A funeral service was held on Tuesday, Nov. 11, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, for Army Staff Sgt. and Vietnam prisoner of war James VanBendegom.
According to Military Times, the soldier was only 18 years old when he deployed to Vietnam for his first tour of duty in 1967. After just three weeks overseas, VanBendegom disappeared after being seriously injured during combat near the Cambodian border. He was taken by North Vietnamese forces.
Three days after he was taken, VanBendegom's mother received a knock at the door. She was greeted by Army officials alerting her that her son was missing in action, reported Military Times. The family held out some hope, however, when they got word that POWs would be released and sent home in 1973. Upon learning that their beloved soldier would not be returning with this group of servicemembers, they held a small remembrance ceremony. They later learned from other captured troops that VanBendegom's injuries had been so severe he had perished shortly after being taken.
As the tight-knit clan tried to move past the grief of their loss, VanBendegom's remains were also being moved. In 1986, a woman in Vietnam found human bones and delivered them to American officials at a refugee camp in Thailand. The bones remained in storage in the U.S. until a genetic match was found. On Oct. 17, they were confirmed as belonging to VanBendegom. His family was alerted and the remains were flown back to his hometown after almost 50 years, reported Military Times.
According to WISN, many strangers came out for the funeral to support the family, who appreciated the overwhelming show of love. "Unless you experience it first-hand, you just can't grasp the enormity of it. It's hard to put into words," the soldier's brother, Gary VanBendegom, told the source.
VanBendegom was buried next to his father, a World War II veteran.