WWII Airman Memorialized In Music Video

CITRUS HEIGHTS, Calif.(CBS13) -- The news that a World War II airman's remains were finally being returned from Germany last year brought relief and closure to his family, but the surprising song written and produced by a former police officer and a rock guitarist will help keep his memory alive, according to the airman's sister.

Paulette Gooch said she was just seven years old when her brother, Sgt. Jack Bonnassiolle, went missing after a bombing run over Berlin in April 1944.

The news was particularly devastating to her mother, and most of the crewmembers on board the aircraft were not recovered, and the wreckage was thought lost when the Germans covered the site of the plane crash.

"They took bulldozers and heavy equipment and closed up the hole in the ground," Paulette said. "It became a time capsule."

Decades later, Paulette sent a random e-mail to German authorities asking for help locating the site of the wreckage. Within a few days, she received a response from a German World War II enthusiast named Enrico Schwartz, who was attempting to locate Jack's airplane.

"Finding Enrico in Germany in three days after putting a note on the internet. Who could ever imagine that could happen?" Paulette said.

Enrico located the crash site, and Jack Bonnassiolle's remains were later found and identified at the location. Jack's remains were flown back to the Bay Area last year and buried.

Art Michel, a retired Oakland cop, said he was inspired to write a song after he saw Jack's story on TV. He showed the song to a friend, Johnny Gunn, who just happens to be a guitarist for rock star Eddie Money.

"The words Art had in this song really hit home," Gunn said.

Art and Johnny decided to produce a personal music video for Paulette and her family called "Wingman."

Art located Paulette and showed her the video.

"When I saw the video, I was just stunned," she said. "The beautiful singing and the words were just like, oh my gosh."

"One of the things that I was thinking about my brother is that he was fading away," Paulette added. "He won't fade away now. He's been memorialized."