Before he went to war, he told his young wife to remarry if he did not return.Clara told him she wouldn't. She'd wait for him. And she did, for 63 years.
On Friday, his remains, in a flag draped coffin, were delivered back to Los Angeles with complete military escort. Clara, now 94, stood from her wheelchair, tears streaming. The pain of her loss was obviously etched in her face.
I told him I missed him so much,and I expect him to come home and he didn’tSgt. Gantt had served in World War II and remained in the Army soon after conflict, going to Korean as a field medic. Clara last heard from him prior to Christmas, 1950. He was taken prisoner shortly after final letter. Over the years, Clara was active in an organization composed of the families of MIA veterans — you will find 8,000 still from the Korean War — and she often traveled to Washington, D.C. to hear updates from government officials.
She never even dated anyone else. She wasn't likely to “be caught” with another man while she was looking forward to her husband, Clara said. She also covered her bedroom wall with military memorabilia and her husband's medals.
Clara learned in October that her husband's remains have been found and verified. Officials believe he died in 1951.And on Friday, Joseph and Clara were reunited.
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