Missing soldier returns home after nearly five decades - wave3.com-Louisville News, Weather & Sports

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - Imagine: Your child drafted into war, his plane shot down and his body never found. For one family it has been a tragedy they have lived with for nearly half a century. Finally, their soldier's remains have finally come home.

Difficult terrain, weather and ongoing fighting in Vietnam made it nearly impossible for crews to search for Army Staff Sergeant Kenneth Cunningham in 1969. Human remains were found in the area of the crash in the 1990's, but only within the last two years were they identified as Cunningham's through DNA. Now the fallen soldier has finally reunited with his family.  

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It was a freezing day at Louisville International Airport, but the chill couldn't derail the Patriot Guard as they waited with flags in hand and with a mission of respect and honor weighing on their hearts. 

"A family that's waited half a lifetime to be with their loved one again," said Edward Cunningham, a Shelbyville member of the Patriot Guard and no relation to the soldier said of being there. "This is the least we can do is come out an honor him on a day like this and come and welcome him home." 

Kenneth Cunningham was 21 when he was drafted on January 21, 1969. Ten months later in Vietnam, Cunningham and a pilot were on a night surveillance mission when their plane went down. What was left of the plane was found days later on a mountain. The search for the men eventually ended and Cunningham was listed as Missing in Action. His family was never able to find out what happened or give him a proper goodbye until now.  

"It was a surprise to me that that they called and wanted to make final arrangements for my brother," said Arthur Cunningham. 

Kenneth Cunningham's flag-draped coffin arriving in Louisville was a sight Arthur and his brother, David Cunningham, thought they would never see. 

"It is an emotional time," said Arthur as he held back tears, "especially after all these years." 

"It's one of those things you just can't believe would happen one day," David Cunningham added.,  

Nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews who Kenneth Cunningham never met were also there to witness the moment.  

"It feels good to be able to bring him home and lay him next to our parents who were not able to see this day," David said. 

Their mother, who recently died, prayed it would finally happen for her son. 

"It would have been the ultimate for her, she wore his bracelet all these years," said Arthur. "She would have been elated to see this, but you know, she's probably up there visiting with him now." 

Staff Sergeant Cunningham also has a sister who wasn't able to be there because of a death in her family. 

Indiana State Police escorted Kenneth Cunningham to his home of Albion, Illinois, not far from Evansville, where a big crowd of supporters  gathered for his homecoming. 

Kenneth Cunningham will be buried January 21 on what would have been his 68th birthday.

Copyright 2016 WAVE 3 News. All rights reserved. Information for story was also gathered by Raycom News Network station WFIE in Evansville, IN.