A fallen World War II marine comes home 77 years later

Fallen Marine Thomas Frank Johnson's remains were found just this past year in 2019, and a DNA match brought investigators to his niece.

She says it's a homecoming, years in the making.

A fallen world war 2 marine is back home after a d-n-a match 77 years later.

Action news now reporter esteban reynoso is live in red bluff.

Esteban, you spoke to the man's niece tonight.

What is she saying about the discovery?

Marine thomas frank johnson's remains were found just this past year in 2019, and a d-n-a match brought them to his neice kathleen, she says, it's a trip home years in the making.

"a few years ago i got a letter from the dpaa, and it was welcoming me to go to sacramento, it was like five or six years ago.

It was talking mia and pow's and i had two uncles that were killed in tarowa.

So i went, and they were asking for dna from family members."

Growing up, kathleen vanatta heard stories of her uncles through her father.

"i was very interested because that's all my dad ever talked about was his brother's killed in tarowa."

Then there was a match.

"last may they called me and said they located one of my uncles and i was just shocked."

77 years after he died in battle thomas frank johnson's body was found in the south pacific, in the republic of kiribati.

"he was one of the missing rows, and it was very amazing and i was very happy."

Johnson's remains were flown to sacramento, where an entourage of fire trucks, police cruisers and the patriot guard were met with honks and cheers on the way to red bluff.

"it was very emotional, i mean all the way up, there are people across the overpasses with flags and waving saying welcome home marine, it was amazing."

"i think it's the greatest thing going i really do.

I feel for the family, all the years they went through this, never knew."

Vanatta says johnson will be buried next to his brother, her father in redding.

What does it mean to finally have a place where you can go, he's there?

"oh it means a lot to me because i go visit my parents all the time.

Igo is a beautiful cemetery."

Thomas johnson was taken in that entourage to this funeral home in red bluff.

Vanatta told me thier job isn't done.

Her other uncle hugh's remains are still missing.

Thomas frank johnson will be buried in redding at the northern california veterans cemetery