Columbia Prepares Emotional Homecoming for WWII Hero After 80-Year Wait

Columbia Set to Honor Local Hero with Homecoming After 80 Years

COLUMBIA — It’s a bittersweet moment for the community here as they prepare to welcome back a local hero who has been missing for nearly eight decades. U.S. Army Pvt. 1st Class Arthur W. Crossland Jr. is finally returning home, and the city is ready to commemorate his bravery and sacrifice.

Crossland, who was just 19 years old when he lost his life on New Year’s Eve in 1944 during World War II, is making the journey back to Columbia after being identified by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA). This news comes as a relief to the Crossland family who waited for so long to learn about his fate.

A Life Cut Short

The young soldier was part of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 242nd Infantry Regiment, 42nd Infantry Division. During a significant offensive German operation called Operation NORDWIND in the Vosges Mountains of France, Crossland found himself in the heart of battle. Just before midnight on December 31, 1944, things took a tragic turn when the company faced intense fighting amidst heavily wooded terrain and treacherous minefields.

Witnesses detailed that Crossland triggered a mine about 200 yards away from the main line of resistance, leading to his instant death. Unfortunately, the chaos of war forced U.S. forces to retreat before they could recover his body.

A Long Search for Closure

The search for Crossland’s remains began in earnest in 1946, thanks to the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC). As the years went by, attempts to locate him were unsuccessful, and he was ultimately declared non-recoverable by the late 1950s. But the quest for answers never really ended.

Fast forward to recent years, and the DPAA, through thorough research and advanced forensic techniques, linked Crossland’s case to Unknown X-535, a set of remains recovered long ago and laid to rest in Normandy American Cemetery. In July 2022, those remains were exhumed for analysis.

Utilizing mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosome DNA analysis, scientists were finally able to identify the remains as belonging to Crossland. “It’s a miracle of modern science that has allowed us to bring Pvt. Crossland home after so many years,” one local veteran noted. “He deserves to be honored in his hometown, where his journey began.”

Preparing for a Hero’s Welcome

Columbia plans a heartfelt ceremony to lay Crossland to rest with the full military honors he deserves. On March 14, 2025, the community will gather to pay tribute to this fallen hero, whose name has been etched on the Walls of the Missing in Epinal American Cemetery in France.

A special rosette will be placed next to his name, symbolizing that he is finally accounted for. Family members have expressed their overwhelming gratitude to everyone involved in bringing Arthur home, as they prepare for the emotional day ahead.

A Chance for Reflection

As part of the preparations leading up to his burial, community members are encouraged to reflect on the sacrifices made by young men and women who served. “It’s a time for us to remember not just Arthur, but all those who bravely served our country,” a local historian commented. “Their sacrifices have shaped our freedom today.”

So as we look to the skies this December 8th, we may bask in the partly cloudy warmth of the day, and perhaps ponder the deeper connections of history that continue to unfold. Remember that rain is set to come overnight, but perhaps it’s fitting for a tear or two to be shed in honor of Pvt. Crossland’s return. His story, marked by valor, is finally set to be celebrated, and the community is ready to ensure that everyone remembers his sacrifice.