{"id":4627,"date":"2020-09-20T13:14:59","date_gmt":"2020-09-20T04:14:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nedforney.com\/?p=4627"},"modified":"2020-09-20T19:04:46","modified_gmt":"2020-09-20T10:04:46","slug":"korean-war-william-jones-pow-mia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nedforney.com\/index.php\/2020\/09\/20\/korean-war-william-jones-pow-mia\/","title":{"rendered":"The POW\/MIA Day Story that Facebook Thinks is Too Political"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\"PFC\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\r\n\t

With National POW\/MIA Recognition Day held this past Friday, September 18, Americans from all walks of life and from every creed, race, and religion honored their fellow countrymen who became prisoners of war or were listed as missing in action and have yet to come home.<\/p>\r\n

As a Marine veteran, career educator, and writer who advocates for veterans and their families, I wrote a story this week on Facebook<\/a> about a young soldier, PFC William \u201cHoover\u201d Jones, who died seventy years ago during the Korean War.<\/p>\r\n

Jones was killed on November 17, 1950, just a few weeks after his 19th birthday, during a massive Chinese offensive. Since his body wasn\u2019t recovered and the US Army was unsure of his fate, the family was simply told that Hoover was \u201cmissing.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

For nearly seventy years, his family waited and prayed, hoping for a call from the military that would bring closure to the painful story of their son and brother who had never come home from the war. Two years ago, on September 13, 2018, the day they\u2019d been waiting for since 1950 finally came.<\/p>\r\n

Hoover\u2019s remains had been identified among 55 boxes repatriated to the US by North Korea. \u201cWe never gave up hope,\u201d Hoover\u2019s sister, Elizabeth Jones-Ohree, told ABC News<\/a>. <\/p>\r\n

PFC Jones was buried with full military honors in August 2019 at Arlington National Cemetery.<\/p>\r\n

\"Soldiers

Soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment conduct military funeral honors for Pfc. William Jones at Arlington National Cemetery, August 22, 2019 (PC: Elizabeth Fraser\/U.S. Army).<\/p><\/div>\r\n

When I posted the story on Facebook, readers immediately took notice. Within twenty-four hours, the tribute to Hoover had reached more than 200,000 people, many of whom wrote heartfelt comments about the fallen soldier and his family.<\/p>\r\n

But when I attempted to boost the post so that it could reach an even wider audience, I was informed by Facebook that the story pertained to \u201csocial issues, elections or politics\u201d and was \u201crejected.\u201d After filling out a form to find out what aspect of the story the officials at the social networking giant were so alarmed about, I was simply told: \u201cUnchanged. After another review, this ad won\u2019t run.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

\"\"

Facebook’s response to inquiry about ad rejection.<\/p><\/div>\r\n

No explanations; no specific reasons for the decision; and no one to talk to about an appeal. The man behind the curtain had spoken.<\/p>\r\n

I am frustrated, to say the least. I feel that PFC Jones, his family, and all the POW\/MIAs who sacrificed so much for our country have been shortchanged. <\/p>\r\n

Are they now too political to talk about, or was this just an oversight by the powers that be at Facebook? We may never know. One thing is certain, however, our POW\/MIA\u2019s<\/a> and their families deserve better and must never be forgotten.<\/p>\r\n

The story as it appeared on Facebook on September 13, 2020:<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n

On September 13, 2018, the family of PFC William \u201cHoover\u201d Jones, a US Army solider listed as missing in action since 1950, received a call they had waited nearly seven decades for . . .<\/p>\r\n

In late November 1950, PFC Jones and his unit, 2nd Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, were hit by an overwhelming Chinese force near Pakchon, North Korea, and immediately began taking heavy casualties.<\/p>\r\n

\"Members

Members of the 24th Infantry Regiment heading to the front lines (PC: US Army).<\/p><\/div>\r\n

Outgunned and outmanned, Jones and his buddies were forced to make a fighting withdrawal. During the ensuing hand-to-hand fighting in sub-zero cold, hundreds of Americans died.<\/p>\r\n

What happened to the Nash County, North Carolina native, who had been raised on a family farm and enlisted in the Army \u201cin hopes of a better life,\u201d is uncertain. But in the horror and chaos of the non-stop Chinese assaults, Jones disappeared.<\/p>\r\n

Weeks later, Jones\u2019 mother received a telegram from the US military. Her son was MIA, missing in action. “I went home to comfort her,\u201d remembers Elizabeth Ohree, one of the family’s eight children. \u201cMy mother was in bed, it had gotten her nerves so badly.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Ida Dickens, another of PFC Jones\u2019 sisters, recalled in a TIME article that her brother had written a letter to the family on November 17, 1950, just a few weeks after his 19th birthday.<\/p>\r\n

In the handwritten note addressed to his mother, the exhausted but cheerful soldier \u201cwith a wonderful sense of humor\u201d talked about the hardships of the terrible North Korean cold and the long nights. \u201cI hope I\u2019ll be home by Christmas,\u201d he added optimistically. It was the last letter he ever wrote.<\/p>\r\n

For over six decades, the family waited and wondered. Had the 6\u20194\u201d soldier, described as a devout Christian and his “mother\u2019s favorite\u201d by his three living sisters, died on the battlefield? Or had he somehow survived and perished as a POW?<\/p>\r\n

\"Ida

Ida Jones-Dickens, left, and Elizabeth Jones-Ohree hold collages of their brother presented to them by the Defense POW\/MIA Accounting Agency, November 2018 (PC:U.S. Air Force, Staff Sgt. Apryl Hall).<\/p><\/div>\r\n

On September 13, 2018, the family\u2019s questions were finally answered.<\/p>\r\n

In a phone call the family had waited nearly seven decades for, Ida was told that her brother’s remains had been identified among 55 boxes returned to the United States by North Korea.<\/p>\r\n

In a meeting with the three surviving sisters (Elizabeth, 96, Ida, 93, and Thelma, 89) a US Army Casualty Assistance Officer explained that Jones had died on the battlefield from a head wound, most likely a blow from a rifle butt.<\/p>\r\n

For the family that had waited so long to find out what happened to their loved one in Korea, it was a relief. “It brought closure,\u201d Thelma Jones Hilliard said. “We never gave up hope,\u201d her sister, Elizabeth, added.<\/p>\r\n

Postscript:<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n

PFC Jones was buried on August 22, 2019, with full military honors, at Arlington National Cemetery. In the months leading up to his burial, the family was inundated with an outpouring of support from local, state, and national organizations and leaders.<\/p>\r\n

Two months before his interment, North Carolina officials, \u201cin honor of PFC Jones’ life and service,\u201d had the soldier’s remains lie in state at the NC State Capitol rotunda and lowered all US and NC flags to half-staff. Numerous church services, ceremonies, and tributes followed.<\/p>\r\n

\"U.S.

U.S. Army Pfc. William Hoover Jones lies in honor at the North Carolina State Capitol in Raleigh, N.C., Friday, June 21, 2019 (PC: Associated Press\/Gerry Broome).<\/p><\/div>\r\n

\u201cPrivate Jones joined the military to serve his country,\u201d Marine Corps veteran and North Carolina Veterans Affairs Secretary Larry Hall said at a ceremony honoring the fallen warrior. \u201cHe wanted to fulfill the promise he saw in America by giving his service for what he thought would be a better future for him, his family, and his community.”<\/p>\r\n

\u201cHe enlisted so he could travel and get a free education, which meant a lot to him,\u201d his sister, Ida, recalled. “So he went, and he never came back.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Today we pay tribute to Hoover Jones, his family, and all those who served, sacrificed, and died during the Korean War.<\/p>\r\n

Lest we forget.<\/p>\r\n

Click on pictures below to view larger image.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\r\n\t

Top\/Feature photo<\/strong>:\u00a0PFC William “Hoover” Jones before deploying to Korea (PC: findagrave)<\/p>\r\n\t