He's
He's Home
d. December 10, 2015
Thursday, December 10 ---
Waltham - The body of United States Army Sergeant Robert C. Dakin is home in Waltham today for the first time in sixty-five years.
The twenty-two year old was killed in action while fighting with American forces in the Chosin Reservoir area of North Korea in December, 1950.
His family has been wondering every Christmas since where he's been.
Through the untiring efforts of the United States Army and the Defense Department Sgt. Dakin's body was identified and reunited with his family at Logan Airport in Boston this afternoon. The United States Army provided the honor guard and pall bearers.
Besides his family those present to welcome him home and to serve as escorts were Waltham officials including Veterans Services Officer Michael Russo and several military veterans from the Waltham Police Department. In addition police officers from the Massachusetts State Police, Watertown Police, Belmont Police and Newton Police participated.
The Massachusetts Port Authority Fire Department and Massachusetts Veterans Services Secretary Francisco Urena were also on hand to stand with the family and receive Sgt. Dakin home.
During the procession home to Waltham members of the Boston Fire Department showed respects to Sgt. Dakin and his family by positioning apparatus and firefighters saluting over every bridge from Boston to Newton.
At Newton Corner, the Newton Fire Department positioned a large American flag from a ladder truck as the procession left the highway where Waltham Fire Department's Engine 1 took up a position in front of the hearse carrying Sgt. Dakin. Also joining the procession in Newton were a motorcycle brigade from the American Legion Riders.
As the procession entered Watertown Square the American flag, lowered to half-staff, at the top of Watertown Savings Bank came into view.
The procession paused in front of an impressive honor guard at Watertown Fire Headquarters on Main Street as well as at the town's Police Headquarters. In Waltham a pause also came in front of Saint Jude School where more than two hundred students, teachers and parents holding American flags and saluting paid homage to Sgt. Dakin and his family.
At Joyce Funeral Home military pall bearers carried Sgt. Dakin into a main chapel where Fr. Michael Nolan, pastor of Saint Mary's Church down the street from where Sgt. Dakin grew up, offered prayers of thanksgiving for his return. Fr. Nolan noted that although the initials MIA, then KIA, were attached to Sgt. Dakin's name for more than two generations, the initials RIP, Requiescat in Pace, can now be noted . . . rest in peace . . . and the family can now find peace.
Also offering words of condolence to the family were VSO Russo, Mayor Jeannette McCarthy, City Councilor and Veterans Service Chairman Joseph Giordano and Secretary Urena.
In addition to family, military, police, fire, city and state officials the chapel was filled with members of the Legion Riders, members of the Joseph F. Hill American Legion Post No. 156 and PFC John M. Sullivan USMC Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 10334 as well as members of veteran's posts from surrounding towns.
The ceremony concluded with remarks on behalf of the family from Sgt. Dakin's nephew, David Cline, who noted the overwhelming sense of relief that the family now felt knowing that 'Uncle Bobby' was finally home. He expressed heartfelt gratitude for those responsible in helping to re-unite his uncle with his family.
Services for Sgt. Dakin will continue with the wake on Friday, December 11th at Joyce Funeral Home from 4 to 8 p.m. The funeral service will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday morning in First Parish Church, 50 School Street, Waltham where the Rev. Marc Fredette will officiate.
Saturday marks the sixty-fifth anniversary of when Sgt. Dakin first went missing during the war.
VSO Russo encourages citizens to line the procession route on Lexington Street, Main Street, Moody Street and Maple Street as Sgt. Dakin will be laid to rest in Mount Feake Cemetery.
____________________
This is the second in a series of three articles about the life and death of Sergeant Dakin
Chapter One of this story can be found here:
http://joycefuneralhome.tributes.com/obituary/show/Sergeant-Robert-C.-Dakin-103002830
Chapter Three can be found here:
http://joycefuneralhome.tributes.com/obituary/show/And-now-you-too-Louise-can-rest-in-peace.-103095383
Waltham - The body of United States Army Sergeant Robert C. Dakin is home in Waltham today for the first time in sixty-five years.
The twenty-two year old was killed in action while fighting with American forces in the Chosin Reservoir area of North Korea in December, 1950.
His family has been wondering every Christmas since where he's been.
Through the untiring efforts of the United States Army and the Defense Department Sgt. Dakin's body was identified and reunited with his family at Logan Airport in Boston this afternoon. The United States Army provided the honor guard and pall bearers.
Besides his family those present to welcome him home and to serve as escorts were Waltham officials including Veterans Services Officer Michael Russo and several military veterans from the Waltham Police Department. In addition police officers from the Massachusetts State Police, Watertown Police, Belmont Police and Newton Police participated.
The Massachusetts Port Authority Fire Department and Massachusetts Veterans Services Secretary Francisco Urena were also on hand to stand with the family and receive Sgt. Dakin home.
During the procession home to Waltham members of the Boston Fire Department showed respects to Sgt. Dakin and his family by positioning apparatus and firefighters saluting over every bridge from Boston to Newton.
At Newton Corner, the Newton Fire Department positioned a large American flag from a ladder truck as the procession left the highway where Waltham Fire Department's Engine 1 took up a position in front of the hearse carrying Sgt. Dakin. Also joining the procession in Newton were a motorcycle brigade from the American Legion Riders.
As the procession entered Watertown Square the American flag, lowered to half-staff, at the top of Watertown Savings Bank came into view.
The procession paused in front of an impressive honor guard at Watertown Fire Headquarters on Main Street as well as at the town's Police Headquarters. In Waltham a pause also came in front of Saint Jude School where more than two hundred students, teachers and parents holding American flags and saluting paid homage to Sgt. Dakin and his family.
At Joyce Funeral Home military pall bearers carried Sgt. Dakin into a main chapel where Fr. Michael Nolan, pastor of Saint Mary's Church down the street from where Sgt. Dakin grew up, offered prayers of thanksgiving for his return. Fr. Nolan noted that although the initials MIA, then KIA, were attached to Sgt. Dakin's name for more than two generations, the initials RIP, Requiescat in Pace, can now be noted . . . rest in peace . . . and the family can now find peace.
Also offering words of condolence to the family were VSO Russo, Mayor Jeannette McCarthy, City Councilor and Veterans Service Chairman Joseph Giordano and Secretary Urena.
In addition to family, military, police, fire, city and state officials the chapel was filled with members of the Legion Riders, members of the Joseph F. Hill American Legion Post No. 156 and PFC John M. Sullivan USMC Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 10334 as well as members of veteran's posts from surrounding towns.
The ceremony concluded with remarks on behalf of the family from Sgt. Dakin's nephew, David Cline, who noted the overwhelming sense of relief that the family now felt knowing that 'Uncle Bobby' was finally home. He expressed heartfelt gratitude for those responsible in helping to re-unite his uncle with his family.
Services for Sgt. Dakin will continue with the wake on Friday, December 11th at Joyce Funeral Home from 4 to 8 p.m. The funeral service will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday morning in First Parish Church, 50 School Street, Waltham where the Rev. Marc Fredette will officiate.
Saturday marks the sixty-fifth anniversary of when Sgt. Dakin first went missing during the war.
VSO Russo encourages citizens to line the procession route on Lexington Street, Main Street, Moody Street and Maple Street as Sgt. Dakin will be laid to rest in Mount Feake Cemetery.
____________________
This is the second in a series of three articles about the life and death of Sergeant Dakin
Chapter One of this story can be found here:
http://joycefuneralhome.tributes.com/obituary/show/Sergeant-Robert-C.-Dakin-103002830
Chapter Three can be found here:
http://joycefuneralhome.tributes.com/obituary/show/And-now-you-too-Louise-can-rest-in-peace.-103095383
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of He's Home, please visit our flower store.
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Friday, December 11, 2015
4:00 - 8:00 pm (Eastern time)
Joyce Funeral Home
Funeral Service
Saturday, December 12, 2015
Starts at 10:00 am (Eastern time)
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