Home at Last

Army Sgt. Christopher Y. Vars, who served in World War II and in the Korean War, is home at last.

It took him 65 years to get there.

On Tuesday afternoon, Vars’ remains were returned to his hometown of Reading, Massachusetts. Residents of the leafy suburb 13 miles north of Boston stood somberly in the heat of the day as the hearse bearing his casket passed. Some waved American flags, while veterans and active-duty military stood tall and saluted the hearse as it drove up Woburn Street.

“I’m going to take this flag and put it on his grave on Memorial Day and on Veterans Day. I’ll keep it always.”

Vars’ remains have been missing for 65 years, and only through DNA matching was he identified and brought home to rest. Vars was long believed to have been “missing in action” somewhere in North Korea. But after his family recently gave DNA samples to the Department of Defense, they received shocking news.

He had actually been a prisoner of war for five or six months in North Korea, the DOD said. His remains were found in a mass grave near a North Korean prison camp, 60 miles from the Chosin Reservoir.

Reading resident Jim Burns, the father of three boys, stood under a maple tree in the shade as he held a small American flag.

“My father fought in the Korean War as well, and he would be very proud of the fact that I am here today, representing him,” Burns told LifeZette. “I’m going to take this flag and put it on his grave on Memorial Day and on Veterans Day. I’ll keep it always.”

Vars was a member of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, and served during World War II in Burma and China. He left the service at the end of the war.

When the Korean Won broke out, he re-enlisted.

Sgt. Vars was awarded a Purple Heart, POW and MIA medals, the Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Korean Service Medal, among others, according to WCVB, Channel 5 in Boston.

“Every Reading resident should be here,” said Brian Tobin, a father of three who is active in athletics and community service. “This is 65 years in the making. We are greeting this gentleman today, welcoming him back as he finally comes home. Soldier. Hero. That’s who he was.”

This homecoming is sobering and exciting for the Vars family. Charles Vars, Christopher Vars’ nephew, said he was finally able to fulfill a promise he made 20 years ago to his father.

“His simple question to me was, ‘If we ever find the remains, will you see to it that he gets buried in our grave in Chelsea, Mass?’” said Vars.

“We always thought he had been killed in action,” he told WMUR Channel 9 in New Hampshire.

Matt Kraunelis, director of administrative services for Reading, told LifeZette, “I’m here partly in my role with the town, and our motto here in Reading when it comes to our veterans is ‘Never forget.’ We are honored to welcome Sgt. Vars home after all these years.”

Said Reading’s community services director John Feudo, “I work very closely with a veteran’s agent here in town, so I helped with the behind-the-scenes work in this effort. I am here to pass out the flags and support this special day, but also to pay my respects and support a fallen veteran.”

The hearse pulled slowly into the funeral home, where assembled service members stood at attention.

Bagpipes played a mournful tune in the distance. The service members were flanked to their left by the Patriot Guard, motorcyclists who attend the funerals of members of the U.S. military, firefighters, and police at the invitation of a decedent’s family. Several Vars family members gathered as well.

And finally, on a beautiful, sunny September day, Sgt. Christopher Y. Vars came home – 65 years after he was first reported missing.

“I’m here today for a veteran who left his country 65 years ago for something he believed in, and we need to honor everybody’s service to this great country that we live in. Whether it’s 65 years or six months on a deployment, we need to be here for them,” said Reading resident Bill Melley.