Korean War POW laid to rest in Ritchie County after 73 years

SMITHVILLE, W.Va. (WBOY) — A Ritchie County man was laid to rest over the weekend more than 73 years after he gave his life in the Korean War.

Smithville native Sgt. Kester Bernard Hardman, born in 1928, died after he was captured by Chinese Communist Forces while his infantry division was serving near the China and North Korea border, according to his obituary. He died of illness on April 24, 1951, at POW Camp 5 near Pyoktong, North Korea at the age of 23.

His remains were recovered in 1954 in the Operation Glory war dead exchange, but they were unidentified at that time. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency exhumed the remains in 2018, and they were identified as Sgt. Hardman in May 2024 .

Hardman’s family held a visitation and funeral service on Oct. 12, 2024, followed by a burial with full military honors conducted by the U.S. Army. He is now laid to rest next to his parents at the Hardman Chapel Cemetery in Ritchie County.

The Ritchie County Sheriff’s Office escorted Hardman from Raiguel Funeral Home to Hardman Chapel and shared a video of the procession , which is available in the player above.

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