Local family learns MIA uncle is coming home

The remains of some American soldiers who died during the Korean War are on their way home. Coincidentally, the remains of one local family’s soldier found its way back to the States just last week. Army Master Sergeant Leonard Chinn disappeared in action during the Korean War and his remains were returned on July 17th.

MSG Chinn’s nephew and great nephew were at today’s POW MIA Awareness Rally to welcome him home.

“I was actually shocked. I was surprised. I didn’t believe it at first,” said Eric Chinn, MSG Chinn’s great nephew. “I was like no, it can’t be the guy we heard about all those years, right? It was just too coincidental.”

The Chinn family got quite the surprise this morning when they discovered their uncle who disappeared during the Korean War was coming home. It all happened when the boss of Eric Chinn’s wife saw Leonard Chinn’s name in the Post Register newspaper and asked her if they were related. After the family made some calls and did some research, they discovered they were. They also discovered that Leonard Chinn was a hero.

“Apparently, they were being over run and he got into a bulldozer right? And kind of enclosed these caves apparently to give them time to get out and he stayed back to help his men get out and he ended up getting captured and was sent to a POW camp where he died,” Chinn said.

The POW MIA Awareness Association aims to bring missing service men home. They held a ceremony today for MSG Chinn, putting a star next to his name, signifying he’s finally home. They say days like today are why they do what they do.

“For us to have a family who has waited. His son didn’t even know him and he’s waited 70 years to know what happened to his dad,” said Jim Jones, director of the Pocatello POW MIA Awareness Association. “And you know, he’s home now and he’s gonna have closure.”

After nearly 70 years of questions and wonder, the Chinn family can finally say a proper good-bye.

Chinn, “And to have this, to know he’s brought home and that, it really gives you some peace, it does,” Chinn said. “You know, that after all these years he’s able to rest and so we feel pretty good about it, it’s calming.”

Chinn said he wasn’t sure about any funeral arrangements yet. He said he was going to talk to MSG Chinn’s son to figure out what the family is going to do.

There are still more than 80,000 American service men missing in action.