St. Louis — Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery is where heroes come to rest. On a rainy Friday afternoon, nearly 77 years after his death, another hero finally came home.
For 60 years, Jack Poitras, better known as Bugle Jack, has had the honor of playing the last call for thousands of patriots here at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.
"It's something I have to do. It seems like God has given me a duty," Poitras said.
It's a duty this Vietnam veteran has done more 20,000 times. He started playing Taps at military funerals at the age of 10. His seventh and final burial of the day on October 12th, was one he will never forget.
"This service was really special to me," Poitras said.
The service was for Navy Seaman Natale Torti. The St. Louis man was just 19-years-old when he was killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor. For decades he was listed as unaccounted for but that all changed in 2015 when the Department of Defense started DNA testing the remains of those killed on the USS Oklahoma. Earlier this year, Torti's family got the news they waited nearly 80 years to hear: Natale was no longer missing.
For his relatives, it was day filled with mix emotions. They were happy he was getting the proper goodbye he deserved but they wished his six siblings were alive to see this moment.
"I know they wish they all could be here for this day. They all loved each other, they grew up in hard times. I'm sure everyone would have been pleased and very emotional about this happening," said Torti's nephew Richard Slawson.
It was a homecoming that was long overdue. A homecoming Bugle Jack felt fortunate to be part of.
"This is something we need to do with all of our veterans. They don't need to be left out there. They need to be brought home again," Poitras said.