Science Helps WWII Soldier’s Remains Return to Rock Hill

A Soldier’s Long-awaited Homecoming

ROCK HILL, S.C. – On Sunday afternoon, the city of Rock Hill, South Carolina was immersed in a profound wave of respect and remembrance as they honoured the life of U.S. Army Private Cecil T. Hinson, a prisoner who died during World War II at just 20 years old.

After being accounted for in November 2023, Hinson’s remains were finally repatriated, affording his family and the close-knit Rock Hill community a long-awaited opportunity to duly celebrate his life and legacy.

An End to Uncertainty

Officials have confirmed that Hinson was serving as part of the Chemical Warfare Service in the U.S Army when the Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands in December of 1941. Sadly, he was among the thousands of U.S military personnel who were captured and ultimately buried at obscure Prisoner of War camps. Hinson died as a prisoner of war on July 28, 1942.

On the 82nd anniversary of his death, his family finally had the chance to attend a proper funeral service for him at Laurelwood Cemetery in Rock Hill, South Carolina, marking the end of decades of uncertainty and unanswered questions for the soldier’s kin.

A Family’s Joyful Thanksgiving

Among the visitors was Patricia Bigham, Private Hinson’s niece, who shared her heartfelt feelings on finally getting to offer her uncle a fitting homage. “It’s something we never thought we would get to see. It’s been 82 years since he was killed, buried over in the Philippine Islands. We never thought we would get to see him. And when we got that news on November the 15th 2023—right before Thanksgiving, that’s what I was most Thankful for. Thankful to God for letting them find my Uncle and also the U.S Army for not forgetting our soldiers,” recounted Bigham, her voice filled with evident relief and gratitude.

The Miracle of Science

According to officials, Hinson’s remains were identified by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency on Nov. 15, 2023. His remains had been exhumed from the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines in 2018 for laboratory analysis and identification, thanks to advancements in scientific techniques. This successful identification allowed Hinson’s relatives to be contacted, giving them closure after missing one of their own for over eight decades.

The poignant return of Private Hinson serves as a reminder of the countless brave soldiers who perished in World War II, many of whom remain unaccounted for. Their stories, like Hinson’s, are testaments to the horrors of war and the unbreakable resilience of human spirit.