The Defense Department said on Wednesday that the remains of a U. S. Army private missing for nearly 92 years have been identified and returned to his family.

The remains of Pvt. Thomas D. Costello of New York will be buried with full military honors Monday at Arlington National Cemetery, the Defense Department's POW/Missing Personnel Office said in a release.

It has also been reported that Costello was part of the 60th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division, when he was killed Sept. 16, 1918, during a fierce battle in a wooded area known as Bois de Bonvaux near Jaulyny, France. He was buried with two other soldiers but attempts to find his remains after the war were unsuccessful.

French nationals hunting for metal came across human remains and World War I artifacts in September 2006. Remains were recovered during excavation of the site and were subsequently identified through dental comparisons as those of Costello. (With Inputs from Agencies)