US Air Force Second Lieutenant William J. McGowan will be buried on Saturday in the American cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer (Calvados).
The place is also known as Omaha Beach Cemetery.
The soldier, however, died 78 years ago, says
Ouest-France
.
He was indeed killed on June 6, 1944, at the age of 23, while flying near Saint-Lô (Manche).
The airman's family decided to make the trip to attend the ceremony preceding the burial.
The soldier will receive military honors posthumously.
“This event remains rare because the identifications of the soldiers of the Second World War are infrequent”, explained the superintendent of the American cemetery Scott Desjardins.
A late identification
The remains of William J. McGowan were not identified until 2019 by American specialists.
The pilot's descendants preferred that his body remain in Normandy rather than have it repatriated to the United States.
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