79 years later: Remains of a World War II soldier returned home

ST. LOUIS – It was a very special Friday evening when the remains of U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Woodrow Gerdes returned home to St. Louis for the first time since his death in service to his country nearly 80 years ago.

Gerde’s closest relatives, including his great-niece Kristy Jung, were there to meet him at Lambert International Airport.

According to the military, Gerdes served in the 28th Infantry Division during the war and was reported missing on November 9, 1944, during heavy fighting with Nazi forces in Germany.

Gerdes, a native of St. Clair, was 31 years old at the time of his death.

The soldier’s body was exhumed from an American cemetery in Belgium in 2018 and identified through a DNA test a year ago. Jung said the family never forgot him; her grandfather, Gerdes’ eldest brother, even carried a newspaper clipping from the time of his disappearance in his wallet until his death.

Jung described her great-uncle as a country boy who enjoyed spending time with his family. He was the middle of four brothers.

On Friday, the family came full circle and encouraged other families to never give up hope of finding the remains of their loved ones.