetery of the Pacific.
And a tormented Karoni began her own mission — but she wasn’t the only one looking.
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) was created to find and identify those lost in battle. Their scientists travel around the world interviewing witnesses, excavating sites, and gathering any remains left behind.
The items were carefully transported back to their lab in Hawaii and tested against DNA samples, usually from next of kin.
“There are over 80,000 unresolved cases from our past conflicts,” said Dr. Debra Prince Zinni, deputy director of the lab. “It’s a really humbling mission to be apart of.”
In 1991, DPAA teams started searching a rice paddy where a U.S. plane may have crashed in 1972.
The investigation continued for over 30 years, until last December.
Karoni was about to learn, they finally found her father.
“The casualty officer said, ‘We got a match.’” Karoni recalled.
Her dad, identified by a gas card with his name on it, and a single bone fragment that matched his DNA.
“It might just be one little bone but it sure is a huge long sought after answer,” Karoni said.
Karoni attended a ceremony in Hawaii, tapping a small rosette next to her dad’s name on the memorial wall, signifying he’d been found.
She thanked the men and women from DPAA who never stopped searching.
After a journey spanning five decades and crossing the world, Karoni brought her dad to his final resting place, bringing closure for a daughter who vowed never to give up.
Courtney Kube of NBC News contributed to this article.
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