The search for the crew began in earnest after Scott Althaus, a relative of 2nd Lt. Thomas Kelly, initiated a 12-year investigation that confirmed the crash site in 2017.

This recovery mission was spearheaded by Project Recover in collaboration with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, which is dedicated to locating and repatriating missing service members.

The identification of the remains was confirmed through dental and anthropological analysis, alongside material evidence retrieved from the crash site.

Ceremonies honoring the fallen crew members have garnered significant community support, serving as both memorials and closures for families who have waited over 80 years.

Initially deemed non-recoverable, the remains were located deep beneath the ocean, prompting a Navy dive team to conduct the deepest underwater recovery mission in 2023.

Darrigan was buried in Wappingers Falls, New York, on May 24, 2025, marking a significant moment for his family and community.

As of September 2023, the remains of Staff Sgt. Eugene Darrigan, 2nd Lt. Thomas Kelly, 2nd Lt. Donald Sheppick, and 1st Lt. Herbert Tennyson were officially accounted for, while seven crew members remain unaccounted for.

Future interments for Sheppick and Tennyson are planned for later this year, fulfilling the long-held hopes of their families.

The long-awaited recovery of the remains of four crew members from the B-24 Liberator bomber, Heaven Can Wait, culminated in their return to their hometowns after decades of searching.

The families, particularly the wives of the crew members, endured a long and painful wait for closure, with some writing letters daily to their husbands overseas.

Families have expressed immense gratitude for the recovery efforts, with many highlighting the emotional significance of bringing their loved ones home.

Kelly's burial on May 26, 2025, involved a procession of Veterans of Foreign Wars motorcyclists and took place at a family cemetery plot near a memorial stone honoring his service.