WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. (AP) — On March 11, 1944, during World War II, the B-24 bomber named Heaven Can Wait was struck by enemy fire near New Guinea leading to its tragic crash into the ocean. All 11 crew members aboard lost their lives, and their remains were classified as non-recoverable for many decades.
However, recent efforts by family members and elite Navy divers have led to the recovery of four crew members’ remains. Staff Sgt. Eugene Darrigan, the radio operator, was honored with a burial ceremony in his hometown of Wappingers Falls, New York, on Saturday, more than 80 years after he left behind his wife and infant son. Meanwhile, the remains of bombardier 2nd Lt. Thomas Kelly will be interred in Livermore, California, where he was raised, on the following Monday. Pilot 1st Lt. Herbert Tennyson and navigator 2nd Lt. Donald Sheppick are scheduled to be laid to rest in the upcoming months.
The return of the remains comes after a remarkable 12-year investigation initiated by Kelly's relative, Scott Althaus. Althaus, a political science professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, started his inquiry into World War II casualties to honor his relatives. His search led him to analyze historical documents, photos, and witness accounts related to the plane's disappearance. After a comprehensive four-year investigation, Althaus concluded that the bomber likely crashed off Awar Point in modern-day Papua New Guinea.
The findings were shared with Project Recover, a nonprofit organization dedicated to locating and repatriating missing American service members. A team affiliated with the organization successfully located the wreck site in 2017, after searching nearly 10 square miles of seafloor. In 2023, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) carried out its deepest underwater recovery mission, where they found dog tags, including Darrigan’s, and other personal items belonging to the crew. DNA testing subsequently confirmed the identities of Darrigan, Kelly, Tennyson, and Sheppick.
On Memorial Day 2025, a moving ceremony took place in Wappingers Falls, where over 200 people gathered to pay their respects to Darrigan. Mourners waved flags and saluted during the procession to the church, and Darrigan’s great-niece, Susan Pineiro, expressed gratitude as she acknowledged the long-awaited return of her uncle’s remains. Although Darrigan's son passed away in 2020, his grandson Eric Schindler was present at the ceremony, and Darrigan’s 85-year-old niece, Virginia Pineiro, received the folded American flag.
Meanwhile, Kelly's remains returned to the Bay Area in time for his burial on Monday alongside a memorial engraved with a bomber. His interment will involve a procession by Veterans of Foreign Wars motorcyclists through his childhood neighborhood before the official ceremony. Sheppick’s burial is planned for a cemetery in Coal Center, Pennsylvania, while Tennyson’s remains will be interred on June 27, 2025, in Wichita, Kansas, next to his late wife, Jean, who passed away in 2017.
Althaus, now volunteering with Project Recover, is optimistic about the legacy of these brave service members. Their stories and sacrifices continue to resonate with their families and communities, ensuring the memories of those lost during World War II endure. The future possibilities of additional recovery missions for the remaining unaccounted crew members stand as a testament to the dedication and perseverance in honoring these heroes.
