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DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) - A World War II soldier from central Iowa is finally home nearly 80 years after his death.

Private Roy Brown Junior, of Runnells, served in the Army during the war. KCCI in Des Moines spoke to the family who said they finally have closure.

Private Roy Brown Junior of Runnells was serving in the U.S. Army during World War II. On December 2nd, 1942, his unit was met with Japanese forces in present day Papua New Guinea and was reported “missing in action,” never found by his company.

His family never got closure on the 22-year-old’s death, until just last year. The Army was finally able to identify his remains.

Now Private Brown is set to return to Runnells in late August.

Beverly Erickson, a distant cousin, is Private Brown’s closest living relative. Erickson was sent a Purple Heart, a Bronze star and an array of other awards in honor of Private Brown’s service.

And now in a little less than a month, Brown will finally get the funeral service and proper burial his family says he deserves.

“It’s nice to know that he’s home now and buried,” Erickson said. “And given the service and what he needed, to have to be remembered for serving and giving his life for this country.”

Never forget.

Another hero. Glad he made it home.

Our dedication to getting our boys home, even 80 years after the fact, is one of the uniquely American traits that makes me proud.

We never forget those that gave their all and made the ultimate sacrifice.

God bless Private Brown and may God bless all of our heroes that are still stuck on foreign soil.....they’ll never be forgotten.

RIP, Private Brown.

I thank him, for his Service!

A grateful nation awaits your arrival home, Private Brown.

God Bless the Great Warrior! Welcome home Soldier.

New Guinea was bad.

My great uncle Darrel Lewis was killed in the Phillippines in early 1945. Shot in the head by a Jap sniper.
So many guys were killed over there, they couldn't ship the bodies home, Uncle Buddy was buried in a military cemetary there in the Phillippines.
It was 1949, his father, a fairly wealthy attorney in St. Paul, had his body shipped back to the states and he now rests in the big cemetery in St. Paul Minnesota.

So, welcome home, Private Brown.

Welcome home, Warrior.

Rest In Peace.

Welcome home Pvt. Brown and thank you to your uncle for his sacrifice.. My paternal grandfather served as an infantryman with the 1st Cav in the Philippines and was wounded 19APRIL45.

Pvt. Brown, thanks for your service to your/my country so I can live safe and free. RIP and God Bless!

RIP Pvt. Brown
WE will never forget.

Amen Dan! AMEN..

R.I.P. Pvt. Brown, thanks to you and all others like you who have served our country.