WWII Soldier Identified As Plainfield Man After 77 Years

PLAINFIELD, IL — Plainfield native Arthur W. Countryman, who served as a technical sergeant in the Army during World War II, was identified through DNA June 14 by a Department of Defense agency tasked with identifying military personnel. Plainfield police will help escort his remains from Midway Airport to Plainfield's Overman Jones Funeral Home on Thursday.

The 37-year-old was assigned to Company F within the 4th Infantry Division's 12th Infantry Regiment. In 1944, he was part of the unit that battled German forces in Germany's Hürtgen Forest when he was reported killed in action Nov. 20.

His remains, found by a German woodcutter, weren't discovered until 1947. Countryman was then buried at Ardennes American Cemetery in Belgium in 1950. In 2019, his body was disinterred and sent to a lab in Nebraska, where he was identified last month.

To identify his body, scientists from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence, according to a news release.

At noon Thursday, the Plainfield Police Department will escort Countryman's body from Midway Airport to Plainfield's Overman Jones Funeral Home, 15219 S. Joliet Road. Those wishing to honor Countryman can stand along Route 30, between the funeral home and Howard Street, with American flags and signs, officials said, adding they'll update their whereabouts after leaving the airport through social media. Those paying their respects are cautioned not to stand in the roadway.

Funeral and visitation for Countryman will be held Aug. 6. Officials said further information will be provided closer to the date.

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