After Decades, Ralph Bode Returns Home for Military Tribute in Racine

RACINE, Wis. (WRJN) — After nearly 80 years, Staff Sergeant Ralph H. Bode will be laid to rest with full military honors on September 27, 2024, at Graceland Cemetery in Racine. The ceremony will begin at 10:03 a.m., marking exactly 80 years since his plane was shot down during World War II.

Born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on July 24, 1924, the obituary for Bode says he was known for his adventurous spirit and love for photography and travel. He graduated from Washington Park High School in Racine in 1942 and soon enlisted in the Army Air Corps. Bode served as a tail gunner in the 700th Bombardment Squadron, 445th Bombardment Group, based in England.

On September 27, 1944, during a bombing mission over Kassel, Germany, Bode’s B-24 Liberator was shot down. Despite initial efforts, his remains were not recovered until recent years. The Department of Defense and the American Battle Monuments Commission exhumed remains in 2018 and 2022, which were later identified as Bode’s through mitochondrial DNA analysis.

Bode, who earned the Purple Heart among other honors, will be buried next to his family members. His name will also be marked with a rosette on the Walls of the Missing at the Luxembourg American Cemetery.

The community is invited to honor Bode’s heroism and sacrifice. Attendees, including military personnel and civilians, are asked to gather at the entrance of Graceland Cemetery by 9:30 a.m. on the 27th to pay tribute to a local hero finally returning home.