Livermore Family Brings Closure as WWII Airman’s Remains are Recovered and Returned Home After 81 Years

A Wartime Loss and Decades of Silence

On Memorial Day weekend, families across the country reflect on those who gave their lives in service. Among them is the family of Second Lieutenant Thomas Vincent Kelly of Livermore, California. Eighty-one years ago, Kelly’s B-24 bomber was shot down over Papua New Guinea during World War II. For decades, all that his loved ones knew came from a short letter informing them that his plane had gone missing in action.

Kelly served as a bombardier aboard a B-24 named Heaven Can Wait. On March 11, 1944, the crew took part in a mission to target enemy anti-aircraft positions near Hansa Bay. As they approached the area, the plane was struck and went down. The crash site was never confirmed, and his family received no further information. In the years that followed, the pain of his loss lingered, often left unspoken within the family.

A New Clue Brings Renewed Hope

For many years, Kelly’s name was not often spoken. But that changed when his second cousin, Professor Scott Altus, came across a letter from a witness in a nearby aircraft. This person recalled seeing the co-pilot of Heaven Can Wait salute the other planes just before their bomber crashed into the sea. That detail sparked something in the family, and they began researching the event more closely.

Altus dedicated his Memorial Days to uncovering what happened. After four years of study, the family was able to narrow down a likely crash location. An aunt then reached out to Project Recover, a group focused on locating and recovering missing American service members. The organization responded with interest, and soon a new chapter began.

The Search and the Discovery

Project Recover sent a team of divers to explore the area the family had identified in Papua New Guinea. After 17 days of searching, the team found the wreckage of Heaven Can Wait resting 200 feet below the water’s surface. A follow-up Navy dive operation recovered the remains of the crew, including Second Lieutenant Kelly.

For the family, this moment was deeply meaningful. Their questions had been answered, and Kelly was no longer missing. At a ceremony honoring his return, Professor Altus expressed gratitude to everyone who helped—even those who had never known the family personally. Their support brought a long-awaited resolution.

A Memorial Day That Marks the End of a Long Search

This effort, which began on Memorial Day in 2013, will conclude on Memorial Day 2025—twelve years later to the exact day. As the community honors Kelly’s sacrifice, his family now has a place to grieve, remember, and bring the silence to a close.