FRANKFORT, Ky. (Nov. 15, 2023) – Gov. Andy Beshear has ordered flags at all state buildings to be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset Thursday, Nov. 16, in honor of a Kentucky soldier who died in World War II, but whose remains were only recently identified.
U.S. Army Pfc. Charles W. Wells of Leitchfield, Kentucky, was a member of Company G, 2nd Battalion, 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional). His unit fought in the siege of Myitkyina, Burma, on June 30, 1944, after successfully taking the airfield west of Myitkyina from Japanese control. Following the battle, Wells was reported killed in action. His remains were not immediately identified. He was accounted for by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency in May 2023 following laboratory analysis of his remains.
Wells will be interred Thursday at Kentucky Veterans Cemetery Central in Radcliff, Kentucky.
Gov. Andy Beshear has also ordered flags at all state buildings to be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset Monday, Nov. 20, in honor of an Oldham County firefighter who died in the line of duty. Sgt. Thomas “Tom” Petschke Jr. of the Ballardsville Fire Department in Crestwood, Kentucky, suffered a medical emergency while fighting a wildfire Saturday, Nov. 11.
Funeral services are being held at 11 a.m. today at the Crestwood campus of Southeast Christian Church. Petschke will be interred Monday in Acacia Park, Buffalo, New York.
Gov. Beshear encourages all individuals, businesses, organizations and government agencies to join in this tribute. Additional flag status information is available at governor.ky.gov/flag-status.
