Missing Soldier Found & Laid To Rest

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Story Published: Oct 11, 2008 at 8:17 PM PST

By Sade Malloy

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Ellensburg -- Lt. Ernest Martin was laid to rest today marking the end of a family's search. It's a story six decades in the making stretching from Germany to Ellensburg.

It was a day of closure for Evelyn Pollock and her brother Tom Rogers, their Uncle Ernest was finally laid to rest after nearly 60 years of searching.

Sade Malloy, Action News says, "Why was it so surprising?"
Vern Wilson, WWII Veteran says, "It was so surprising after all these years that it could happen."

Second Lt. Ernest E. Martin of Company 'C' 109th infantry regiment was a soldier in World War II.

He was missing in action, his body never turned up.

In 1945 the military made it official he was presumed dead.

That could be the end of the story but it wasn't.

Evelyn Pollock, missing soldier's niece says, "I thought it would never happen, in August we got a report from the army that we had matched through microcondria DNA and we brought Uncle Ernest back."

A German construction company found a shallow grave with a soldier's lieutenant bars.

The military determined it was Lieutenant Martin, that was eight years ago.

During her Uncle Ernest's funeral Saturday Evelyn thanked friends, family and local soldiers for the outpouring of respect.

Tom Roger, missing soldier's nephew says, "I received a letter today from a gentleman on the coast that served in the 109th regiment and the same battle that my Uncle Ernest fought in."

Vern Wilson, WWII Veteran says, "It's great that it could happen that way and the family must be appreciative I imagine."

It's a happy ending for a family that never stopped looking for Ernest E. Martin.

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