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Montana National Guard returns World War II Soldier home, honoring nation’s promise

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Devin Doskey 
  • 120th Airlift Wing

BUTTE, Mont. (AFNS) - After more than 80 years, a Montana Soldier returned home. 

Soldiers assigned to the Montana Army National Guard Honor Guard carry the casket of Pvt. Henry Bordner from a Lockheed C-130 Hercules to a waiting hearse during a dignified transfer.

Soldiers assigned to the Montana Army National Guard Honor Guard carry the casket of Pvt. Henry Bordner from a Lockheed C-130 Hercules to a waiting hearse during a dignified transfer at Bert Mooney Airport in Butte, Mont., April 15, 2026. Bordner, a World War II Soldier and former prisoner of war who endured the Bataan Death March, was officially accounted for in 2025 by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, ending decades of uncertainty and fulfilling a promise made generations ago. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Daniel Temme)
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Airmen from the 120th Airlift Wing conducted a solemn C-130H transport mission April 15, bringing the remains of U.S. Army Pvt. Harry David Bordner back to Montana, where he will be laid to rest in his hometown of Butte.

Bordner, a World War II Soldier and former prisoner of war who endured the Bataan Death March, was officially accounted for in 2025 by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, ending decades of uncertainty and fulfilling a promise made generations ago. 

“This mission represents something bigger than a single flight,” said Col. John Salotti, 120th Operations Group commander. “It reflects our nation’s unwavering commitment to never leave a service member behind and to bring every one of them home.” 

The C-130H aircraft, often used to project global mobility and combat capability, took on a different role for this mission, one rooted in honor and remembrance.

Airmen render honors as Soldiers assigned to the Montana Army National Guard Honor Guard conduct a dignified transfer.

Montana National Guard Airmen render honors as Soldiers assigned to the Montana Army National Guard Honor Guard conduct a dignified transfer of Pvt. Henry Bordner at Bert Mooney Airport in Butte, Mont., April 15, 2026. Bordner’s remains were identified in 2020 and will be interred in Butte. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Capt. Jacqueline Fogerty)
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“We fly missions all over the world, but this one carries a different weight,” Salotti said. “We’re fulfilling a promise to a Soldier and his family that his service and sacrifice will never be forgotten.”

Bordner served with the 194th Tank Battalion in the Philippines during World War II and was captured following the fall of Bataan in 1942. He later died in captivity and was buried as an unknown until modern forensic advancements enabled his identification. 

For the aircrew, the mission carried deep personal meaning. 

“Our role is to execute the mission with the highest level of professionalism, but also with respect,” Salotti said. “Every detail matters because this is someone’s family member, and someone who answered the call when the nation needed him.” 

Upon arrival in Butte, a dignified transfer ceremony marked Bordner’s return to the community he once called home. The Montana National Guard coordinated closely with casualty assistance personnel and local partners to ensure the transfer was conducted with full military honors.

First responders from the Butte-Silver Bow Police and Fire departments render honors during a water salute.

First responders from the Butte-Silver Bow Police and Fire departments render honors during a water salute for Pvt. Henry Bordner at Bert Mooney Airport in Butte, Mont., April 15, 2026. Bordner, a World War II Soldier and former prisoner of war who endured the Bataan Death March, was officially accounted for in 2025 by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, ending decades of uncertainty and fulfilling a promise made generations ago. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Daniel Temme)
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“For his family and for the people of Montana, this is about closure,” Salotti said. “For us, it’s about ensuring that no one is forgotten.”

The return of Bordner highlights a broader national effort to account for missing service members and honor their legacy. 

Bordner will be laid to rest in Butte following funeral services with full military honors.