Kentucky soldier recently identified who died in World War II to be buried near childhood home

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A U.S. Army soldier from Kentucky who died in World War II will be buried near his childhood home next month.

Pfc. Thomas F. Brooks was captured and died as a prisoner of war during World War II at the age of 23 years old. Brooks was from Mammoth Cave.

According to a news release, Brooks was a member of the 194th Tank Battalion in 1942 when Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands. He was among thousands of U.S. and Filipino soldiers who were captured and interned at prisoner of war camps after months of fighting.

Brooks endured the 65-mile Bataan Death March and was held at the Cabanatuan POW camp. Historical records reported Brooks died on Dec. 10, 1942 and was buried with other prisoners in a common grave.

After the U.S. defeated Japan in the war, the American Graves Registration Service exhumed those buried at the cemetery to a new resting place near Manila. Five remains were identified, but the rest were declared unidentified and then buried at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial as unknowns.

The remains associated with those unknowns were disinterred and sent to laboratory for analysis in 2018. Scientists used dental and anthropological analysis to identify Brooks' remains.

He will be buried on Oct. 1 after a graveside service at Hill Grove Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery at 1900 Dickeys Mill Road in Mammoth Cave, Ky. For funeral information, call the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.