83 years later, a Louisiana airman who died in World War II is finally laid to rest

LAROSE, LA. (WVUE) — For Shearon Guidry’s entire life, mystery surrounded what exactly happened to her father, who died while serving in the Army Air Corps in World War II. His remains were lost.

Last week, Truman Causey finally came home.

“Never in my lifetime would I have thought that this would come about,” Guidry said.

Guidry and her children were at Louis Armstrong Airport for the dignified transfer of his remains.

Truman George Causey was 16 when he lied about his age to enlist in the Army. Sixteen years later, in November 1941, the Army shipped Causey overseas. By then, he was a technical sergeant assigned to the 17th Bombardment Squadron within the 27th Bombardment Group when he deployed to the Philippine Islands. He never laid eyes on his daughter.

The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, then the Philippines. Taken prisoner, Causey survived the Bataan Death March, a grueling 65-mile trek in Japanese custody.

He died while in captivity at the Cabanatuan Japanese prison camp, along with more than 2,500 other prisoners of war.

Buried in a mass grave, there seemed to be no way in the 1940s to retrieve or identify his remains.

Causey and fellow soldiers were later reburied in the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines.

His remains were disinterred in 2018 for laboratory analysis by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.

Then, on an idle day last spring, his story took a surprising turn.

“I was sitting in my easy chair and the phone rang,” Guidry said.

Someone from the Army called to say DNA testing had confirmed they had recovered his remains.

“Through modern scientific advancements, including DNA and anthropological isotope analysis, the agency positively identified Truman’s remains,” according to his obituary on the Falgout Funeral Home website.

Last Saturday, Guidry was laid to rest in a cemetery in Larose.

“Finally learning what happened to him, bringing him home, that type of thing. It’s a very good day,” Guidry said.

Shearon Guidry said she was struck by the outpouring of support for the family from so many people who had never met him or even known of him until recently. Sean Eagan is with the Patriot Guard Riders, who provided an escort.

“We didn’t have to know,” said Sean Eagan, a member of the Patriot Guard Riders. “He stood for the country. He answered the call to arms and he deserves the respect that he’s getting,” Eagan said.

Grandson Mike Guidry knew how hard his mother had worked over the years to get answers.

“I’ve learned more in the last six months with all of this going on than I did my whole life,” Mike Guidry said.

She talked to congressmen, wrote letters to the U.S. and Philippine governments — anyone who could help — so the family would have her father’s decorations.

“It says POW, Good Conduct Medal, WWII Victory,” Guidry said, describing medals the Philippine government sent to her.

“He needed to be recognized. He needed to be remembered. He needed to have something my children could see and hang onto and know that he served his country,” Guidry said.

Last Saturday, that recognition finally came.

Technical Sgt. Truman Causey was laid to rest on Nov. 15, 83 years to the day, records show he died in the service of his country.

Causey had two older children. His son, Truman Jr., was also there to see his father honored.

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