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A Heartfelt Homecoming for an Honorable Hero By Mig Feuser Adair Progress Staff Writer Like most, the November of 1944 was cold and rainy as American troops waged their way through the Huertgen forest in the far west of Germany where Army Private First Class Henry C. Wade from the Decatur community of Russell County was one of the thousands of American soldiers trying to get through the thick woods and prepare the way for the allied forces to cross the river Rur near the city of Dueren. Unfortunately, PFC Wade would not reach the river many weeks later with the others. Wade was born in Casey County on November 29, 1919 and eventually entered the military where he was assigned to Company K, 3rd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, as an infantryman. On November 2, 1944 PFC Wade's company was amongst the allies who started an offensive for the Huertgen forest, which would result in the biggest defeat for the United States military in the so-called "Green Hell." At the end the US and allies lost between 33,000 and 54,000 men, the Germans around 28,000. In the early phase of the battle, three days after a short armistice to recover wounded and fallen soldiers on November 9th, Henry Wade's unit was engaged in fighting with German forces near Germeter-Huertgen Road. There, the group encountered heavy resistance, and Wade was killed in action but due to the tactical situation of the war, Wade's remains were not able to be immediately recovered from the battlefield. After the war ended, the American Graves Registration Command started investigating and recovering missing American soldiers in Europe between 1946 and 1950. Several investigations were conducted in the Huertgen area but in December of 1951, Wade was declared a non-recoverable casualty and his name would be added to the Walls of the Missing at Netherlands American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Margareten, Netherlands, along with the others still missing from World War II. Eventually, more studies were conducted in the area and a Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) historian determined that one set of unidentified remains, designated X-4462 Neuville, possibly belonged to an American soldier killed near the village of Huertgen in November 1944. The remains, which had been buried in Ardennes American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Neuville-en-Condroz in Belgium in 1949, were disinterred in June 2021 and sent to the DPAA laboratory for identification. To identify the remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis as well as circumstantial evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis and confirmed that the remains were in fact that of PFC Henry Wade. Now that Wade's remains have been identified, his name will get a rosette on the monument in the Netherlands, showing that he has been found and final arrangements were made to bring him home to his final resting place. This past Saturday, after nearly 80 years, PFC Wade took his final flight as his remains arrived at the Lexington Airport where owner/director of Wilson Funeral Home, Daniel Wilson would escort Wade back to Russell County. Wade was honored throughout the Commonwealth on his route back home with a parade of law enforcement, firefighters, and dozens of Rolling Thunder veterans on their bikes. People lined the streets along the route to pay their respects to the fallen soldier who had given his life for their freedom. It was a somber site as the hearse rounded the Doughboy statue on Monument Square in Jamestown before finally stopping at Wilson Funeral Home. Several Veterans were honored to carry the casket into the funeral home and salute PFC Wade as they bid their fallen brother goodbye. PFC Henry C. Wade's remains will be laid out at Wilson Funeral Home in Russell Springs for ten days, before a visitation will be held on Tuesday, November 28th, 2023 from 5-7 p.m. Central Time, with military medals presented to the family during that time. Full military honors will be performed at Mill Springs National Cemetery in Nancy, Kentucky on Wednesday, November 29, 2023 at 11:30 a.m. Central Time/12:30 p.m. Eastern Time. This story was posted on 2023-11-21 23:20:32
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