Richard G. Desautels

The People's Republic of China had said no Americans were moved to Chinese territory from North Korea, however, authorities from the People's Republic of China gave Pentagon officials details about Desautels in a March 2003 meeting in Beijing contradicting their prior claim. This was not released until 2008 because the information was kept confidential and was only released to the family.

The Korean War Armistice Agreement was signed in 1953. One of the provisions of the agreement was for all sides to return the bodies of soldiers from the opposing side by October 30, 1954, namely to the Korean Communication Zone (KCOMZ). This exchange was carried out as Op Plan 14-54, also known as Operation Glory.

He was last seen alive at Camp 5 in Pyoktong, North Korea on August 7, 1953.

Communist reports are that Desautels became mentally ill and died on April 29, 1953. He was buried in Shenyang, formerly known as Mukden. That area has been cited as where prison(s) holding hundreds of American POWs were kept, possibly as a transfer point to bring them to Russia.

Sergeant Richard George Desautels was a United States Army corporal who was captured on December 1, 1950 at Sonchu by communist forces and not returned by North Korea at the end of the fighting of the Korean War. More than half a century later, the People's Republic of China admitted that Sgt. Desautels died while in captivity in China, and that his remains were buried in Shenyang, China.

Richard Desautels was from Shoreham, Vermont. After growing up on a farm, he joined the U.S. Army at age 17. Originally stationed in Fort Lewis (near Tacoma, Washington), he was transferred to South Korea in August 1950 shortly after North Korea invaded the South. Desautels had a brother, Rolland.

Desautels was assigned to A Company, 2nd Engineer Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, when his unit was overrun by a Chinese assault near Kunu-ri, North Korea, on December 1, 1950. At the time, he had attained the rank of corporal.