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Body Of Veteran Missing Since Vietnam War Identified

A Central Ohio woman is reacting after the body of her missing father was found in Laos. Find out more.

The body of Col. Francis J. McGouldrick, Jr., missing in action from the Vietnam War, has now been identified.

The distinct black flag sways outside.  A beacon showing the family inside is still waiting for their loved one to come back from war.

"I didn't have my dad there for everything,"  said Mitch Guess of Dublin.

He was missing for 45 years of Guess' life.

"What I do remember was always good, really good memories,"  Guess said.

She was 11.  Her dad, air force pilot Col. Francis McGouldrick, was flying a B-57.  It crashed mid-air with another American jet.  He was serving in the Vietnam War but the mission was in Laos.

"We were not supposed to be in Laos so it's very secret,"  said Guess.

More questions than answers but Mitch and her three sisters never forgot.  They fought for years for McGouldrick to be found and brought home.  Now, the wait is over.

"Our search has been over and we are very fortunate to get these answers,"  said Guess.

An excavation about a year ago in Laos turned up his remains.  So as the lights twinkle on the trees and families gather for Christmas, the McGouldricks will come together at Arlington Cemetery and watch the colonel be laid to rest with his wife.

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"They'll be buried together in the same grave,"  said Guess.

While this family is grateful, they know so many others are still waiting.

"It's still an issue, it's not something that's gone away,"  Guess said.  "It doesn't matter if they're all dead, we still want to repatriate them back into the United States."

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