On Oct. 19, 2019, after almost 70 years MIA, the DPAA notified Brown’s sister, Clarice Burchell, that he had been identified, according to his obituary at Meredith-Waddell Funeral Home in Herrin.

"We've waited many years for this. I was a little girl when he enlisted and had no idea at that time what grief was all about," Burchell posted on the funeral home's online obituary. "God is good to allow me to have closure at this time in my life."

Soon, Brown's body will return home from Hawaii.

He will be buried in Mound City, Illinois at 1 p.m. on April 3, according to Alex Kment, cemetery representative of the Mound City National Cemetery. It is the first Korean War repatriation Kment has seen in his time managing the cemetery.

“It’s moments like this that really bring our community together," he said. "It’s incredible."

The funeral will likely draw a big crowd, said Clarence Caraker, a local veteran who serves on the ritual team that will perform Brown's military honors at his service.

Caraker, who is also the POW/MIA director for the Veterans of Foreign Wars of Illinois, intends to tell VFW and American Legion posts across the lower part of the state about the funeral and encourage them to attend.