Since December of 1944, the family of 2nd Lieutenant John Lubben knew only that John was shot down in Germany in World War 2, and was one of thousands of missing American soldiers.
Now John's remains have been identified, and he will finally receive a military burial in Wisconsin Rapids.

Paul Lubben and Margaret Hafermann say because their brother John was one of about 78,000 missing American soldiers they never imagined they'd be able to lay him to rest in his beloved home town.

"It didn't seem possible", Paul said. "It was just an impossible thing. It didn't seem real."

John was already a World War 2 hero before he went to Germany with the Army Air Corps in 1944.

"He was in Pearl Harbor", said Paul. "He was wounded there in 1941. He got the Purple Heart there. He was strafed across the legs."

After his leg injuries from the Pearl Harbor attack, he voluntarily enlisted in the Army Air Corps.
John was shot down in his A-20 bomber in Germany, on December 12th, 1944, days before the Battle of the Bulge.

More than 30 years later, the remains of three American soldiers were found buried under a tree near Wollseifen, Germany.
The remains were moved and buried in Belgium.
It wasn't until earlier this year, after a DNA sample from John was compared to Paul's DNA, that Paul and Margaret found out John's remains had been identified and were coming home.

Some intermingled remains from all three soldiers will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in September, but John's family said they know he would want to be buried in his home town, alongside his parents at Forest Hill Cemetery in Wisconsin Rapids.

Paul and Margaret say after a lifetime of waiting, they will finally be able to honor their older brother.

And Margaret says it will be a long-awaited relief. "It's bringing a closure. An end to all this."

The burial service will be this Tuesday morning at 11:00 at Forest Hill Cemetery in Wisconsin Rapids.