Welcome home Private Brown - 08/03/20
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.”