WASHINGTON, July 7 (UPI) -- The remains of a U.S. Army private missing for nearly 92 years have been identified and returned to his family, the Defense Department said Wednesday.
The Defense Department's POW/Missing Personnel Office said in a release the remains of Pvt. Thomas D. Costello of New York will be buried with full military honors Monday at Arlington National Cemetery.
Costello was part of the 60th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division, when he was killed Sept. 16, 1918, during a fierce battle in a wooded area known as Bois de Bonvaux near Jaulyny, France. He was buried with two other soldiers but attempts to find his remains after the war were unsuccessful.
In September 2006, French nationals hunting for metal came across human remains and World War I artifacts. Remains were recovered during excavation of the site and were subsequently identified through dental comparisons as those of Costello.
