04-04-2025
World War II soldier welcomed home after 81 years
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD) — On Thursday after 81 years the remains of Private First Class Robert L. Bryant were brought home.
'It's been an exciting day,' said Julie Bryant, Bryant's niece. 'I always remembered my mom telling us about my Uncle Bob. That he had died in the war but we had nobody. We just always had stories because we were not even thought of.'
Bryant was killed in action in September 1943 during World War II.
'I do our family tree and genealogy. So, I tried looking up different things about our Uncle Bob,' said Margie Bryant Dillow, Bryant's niece.
Pfc. Bryant was reported missing after Operation AVALANCHE, the invasion of Italy near Salerno. According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, his remains were first declared unrecoverable in 1949. However, in 1947, remains were recovered but unidentified and were interred at Military Cemetery Nettuno, which is now Sicily-Rome American Cemetery.
'I keep telling everybody it's a miracle,' said Bryant Dillow.
Soldier's remains returning to Bloomington after 81 years
The community gathered at Calvert and Metzler Memorial Home to welcome the procession. Bryant's remains were flown into the Chicago Midway International Airport. His great-great nephew Adam Dillow, who is in the army himself, was able to escort his remains to grandmother Margie is truly proud of this moment.
'We were there when Adam got off the plane. And he had to stay with Uncle Bob's remains from then on everywhere he went. That, first of all, just seeing him do that got to my heart,' she said.
Local law enforcement temporarily closed Veteran's Parkway from Shepard Road in Normal to Washington Street in Bloomington for the procession. But the support went beyond the Bloomington-Normal community. Bryant Dillow said that from Chicago to Bloomington, they saw a multitude of supporters.
'The whole of I-55 was stopped from Chicago to here. Almost every bridge, if not every overpass, there were either fire trucks, ambulances, or other emergency vehicles,' she said. 'People with flags, people in uniform, then they'd salute. There were people on the side of the road. All the way.'
Bryant's family is thankful for the overwhelming support.
'We are so grateful for the community. I mean a hero was brought home,' said Julie.
'There's just not words to describe what's going through my heart right now,' said Margie.
Veteran's Parkway closing for procession escorting World War II soldier
Many intricacies make this homecoming a poetic one. Bryant's family found out his remains were identified 81 years to the date he died. His great-great nephew is in the Army and was able to escort his remains home. Veteran's Parkway was temporarily closed to welcome this soldier back to Bloomington. And Bryant will be buried next to his brother, Harold Dean Bryant, who was a World War II Paratrooper and the father of Margie and Julie.
For those who missed the welcome home procession, there is still a chance to join the family in honoring Private First Class Robert Lee Bryant. Repatriation services are on April 12 at 1 pm. The procession will leave Calvert and Metzler at 12:15 p.m. and head to Park Hill Cemetery.
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