HERKIMER-Lieutenant Edward F. Barker, US Army, age 20 was killed in action on September 30, 1944 in the South Pacific. He was the son of the late Charles and Marion Seamon Barker. A lifelong area resident, he was a graduate of Owen D. Young High School, Class of 1940. He first worked for the Baker-Ragen Garage and later for the Remington Arms Company before enlisting into the US Army in 1943. According to the US Army on September 30, 1944 Lt. Barker was the pilot of a P-47D Thunderbolt that failed to return from a training mission in New Guinea. The aircraft was last seen flying north-west of Finschhafen and all search efforts failed to locate his aircraft at that time. In 1962 a US Military team discovered the aircraft in the Huan Peninsula in Morobe Province but failed to find any evidence of the pilot. In 2002 a Department of Defense team located the site but was yet to find the pilot. In 2012 another Department of Defense team was successful in finding his remains. They were positively identified on January 27th of this year in the Huan Peninsula in Morobe Province. Arrangements were then made to have him returned home to Herkimer. Lieutenant Barker was a member of Saint Francis deSales Church, Herkimer and the Knights of Columbus Council # 579 Herkimer. Surviving him are his niece Daryl Frey and her husband Norman of SC, four nephews, Mark Shoemaker of Booneville, Jon Shoemaker of Orlando, FL, Eric Shoemaker of CA, Kristopher Shoemaker and his wife Sabrina of Orlando, FL along with several cousins. Besides his parents a sister, Marie Shoemaker is also deceased. Calling hours for Lieutenant Barker will be on Friday from 2:00 to 4:00 and 6:00 to 8:00 pm., in Fenner Funeral Home, Inc., 115 Court Street; Herkimer. A graveside funeral service with full military honors provided by US Army will take place at 12:00 noon on Saturday in Calvary Cemetery, Herkimer. Members of Herkimer Council # 579 Knights of Columbus are asked to meet at the funeral home at 6:00 pm Friday for ritualistic services.