GUADALUPE, Arizona — After being missing in action for nearly 80 years, a World War II veteran from Arizona was laid to rest this morning.
12News first reported the remains of 37-year-old U.S. Army Pvt. 1st Class Alcario V. Flores of Coolidge had been identified last month.
On Saturday, 12News was in Guadalupe to capture the emotional farewell for Pfc. Flores.
“We’re just happy that all this happened, and that Alcario Flores is coming to the Guadalupe area again,” said Benito Valencia of Guadalupe American Legion Post 124.
Members of the post say it was important for Pfc. Flores’ loved ones and the community to put a special touch of their culture on this meaningful ceremony.
“Finally getting his resting place and the whole family is now comfortable with what took place not only with (the US Department of Defense), but with the whole community,” said Valencia.
The homecoming was just as his nephew had hoped for.
“He’s 89 years old and finally, he saw his uncle come back home and laid to rest,” said Valencia.
Distant family members like Jesus Osuna were surprised to hear the news that the remains of Pfc. Flores were positively identified.
“Personally, I didn’t know we had any family members in the military and on top of that, from World War II,” he said. “One of our own in our Valley, from the Pascua Yaqui Tribe. Alcario Flores was found.”
Pfc. Flores’ family recently received their full briefing on his identification from The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency or DPAA. That’s the sole DOD agency working to find, recover, identify, and return to their families, those still missing from our past wars and conflicts from the modern day, going back to World War II.
DPAA spokesperson Sean Everette said Pfc. Flores is believed to have been killed in January of 1945, during a German attack on Allied forces along the Franco-German border.
“On January 21st, Pfc. Flores was killed in the fighting,” he said. “But because of the intensity of the fighting, his body was unable to be recovered at that time.”
Everett says there was no record of him being a German prisoner of war and there were never any remains recovered that were positively identified as his.
“So, the U.S. War Department issued a 'Report of Death' in January 1946,” said Everette.
It wasn’t until 2021 that there was a break in the case.
“A metal detectorist discovered human remains while illegally collecting relics from a foxhole in that area,” Everette said. “The detectorist also discovered material evidence linking those remains to U.S. Army troops to include clothing and ammo casings.”
A DPAA team in Europe recovered the remains and items and transferred them to its laboratory for analysis.
Using a variety of DNA and other evidence, experts officially identified the remains as Pfc. Flores in March of this year.
The positive identification provided a sense of relief for his family.
“If it was me 80 years from now, and you know everybody I know is gone, I would love for my descendants, appreciate it, for them to show us the respect and honor that we would deserve if you were left out there on the other side of the world,” said Osuna.
The community is forever thankful for his sacrifice.
“It’s very heartfelt that we had our own soldier come back home and rest,” said Valencia.
“He was a resident of Guadalupe and of course, we were honored to be here and welcome him home,” said Rudy Fimbres of Guadalupe American Legion Post 124.
Nearly 80 years after his death, Pfc. Flores is finally resting in peace.
“I know it would make my soul happy to get this kind of treatment he deserves,” said Osuna.
Pfc. Flores’ name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at Epinal American Cemetery in Dinozé, France, along with others still missing from World War II.
A rosette was placed next to his name to indicate he had been accounted for.
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