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The crash site of a Vietnam War veteran was discovered recently, bringing closure to a family that has spent the past 34 years searching for him.
Specialist Robin Yeakley, of South Bend, and two other soldiers were shot down in 1972 in the middle of heavy fighting between the armies of North and South Vietnam.
Yeakley was the nephew of Gloria and Dale Bradway, of Warsaw.
Yeakley's death was confirmed with the announcement that his crash site was discovered.
Yeakley's 84-year-old mother, Pauline Yeakley, South Bend, heard about the discovery of the crash site Sunday.
Robin would have been 58 years old Monday.
Family members were relieved to hear of the crash site discovery and recalled memories of Yeakley.
The Bradways first heard of the discovery from their daughter-in-law, Janet Bradway of Greenfield, who heard the news on CNN.
"It has been hard not having evidence identifying the crash site, but now that we have that, it is time to lay our nephew, who was like a son, to rest," Gloria said.
Dale said he is proud of his sister Pauline who never gave up searching for her son.
Pauline visited Vietnam a year ago, Dale said, and got within 10 miles of the site that recently was discovered, but could not get close enough due to brush that blocked the site.
"My sister never gave up searching for her son until she found the evidence she was looking for," Dale said.
"Now that we have evidence we can start to have closure."
Jim Bradway, Greenfield, Robin's first cousin, said he was on a bus tour to a National Wrestling Tournament in North Dakota when his wife Janet called and told him about the crash site discovery.
"I had a tear streaming down my face when I heard the news and thought about all the avenues my sister went to find her son," Jim said.
"It was exciting news."
Jim remembers growing up with his first cousin - who was the same age - playing cards and wrestling.
He said he hopes the family will hold a service to commemorate the site discovery.
