Cpl. Luis Patlan Torres

Army CPL Luis Patlan Torres was killed during the Korean war and declared dead on September 1, 1950 and is finally coming home to rest. Torres is survived by his oldest sister Guadalupe Torres Mendoza of Eagle Pass, TX, Sister May Torres Sheppard, brother-law Wayne Sheppard, brother Juan Torres, sister-in-law Romelia Torres and brother Gregorio Torres and sister-in-law Alma Torres all of San Antonio, TX. Luis is also survived by many of his cousins, nephews and nieces. He joins his parents Gregorio Torres Sr., Ester Patlan Torres, brothers Felipe Torres, Jesus Torres, Profirio Torres, Panfilo Torres, Jose (Chema) Maria Torres and his sisters Dominga Torres Garza, Josefina Torres Benavides, Evarista Torres Rodriguez, Rosa Torres and Herminia Torres Zamarripa. Luis being a Korean veteran, earned several medals, including the Purple Heart, Prisoner of War, Army Good Conduct, National Defense Service, Korean Service with one Bronze Service Star, Combat Infantry Badge, United Nations Service, Republic of Korea-Korean War Service and Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation. CPL Torres was a member of C Company, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. Torres was born on August 25, 1930, in Cone, Texas. Nicknamed Shorty, Luis always was eager to explore new things. On weekends, he would take the Greyhound bus to Carrizo Springs to play baseball and marbles with his cousins. He loved music, and his female admirers thought he was very handsome and fit from working the fields, his nephew learned. He shipped out to Korea as young man and was captured and declared Missing in Action in 1950. He was officially declared presumed dead in 1954.

As was the practice in 1954, many unidentified soldiers interred in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at the Punch Bowl. The remains of some of these previously-unidentified veterans were recently exhumed. Torres was one several who was exhumed on May 16, 2016 and positively identified on July 19, 2016, through Mitochondrial DNA and testing using Next-Generation Sequencing techniques. The family will receive friends at Funeraria Del Angel Roy Akers Funeral Home on January 12 from noon to 9:00 pm with a rosary at 7:00 pm. Mass will be at St, Patrick Catholic Church, 1114 Willow Street at 11:30 am and will be laid to rest with full military honor at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery at 1:30 pm.