RACINE, Wis. — Flags across Wisconsin were flown at half-staff on Friday in honor of a fallen World War II soldier who was laid to rest decades after his death.
SSgt. Ralph Bode joined the United States Air Force right out of high school. He served during World War II and was a tail gunner. The Racine native was aboard a B-24H “Liberator” over Kassel, Germany, when his plane was shot down on Sept. 27, 1944.
Since that day, he has been declared as missing in action (MIA).
His body was recently located near the plane’s wreckage due to the efforts of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. Bode was brought back home to Wisconsin on Friday, Sept. 20 — a day that just so happened to fall on POW/MIA day.
On Friday, Sept. 27, at 10:03 a.m., the exact time his plane went down, a fly-over took place during SSgt. Bode’s burial ceremony to mark the loss of his life 80 years ago to the day.
Over 100 veterans and community members attended the burial at Graceland Cemetery in Racine. Bode’s niece, and next of kin, Tena Kruger spoke at the ceremony and was handed Bode’s flag.
Kruger said she never got the chance to meet Bode, but knew her dad’s brother was a man of service.
Shawn Rivers, the Racine County Veteran Service officer, spoke on behalf of the family and said this burial is providing closure the family never expected to have.
“The closure that they are now going to feel to see that this has finally come to fruition,” Rivers said. “Ralph’s parents went to their graves without actually knowing that they were a Gold Star family. They presumed that he passed away. But so many years passing, they kept hoping and kept hoping. So you can imagine the impact that this would have now a generation or so after,”
During the ceremony, those in attendance heard from Randy Fleuriet, who is the nephew of one of the other airmen who went down on the same plane as Bode.
Fleuriet came from Texas to support Bode’s family as they found closure for the first time in decades.
“That’s what closure means, to bring it all together; they are accounted for,” Fleuriet said. “We know what happened. We can inter them with respect.”
Bode is now laid to rest in Graceland Cemetery in Racine.
Randy Timms, the district commander for the Sons of the American Legion helped organize the escort from the funeral home to the cemetery, as well as the escort last week. He said it was an honor to show this airman the respect he deserves.
“Being a Son of the American Legion is important because I get to serve veterans,” Timms said. “The men and the women who served the country and protected me and provided a safe haven for all of us. I’m able to serve them. This is one of the ways I can pay it back."
Gov. Tony Evers ordered flags at half-staff on Friday. He also issued a statement to honor Bode’s service to the country.
“Staff Sergeant Bode selflessly gave his life fighting for the freedoms of his fellow Americans and our allies abroad,” Evers said. “It is an honor to be able to help welcome him back to Wisconsin after 80 years, where he can finally be laid to rest in his hometown of Racine.”