The remains of a Commodore man killed during World War II will return home today.
Last week, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced that Army Private First Class John A. Walko of Commodore was accounted for in July 2025 after DNA and forensic testing of his remains confirmed his identity. He was 20 years old when he was killed in 1944 during fighting in Aachen, Germany, while serving with the 1st Infantry Division. His remains were recovered shortly after the battle, but they were never formally identified. In 1951, he was declared non-recoverable, and his name was inscribed among the missing at the Netherlands American Cemetery.
A dignified transfer ceremony will be held at the Pittsburgh International Airport around 6:22 tonight. Members of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association, American Legion Riders and Patriot Guard Riders will escort the hearse as it travels from Pittsburgh to Indiana. The route will take him through Downtown Indiana sometime between 6 and 8 PM. People are being asked to line Philadelphia Street from 5th to 10th with American Flags; red, white and blue decorations; and signs of support as PFC Walko returns home. He will be interred with military honors on Wednesday in the Oakland Cemetery.
Full details on visitation and services are available in the obituary section of our website.
