Body of Appleton Korean War Vet Returns Home

The body of an Appleton man who went missing in action during the Korean war has been identified after more than six decades.

Private First Class Arthur Hopfensperger joined the army when he was 17. A little more than a year later, he went missing in action during an attack on his unit. His family had given up hope his remains would be identified. First cousin Elayne Lastkofa says her family is overjoyed that his body is finally coming home, “I’ve never been to a funeral where people are so happy and so interested to have him coming back after all these years when we never thought they’d find the bones or anything of him anymore. So it’s kind of different that way.”

Of the more than 7,000 soldiers who went missing during the war and are still not identified, 172 are from Wisconsin. Hopfensperger will receive a full military burial at a private ceremony Monday.