Governor Steve Beshear has directed that flags at all state office buildings be lowered to half-staff on Thursday in honor of a recently identified Kentucky serviceman who was missing in action from the Vietnam War.

The Department of Defense Prisoner of War and Missing Personnel Office announced that the remains of Army Sergeant John R. Jones of Louisville was recently identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

On June 4th, 1971, Jones was part of a U.S. team working with indigenous commandos to defend a radio-relay base, known as Hickory Hill in South Vietnam when enemy forces attacked the site.

Military officials say Jones and another serviceman took up a defensive position in a nearby bunker and the following morning, Jones was reportedly killed by enemy fire and the other soldier was captured and held as a prisoner of war until 1973.

Services for Sergeant Jones will be held Thursday morning at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C. 
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