Vietnam Pilot Laid to Rest in Hometown

LAUREL, NE -- It took many decades and as many miles for Donald Grella to come home.

On Saturday, his body was back in Laurel, Nebraska, more than four decades after the helicopter pilot headed off to serve in the Vietnam War.

Grella was listed as missing in action after his chopper crashed in 1965.

His remains were discovered in a Vietnamese jungle in July.

On Saturday they were returned home, traveling almost 10,000 miles from Vietnam, to Hawaii, then to Omaha. It was the last few miles into his hometown of Laurel Nebraska, that meant the most.

His sister, Shirley Haase, says she got choked up riding into town to bring Don back where he belongs.

"I knew the people in the small towns of Nebraska, they never forget, and I knew they would turn out great for Don, but it catches your heart when you actually see it happen," Haase remarked.

American Legion Riders escorted Don's body from the Omaha airport all the way to Laurel as a symbol of respect and duty to their fallen brethren.

"Our mission is to honor our fallen veterans, take care of their families, and make sure they know, their families know they are never alone, ever," explained American Legion Patriot Rider Jim Dishman.

"It's been a lot of years and a long time for people to wait for this," Laurel resident Jan Anderson, lined up to see Grella's casket pass.

Some in the massive crowd used the moment to pay their respects, others to renew their patriotism.

"There is pride, there is a lot of pride. At times it gets lost, and situations like this bring it back," said fellow Vietnam Veteran Jerome Bonner.

Home might be where the heart is, because this day, a collective heart grieved for a man, and celebrated a veteran.

"There's a lot of people who care, and it's good to see our veterans, our fallen soldiers treated that way," Haase said.