SHAWANO, WI- After more than eight decades, the remains of U.S. Army Air Corps Private Herbert E. McLaughlin, a Shawano native killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor, have finally come home.
Just before 6 p.m. on Wednesday, McLaughlin’s remains were solemnly escorted into the driveway of Swedberg Funeral Home, welcomed by members of the local VFW Post 2723, veterans, and community members. His remains had arrived earlier that day at Milwaukee’s Mitchell International Airport, marking the final leg of a journey that began on December 7, 1941.
McLaughlin, who served with the Headquarters Squadron of the 17th Air Group at Hickam Field in Oahu, Hawaii, was just 31 years old when Japanese forces launched their surprise attack. He was killed during a four-hour assault that followed the initial bombing of Pearl Harbor. Originally buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in 1949, his remains went unidentified until December 2023, when advanced DNA testing confirmed his identity as part of a project to match fallen service members from the attack.
Private McLaughlin holds special significance to Shawano beyond his military service,he is the namesake of VFW Post 2723. “It’s very significant in that finally, we’ve got a place for Herbert in Shawano,” said Phil Nelson, the post’s quartermaster.
His funeral will take place Saturday at Woodlawn Cemetery, where he will be laid to rest beside his mother. The service is expected to resemble a full military burial similar to those held at Arlington National Cemetery, including a riderless horse, an honor guard, the playing of Taps, and the presentation of the American flag to the family.
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