WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY – For the hundreds who gathered in the heart of Dutchess County on Memorial Day weekend 2025, the ceremonies honoring Staff Sergeant Eugene J. Darrigan were more than just tradition—they were a solemn fulfillment of a promise made more than eight decades ago.
On March 11, 1944, during a mission over the South Pacific, the B-24 bomber known as Heaven Can Wait was shot down in combat. All 11 members of its crew, including radio operator Staff Sgt. Eugene Darrigan, perished. He was just 26 years old, a husband and father, serving with the 320th Bombardment Squadron, 90th Bombardment Group, of the 5th Air Force in World War II.
This Memorial Day, 81 years later, the people of Wappingers Falls came together to finally bring one of their own home.
From the South Pacific to New York
For decades, Heaven Can Wait lay at the bottom of Hansa Bay in New Guinea, undisturbed and mostly forgotten—until a joint civilian and military recovery mission through Project Recover made an astonishing discovery. After painstaking underwater operations, the team successfully located and recovered remains from the downed bomber.
Among those identified: Staff Sgt. Eugene Darrigan, whose remains were returned to Wappingers Falls on May 22, 2025, setting the stage for a historic and deeply emotional homecoming.
A Community Pays Tribute
On Saturday, May 24, a full funeral Mass and military burial were held in Darrigan’s honor. His funeral procession passed through the streets of his hometown, where hundreds lined the sidewalks between Delehanty’s Funeral Home and St. Mary’s Church and Cemetery, waving flags, saluting, and offering prayers.
At the church and gravesite, even more gathered—veterans, local officials, families, and complete strangers—united by a shared sense of respect for a soldier who never came home, until now.
“It’s rare to witness this kind of service,” said one attendee. “It’s not just a burial—it’s a promise kept.”
Honoring a Legacy of Service
The ceremony was attended by Darrigan’s surviving family, including his niece Virginia, great-niece Susan Pineiro, and grandson Eric, who is also an Army veteran. Speaking before the crowd, Pineiro reflected on the emotional significance of finally bringing Darrigan home:
“This whole recovery effort once again proves that the solemn vow—‘No soldier shall be left behind’—still stands,” she said. “Our family has waited so long for this moment, and I hope that other families of missing service members can feel this same sense of closure and pride.”
The services were coordinated with the help of the Dutchess County Veterans Services Office and VFW Post 5913, whose members ensured that military honors, including a flag-folding ceremony, were carried out with dignity and reverence.
A Memorial Day Like No Other
The timing of the service—on Memorial Day weekend—was more than symbolic. As Adam Roche, Dutchess County’s Director of Veterans Services, noted:
“This is the weekend when we remember those who gave their lives for our country. What better time to lay to rest a hero like Sergeant Darrigan? This is what Memorial Day is truly about.”
VFW Post 5913 Senior Vice Commander Virgil Capollari echoed that sentiment, reminding attendees that mourning must also come with celebration:
“We should celebrate the fact that men like him lived—people like him served—and paid that ultimate price.”
In a poignant gesture, Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino declared May 24, 2025, as Staff Sergeant Eugene J. Darrigan Day, honoring his courage and ultimate sacrifice.
A Nation’s Gratitude
As the final act of tribute, members of a United States Army detail presented the folded American flag that had draped Darrigan’s casket to his niece, Virginia.
With reverence, the Warrant Officer recited the traditional words:
“On behalf of the President of the United States, the United States Army, and a grateful nation, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for Eugene’s honorable and faithful service.”
Tears filled the eyes of many in attendance, and silence followed, punctuated only by the soft sounds of a distant bugle playing Taps.
Remembering the Cost of Freedom
While Memorial Day often brings parades and barbecues, Wappingers Falls experienced the holiday in its purest form—with the burial of a long-lost hero and a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made by those in uniform.
Staff Sergeant Eugene Darrigan’s story, from a life cut short in wartime to a hero’s welcome in 2025, is not only a tribute to the past, but a lesson for the present: that every soldier matters, and every life given in defense of freedom deserves remembrance.
As the flags waved gently in the breeze above St. Mary’s Cemetery, the community knew that this Memorial Day had truly honored its purpose.
Heaven Can Wait—but dignity cannot. And for Staff Sergeant Eugene Darrigan, dignity was delivered in full.
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