PHILLIPS — After decades of being listed among those missing in action from World War II, Sgt. Zelwood Gravlin has finally returned home and is at rest beside his mother, Ida.

On Saturday morning, Nov. 12, a funeral service with full military honors held at Phillips Area Community Center saw more than 120 people in attendance. Gravlin’s internment followed at Mile Square Cemetery in Avon.

Correspondent Paula Kane will share more about Gravlin and his return home in the Nov. 25 edition of the Franklin Journal.

According to information provided at the service, as a member of the U.S. Army Air Force, Gravlin served in the 343rd Bombardment Squadron, 98th Bombardment Group. During Operation TIDAL WAVE on Aug. 1, 1943, Gravlin was a rear gunner on one of the 177 B-24 Liberators that took off from Benghazi, Libya, for a bombing raid against oil refineries around Ploiesti, Romania. His plane was one of 51 that failed to return.

According to a LinkedIn post, as of Nov. 12, 2021, more than 71,000 Americans were still missing from World War II.

On July 12 the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency identified Gravlin’s remains, the service information noted.