World War II marine laid to rest in Illinois 82 years after death

On Tuesday, surviving family members gathered at Queen of Heaven Catholic Mausoleum in Hillside to lay to rest Marine Corps Sgt. Robert F. Van Heck.

Van Heck was killed during the Battle of Tarawa in 1946 during World War II. He was 25 years old.

His remains went unidentified for decades until scientists were able to prove his identity through mitochondrial DNA analysis.

"My grandmother never got over this, and today she can rest," said Nancy Mazzocchetti, Van Heck's niece.

Although they never knew their uncle, his surviving nieces say his loss had a tremendous impact on their family.

"I just keep thinking about my mom, our mom, and how she had one brother. I can't even imagine losing any of my siblings and how hard that was for her," said Marilyn Smith, "probably always hoping he would come home."

"[My grandmother] received a letter from the military saying his remains would never be uncovered," said Mazzocchetti.

"When the government contacted us about a year and a half ago to say they had discovered his remains, it was the first time I ever pulled out this box of things from Bob."

"We always lived with his picture, but we didn't live with his life. So, we finally pulled it out, and the whole story was there," said Mazzocchetti.

Van Heck is now entombed alongside his parents. He received military funeral honors.

Marines escorted his remains as dozens of veterans stood at attention during the funeral.

"That's an obligation we have to honor not only the individual coming back, but to the families that have waited decades and decades for their loved ones to return," said Wayne Kirkpatrick, of Rolling Thunder Chapter 2 Illinois.

Van Heck's name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific along with the others still missing from World War II, according to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.

A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.