Remains of soldier killed on D-Day returned to Kansas

EMPORIA, Kan. (KSNW) — The remains of a U.S. soldier who was killed in action during the invasion of Normandy during World War II have returned to Kansas.

Sgt. John O. Herrick of Emporia was assigned to the 149th Engineer Combat Battalion. On June 6, 1944, Sgt. Herrick was among 200 soldiers and 25 US Coast Guard crew members onboard a landing craft, approaching Omaha Beach at Normandy on D-Day.

According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, the ship was struck by enemy mortars and shells before it hit a mine, igniting the fuel in the forward troop compartment and killing the men inside instantly. The remains of the soldiers in the compartment were eventually recovered, but they were unable to be identified. They were interred as Unknowns in Normandy American Cemetery. In 2021, the unidentified remains were transferred to the DPAA Laboratory for analysis.

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The lab was able to identify one set that belonged to Sgt. Herrick in August 2023. On Monday, Veteran's Day, a special burial service will be held for Sgt. Herrick in his hometown of Emporia.

Congressman Ed Rees of Emporia introduced the bill creating the Veteran's Day holiday, which was signed into law by Kansan, World War II General, and President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1954. Sgt. Herrick himself was born on that day in 1924 .

He was just 19 years old when he died. He will be buried at Maplewood Memorial Lawn Cemetery in Emporia .