WWII Navy Airman laid to rest in Clearwater more than 80 years after being killed in action

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CLEARWATER, Fla. - After more than 80 years of uncertainty, the family of Robert Louis Cyr Jr. is finally able to bring their loved one home.

What we know:

Cyr was 19 years old when he died while serving as an aviation radioman aboard a PBY-5 Catalina seaplane stationed in Vanuatu.

The aircraft was tasked with patrol missions and submarine interceptions during World War II and was equipped with depth bombs.

On Jan. 22, 1944, Cyr and his crew of nine attempted to take off when the aircraft struck the water multiple times before exploding. Cyr was among those killed.

His niece, Chickee Gould, said the loss left a lasting impact on the family.

"My grandmother never really talked about it because she never believed he was gone," Gould said. "She believed he went somewhere."

The backstory:

For decades, Cyr’s family had no remains to bury and no real sense of closure.

That changed last year when crews excavated the crash wreckage and discovered possible bone tissue. In November, a laboratory confirmed the remains belonged to Cyr.

Family members say the identification brought hope and relief after generations of waiting.

"They never gave up," Gould's son, Don Teague, said, "That’s the main thing. People don’t give up, and you don’t realize how hard they’re still looking after 80 years."

What they're saying:

During the service at Sylvan Abbey Memorial Park, Navy honors included a flag-draped casket, the folding of the American flag, rifle volleys and the playing of taps.

For Gould, the moment was not one of sadness, but celebration.

"More than anything, it’s just happy," she said. "He’s going to be with his mother, and that’s, to us, the most important."

"We’re going to celebrate. We’re not going to cry. We’re going to celebrate."

What's next:

Cyr will now be buried beside his parents at the memorial park in Clearwater, finally bringing him home more than eight decades after his death overseas.

For the family, it closes a chapter that began during World War II and restores a missing piece of their family history.