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Indy World War II soldier finally identified

Posted at 6:09 PM, Dec 13, 2018
and last updated 2018-12-13 18:09:05-05

INDIANAPOLIS — A young soldier from Indianapolis has finally been identified, 74 years after he was killed in action during World War II.

Army Pfc. Marvin Dickson was a 19-year-old member of Headquarters Company. 1st Battalion, 110 Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division.

He was in Germany, one of thousands of Americans taking part in the Battle of the Hurtgen Forest -- a fierce series of battles between U.S. and German forces in the closing months of 1944.

Military records show Dickson and other soldiers were repairing telephone lines when they came under attack in the early morning hours of November 13, 1944.

One man was killed and three were wounded, but survivors could not confirm Dickson's death or the exact location where he was killed.

After the war, Dickson was declared killed in action.

In 1947, a set of remains was found, but a positive identification wasn't possible with the science of the day.

The case remained open and 70 years later, scientists used DNA analysis and other evidence to make a positive identification.

The remains of Indianapolis native Marvin Dickson have now been identified, but there are still more than 72,000 military personnel from World War ll who are unaccounted for.

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