ST. LOUIS - The remains of Marine Private First Class Donald Eichschlag were returned to St. Louis on Friday night, 75 years after he died in the Korean War, thanks to DNA identification.

Eichschlag, who was just 18 at the time of his death, was the youngest of four siblings and had aspirations of becoming a priest. His return marks the end of a long wait for his family, who have carried the grief of his loss for decades.

"It's still as important as ever to honor loved ones lost," said Ron Schilling, Eichschlag's nephew, who never met his uncle but emphasized the significance of remembering him.

Eichschlag's remains were accompanied by a military escort and honored by dozens of members of the Patriot Guard Riders, who joined the family in paying their respects.

He will be buried with full military honors next Wednesday at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, a fitting tribute to his service and sacrifice.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KTVI. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KTVI staff before being published.