PARMA, Idaho — After 80 years missing in action, Idaho soldier Lt. Charles S. Atteberry was recently identified by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency using DNA technology and is now officially accounted for.
On Monday, October 3, 2025, his remains were buried at the Lower Boise Cemetery in Parma, next to his parents.
A US Army Infantryman who was deployed to the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines, Lt. Atteberry was taken as a POW and ultimately died while being held as a prisoner of the Empire of Japan during World War II.
His fate was a topic of debate for years, but a decades-long investigation revealed that he was buried on a beach in Taiwan along with other POWs from the U.S. Armed Forces.
After his remains were positively identified at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Lt. Atteberry was flown back home to Idaho last week and was greeted by family, veterans, and the Idaho National Guard.
Hear from the chaplain, guests, and family at Atteberry's funeral
The Honor Guard was on hand for the ceremony, where they fired their rifles in a three-gun salute while a band member played taps— a solemn acknowledgement of Atteberry's service to our country.
Chaplin Nate Wheeler with the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team, Idaho National Guard, delivered a heartfelt eulogy. "Today, we remember and honor Army Officer, 2nd Lieutenant, Charles S. Atteberry, a son of Idaho. Welcome home, soldier. His life has come full circle as Parma was also his birthplace."
Tom Black, VFW Senior Vice Commander, Army, Post 63, noted the importance of providing closure for Atteberry's family members. "As a combat veteran myself, with both of my brothers having also served as combat veterans, it's always important to remember the sacrifices made by those veterans and their families. To repatriate him back here to Idaho soil and place him with his family, where he belongs, is an incredible service."
Born in Parma in 1918, Lt Charles Atteberry is finally home.
You can learn more about Lt. Charles Atteberry and his journey during World War II here.
