Arkansas – The remains of a fallen U.S. Navy sailor were flown into Little Rock’s Clinton National Airport on May 29, receiving a reverent hero’s welcome as he returned to Arkansas more than 80 years after his death.
According to the Arkansas State Police, Fireman 3rd Class Royle Bradford Luker was 17 years old when he was killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. He was among 106 crew members of the USS West Virginia who died in the attack.
For decades, Luker was officially listed as killed in action with his remains considered non-recoverable. However, recent advancements in DNA technology, along with the efforts of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, led to his identification and return home…