Kansas City World War II veteran’s remains returned home after 80 years

By Alan Shope

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    KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KMBC) — For nearly 80 years, the remains of Kansas City native Elvis Spotts, a Merchant Marine wiper during World War II, lay buried on a remote island in the South Pacific.

Spotts, who served as a mechanic on the SS Cape Isabel, tragically lost his life on Feb. 22, 1944, when he was electrocuted while performing his duties aboard the ship.

Recently, Spotts’ remains were among 532 sets recovered from the island, sparking a renewed effort by the U.S. Navy to identify and return these long-lost service members to their families.

“We never stopped trying to identify any veterans that have been lost in a time of war,” said Adm. Michael Van Poots, commander of the Navy’s Underwater Wreckage and Casualty Command (UWCC).

After years of dedicated work, the Navy successfully identified Spotts’ remains, located distant relatives and arranged for his return to his hometown.

Family members, including Susan Donnelly, a distant cousin, expressed gratitude and relief that Spotts’ journey had finally come full circle.

“All my life, we knew that Aunt Lucille had lost her son in the war, so it really is important to us that they finally recovered him and returned him to his home,” Donnelly said.

In a solemn ceremony, family and military personnel honored Spotts’ sacrifice. Buglers played taps, and an honor guard paid tribute as the young serviceman, who died at just 18, was laid to rest on American soil.

Reflecting on the ongoing mission to identify and bring home fallen heroes, Van Poots noted, “There are over 81,000 folks that have not been identified. This past year alone, we identified 172.”

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