WWII soldier finally laid to rest in Colorado, 80 years after his death

Tens of thousands of military men and women are laid to rest at Fort Logan National Cemetery, and that now includes Staff Sgt. Harold Schafer. His full military honors service Monday morning came 80 years after he was killed in action during World War II.

With every note played by a bagpipe, each shot from the 21-gun salute, and the powerful bell ringing, the young solider from Denver was remembered and honored for making the ultimate sacrifice.

"Thank you for your service, thanks for doing what you did, and for being such an amazing man," said Dan Kingsley, the volunteer bagpiper who played during Schafer's service. "It's really special being here."

SSGT Schafer joined the Army in 1943 and was sent to Europe the following year with fellow members of the 90th Infantry Division. They arrived in Normandy the day after D-Day, fighting their way across France. Schafer was killed in a foxhole that December, trying to help a fellow soldier. He was 28 years old.  

"It was just heartbreaking, especially to my grandma," Barb Bernhard, Schafer's niece, told CBS Colorado's Alan Gionet. "My grandma was never the same."

Bernhardt recalls the pain her family endured with the loss of her uncle, made more difficult by the many decades that passed not knowing where his body was. It wasn't until 2021 that Schafer's remains were found and identified in France, and returned to Colorado just this month.

"I was just so happy and amazed," Bernhardt said of the identification.

With a folded flag in her arms, Amazing Grace gently playing from a bagpipe, and family, friends and veterans by her side, there was a sense of peace and closure -- Staff Sgt. Harold Schafer is home.

"Grandma, we got him home. He's home. It's all you ever wanted was to have him home," Bernhardt said.