CORTLAND --
A Cortland soldier who was reported Missing in Action in Vietnam for more than 40 years was honored in Cortland Thursday.
Sergeant First Class Douglas Glover, a special forces Green Beret, was killed when his helicopter was shot down during a rescue mission over Laos in 1968. Glover's body was never found and his son John spent the next 42 years wondering what happened to his father.
"Did I want to think he was a prisoner of war? Was he tortured? Was it drawn out? Did he take one last breath and it was over? I prefer to think it was quick," John Glover says.
Douglas Glover's remains were discovered in 2007 and last month the army made a positive identification. Former Marine and Vietnam veteran Harvey Baker was one of those who showed up for Glover's memorial service. Baker says it is important for the country to remember many of those killed in action are still missing.
"There are over 2,000 from Vietnam, over 8,000 from the Korean War, and over 100,000 from World War II. There aren't even numbers from World War I," he says.
The U.S. Army says Sergeant First Class Glover will be buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery this spring. John Glover waited 42 years for word of what happened to his father. Now that he is home, Glover says the healing can begin.
"It's comforting to know that a lot of his classmates that graduated are here with him today we can start to say goodbye," he says.
Original story from Wednesday:
A special memorial will be held in Cortland Thursday to honor a local soldier killed in the Vietnam War.
Army Sgt. First Class Douglas Glover was a Green Beret soldier in 1968 when his helicopter was shot down by enemy fire over Laos. Glover's body was never recovered and he was listed as Missing in Action for years. In 2007, his remains were uncovered and last December the Army was able to make a positive identification.
A memorial service honoring Glover will be held outside the Cortland County Courthouse at 10:00 Thursday morning.
Sgt. Glover is expected to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery this spring with full military honors.
