Lynn, Massachusetts, honors World War II hero Joseph A. Gala with full military honors
By Arielle Mitropoulos
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LYNN, Massachusetts (WCVB) — A World War II hero from Massachusetts whose remains were missing for more than 80 years after his death was buried in his native Lynn on Thursday.
Private Joseph A. Gala, killed in action in Burma in 1944, was finally laid to rest Thursday, 82 years after his death.
Gala was a graduate of Lynn English High School and entered the service on May 24, 1943. He was a member of the U.S. Army’s “Merrill’s Marauders,” a special operations jungle-warfare unit, and was 21 when he was killed in the line of duty.
His family said his mother, Adeline, spent years waiting and hoping for news of her son.
“Horrible — she couldn’t talk about him,” said one of Gala’s nieces.
For decades, Gala’s remains were classified as missing in action, but advances in DNA technology allowed his remains to be identified using DNA provided by his nieces.
“Our family, mother, uncles, grandparents, I know they’re really happy,” said a family member.
On Friday, Gala’s remains arrived at Logan Airport in Boston, where his family welcomed him home. A police escort then brought his casket to Solimine Funeral Home in Lynn, where members of the community gathered to honor him.
“We brought him home, to Lynn,” said 91-year-old Air National Guard veteran David Solimine Sr., who was moved to tears during the service.
On Thursday, people from across generations in Lynn came together to pay their respects to Gala during a graveside service with full military honors in the World War II section of Pine Grove Cemetery.
“I am so happy about my city of Lynn, and how everybody has come together for this family,” said Solimine Sr. “Any veteran that, we’re very proud of them. And, we’re honored to have them part of our world,” said Solimine Sr.
Gala’s return and burial marked the end of a decades-long journey to bring him home and provided closure for his family and community.
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