In a story of unshakable love and loyalty that spanned decades and two wars, Clara Gantt waited 63 years for her husband, U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Gantt, to come home.
On a crisp December morning in 2013, Clara—then 94 years old—stood at Los Angeles International Airport, weeping as she welcomed her husband’s flag-draped casket. Her vigil, marked by love and hope, had come to a heartbreaking but dignified close.
SFC Gantt was captured during the Korean War in December 1950 while defending his unit near Kunu-ri. He died in a North Korean prison camp in March 1951, but his remains were not identified until 2013 through forensic analysis by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command in Honolulu.
Despite knowing he was likely gone, Clara refused to remarry! She honored the vow she made after their 1948 wedding—to be his wife, and only his, for life.
“You had a hard time getting me to say yes,” she recalled telling him once. “And there won’t be no more marriage.”
Her commitment never wavered.
“He was a good husband. He was a good soldier,” she said through tears in 2013. “That was something he loved. He got out of [World War II] and right into another. That was his life.”
Their love story began in 1946 on a train from Texas to California. He was headed to Washington state. She was going to Los Angeles. They shared a seat and a conversation—and from that chance encounter, a lifelong bond was born.
Clara Gantt remained faithfully by his side, even in absence. The image of her sobbing beside his casket, nearly collapsing in grief and gratitude as it was carried by honor guard members, moved the nation. It was more than a ceremony—it was a moment of long-awaited closure.
Sgt. Gantt was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Valor for his bravery during his final combat. He also received the Purple Heart, the Prisoner of War Medal, and numerous other military honors.
Clara Gantt passed away in 2015 at the age of 97—still proudly wearing the title “Mrs. Gantt.”
Her story has become a symbol of enduring love, quiet patriotism, and the emotional toll borne by the families of missing service members. In a world of fleeting moments, Clara Gantt’s 63-year wait stands as a testament to devotion that defies time.
