Richardson Campaign Press Release - Richardson to Attend Military Memorial Service

Remains of former MIA to receive full military honors

DES MOINES, IA-- New Mexico Governor and Democratic Presidential candidate Bill Richardson will not be participating in today's NPR debate. Instead, he will attend a memorial service for Corporal Clem R. Boody, a U.S. MIA whose remains Richardson helped secure and return from North Korea in April 2007.

Richardson also was instrumental in helping secure the Purple Heart Medal Boody was awarded posthumously in 1954, but which was never received by the family.

Corporal Boody's memorial service will be held today, Tuesday, Dec. 4 at 1:30 p.m., at the Reiff Funeral Home, in Independence, IA, followed by a graveside service at Wilson Cemetery, with full military honors by the Iowa National Guard.

Below is a media release distributed by the Iowa National Guard:

RELEASED BY Lt. Col. Greg Hapgood

PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER

OFFICE: (515) 252-4582

CELL: (515) 971-6385

HOME: (515) 986-5725

CAMP DODGE

JOHNSTON, IOWA

Nov. 30, 2007

8:50 A.M.

IOWAN RETURNS HOME 57 YEARS LATER

FOLLOWING DISCOVERY OF REMAINS IN NORTH KOREA

More than 50 years after an early Korean War battle near the Chinese border, Cpl. Clem R. Boody is returning home to Iowa.

Boody, a 24-year old wireman and Independence, Iowa native serving with Headquarters Company, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, U.S. Army, was last seen after his unit established a defensive line at Unsan, North Korea, just north of Camel's Head on the Kuryong River. Two Communist Chinese divisions attacked the 1st Cavalry Division on Nov. 1, 1950, forcing the collapse of the U.S. lines and withdrawal of the 1st Cavalry forces. Boody was reported missing on Nov. 2, 1950 and was one of the more than 350 U.S. servicemen missing in action after the battle.

While Boody was officially declared deceased on Dec. 31, 1953 and a memorial marker placed in the family plot, his mother never gave up hope that someday her boy would "come home."

Through the efforts of the U.S. Department of Defense's Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO), along with the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea, excavation was initiated near Unsan in November 2006 and six boxes of U.S. servicemembers' remains were repatriated from Korea to the United States in April 2007. Scientists from Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA, dental comparisons, and circumstantial evidence in the identification process. Boody's surviving familymembers were recently notified of his identification.

Boody was born Aug. 28, 1926 in Otterville, Iowa to Frederick and Dessie (King) Boody. He was one of six children born to the couple, with an older half-brother making up the rest of the Boody family, all of whom are now deceased. They included half-brother, Gene Rousseau Boody; Mary Ellen Boody-Van Nevelle; Charles Rueben Boody; Frank Frederick Boody; Effie Evelyn Boody; and George Henry "Hank" Boody. He is survived and welcomed home by his nieces and nephews.

Boody grew up in rural Independence, helping on his parents' farm. He shared an easy, ready smile and "wicked" sense of humor. He enjoyed outdoor sports such as hunting and fishing, and fast cars.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army on Oct. 28, 1944 and was assigned to the 1st Calvary Division, serving in the Philippines and Pacific theater during World War II. Boody was honorably discharged Nov. 15, 1945 and returned home to Independence. He reenlisted in 1948-1949 and shipped out for Korea with the same enthusiasm and commitment shown in his prior service to his country, joking to his widowed mother and younger brother that he'd be "Right back."

Visitation will be held at Reiff Funeral Home, 216 3rd Ave. SE, Independence, Iowa on Monday, Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. The memorial service will be held Tuesday, Dec. 4 at 1:30 p.m., also at the Reiff Funeral Home, followed by a graveside service at Wilson Cemetery, Independence with full military honors by the Iowa National Guard. Guests are invited to join the procession to the graveside service immediately following the memorial service. The public is welcome to attend the visitation, memorial service and graveside ceremony.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the Cpl. Clem Boody Memorial Fund, State Bank of Toledo, P.O. Box 309, Toledo, Iowa 52342. Proceeds will be used to assist wounded U.S. servicemembers.

- Media Information for Visitation and Funeral -

The family of Cpl. Clem Booty asks that their privacy and the dignity of Clem's memorial and graveside services be respected. Media are invited to attend the memorial service and graveside ceremony on Tuesday, Dec. 4; points of contact are Lt. Col. Greg Hapgood and 1st Sgt. Duff McFadden (see contact information below). Media may shoot photos and video at the memorial and graveside services, but without flash or lights. Media availability with the family of Cpl. Clem Boody will follow the graveside service at the Reiff Funeral Home community room.

For questions concerning this release as well as additional information about the Boody services, please contact Lt. Col. Greg Hapgood, Iowa National Guard Public Affairs Officer, by email at gregory.hapgood@us.army.mil or (515) 252-4582 (office), (515) 971-6385 (cell), or (515) 986-5725 (home). You may also contact 1st Sgt. Duff E. McFadden, at (515) 252-4666 (office), (515) 480-7647 (cell), (515) 251-7335 (home), or by e-mail at duff.e.mcfadden@us.army.mil.