Idaho’s Fallen Hero Finally Comes Home For Proper Burial After 80 Years

Fireman Carly M. Bradley of Shelley, Idaho was only 19 years old when he died on December 7, 1941 when attacked at Pearl Harbor. It’s taken 80 years to finally identify almost 400 soldiers so that their families could finally lay them down to rest and Bradley is one of those soldiers.

Photo: American Legion Post 56

Bradley was on board the USS Oklahoma which was fiercely attacked causing the ship to almost completely roll over. Bradley was a Boiler Technician and when the ship rolled, the engine room, where Bradley was caught fire killing everyone in it.

It took two years to salvage the USS Oklahoma where almost 400 bodies were recovered. The problem was that the bodies were beyond any type of recognition. There was no way to identify them.

Technology sometimes is a good thing. New DNA technology was able to identify Bradley and about 95% of the rest of the bodies. That took place earlier this year in February. Because of this, so many families will now be able to bury their loved ones including Bradley who will now rest in peace in the family burial plot on some land just outside of Shelley, Idaho.

During the burial service, six sailors from Boise will fold the flag, and then a Navy captain will present the flag to the family. Usually, a burial flag is folded by only two people for veterans, four if the veteran is a dignitary or high ranking officer, and by six typically for presidents, senators, or very high ranking officers like three and four-star admirals and generals. But after 80 years, it was decided to perform a six-person fold for Bradley.

The flag itself is special because it is an American-made 48-star flag, which was the official flag of the United States when Bradley was killed.