Korean War Soldier Laid to Rest at B.G. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery
The long-awaited interment of U.S. Army Soldier Pfc. Anthony J. Lopa, who was Killed in Action during the Korean War in 1950, finally took place on June 28, 2024, after nearly 74 years. The solemn ceremony was held at the NJDMAVA’s Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery in North Hanover, New Jersey. Pfc. Anthony J. Lopa, a member of Delta Battery, 82nd Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, was brought to his final resting place with full military honors.
Hailing from North Arlington, New Jersey, Pfc. Anthony J. Lopa was just 17 years old when he made the ultimate sacrifice on August 31, 1950, while bravely fighting the North Korean People’s Army along the Naktong River, near Yongsan-Myeon, South Korea. His remains were accounted for on July 21, 2023, following years of efforts by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency to identify and repatriate fallen Soldiers from past conflicts.
Maxwell Funeral Home in Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, conducted the graveside services preceding the interment, paying tribute to the memory and service of Pfc. Anthony J. Lopa. The meticulous process of locating and identifying missing Soldiers from World War II, the Korean, and Vietnam wars is spearheaded by the Past Conflict Repatriations Branch, operating under the Army Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operations Division at U.S. Army Human Resources Command in Fort Knox, Kentucky.
The journey to bring closure to the families of fallen Soldiers involves extensive historical, forensic, and DNA analysis to accurately identify the remains of the missing service members. Once the identification process is complete, the primary next of kin is informed and briefed about the results, benefits, and the dignified mortuary process, culminating in a burial with full military honors.
The successful interment of U.S. Army Pfc. Anthony J. Lopa at the Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery on June 28, 2024, stands as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by brave service members in defense of freedom and democracy. The solemn ceremony honored a fallen hero who will forever be remembered for his selfless dedication to duty and country.
