Archive · 26 May 2025
WWII Bomber Crew Returns Home After Decades Lost at Sea
In World War II, a bomber called "Heaven Can Wait" crashed, killing all 11 crew members.
Their remains were lost at sea for decades.
Now, thanks to family members and a search team, four of the men are finally coming home for burial.
They were found after an investigation and recovery mission that involved deep-sea diving.
One man was buried with full military honors, and others are being buried soon.
This brings closure to families who waited many years, some of whom never stopped believing their loved ones would return.
A WWII bomber crashed in 1944, killing 11 crew members, whose remains were considered non-recoverable.
Through family efforts and a recovery mission, the remains of four crew members have been found.
Staff Sgt. Eugene Darrigan was buried with military honors in Wappingers Falls, New York.
The other three crew members will be interred in the coming months in California, Pennsylvania, and Kansas.
The recovery mission was launched by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency after a family member investigated the crash site.
- Who
- Four crew members of the WWII bomber "Heaven Can Wait" – Eugene Darrigan, Thomas Kelly, Herbert Tennyson, and Donald Sheppick – along with their families, researchers, and recovery teams.
- What
- The recovery and repatriation of the remains of four crew members from a WWII bomber that crashed in 1944.
- When
- The bomber crashed on March 11, 1944. Remains were recovered in 2023, and the burials are taking place in 2024 and 2025.
- Where
- The bomber crashed off the coast of Papua New Guinea. The remains are being returned to their respective hometowns in New York, California, Pennsylvania, and Kansas.
- Why
- The remains of the crew were recovered and returned to their families for burial after decades of being lost, providing closure.
- Plane Name
- Heaven Can Wait
- Crash Date
- March 11, 1944
- Location of Crash
- Off the coast of Papua New Guinea
- Total Crew on Board
- 11
- Recovered Remains
- 4
- Recovery Mission Year
- 2023