1,500 strangers attend WWII veteran's funeral
A World War II veteran, John Bernard Arnold III, passed away with no family to attend his funeral. In a remarkable show of community support, 1,500 strangers attended the service to honor his life and service. Arnold had planned his funeral years in advance, requesting a simple Catholic Mass without a eulogy, but instead received a heartfelt farewell from the community.
- ▪John Bernard Arnold III served in the Navy during World War II and had no immediate family at the time of his death.
- ▪Terrance O'Keefe from Hanover-Hanson Veteran Services organized a call for the community to attend Arnold's funeral.
- ▪Approximately 1,500 people showed up to pay their respects, highlighting the community's appreciation for veterans.
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CBS Mornings A World War II veteran had no one left to bury him. Then 1,500 strangers showed up. .chip { background-image: url('/fly/bundles/cbsnewscore/images/chip-bgd/chip-bgd-cbs-mornings.jpg'); } By David Begnaud David Begnaud CBS News Contributor David Begnaud is a CBS News contributor and previously served as the lead national correspondent for "CBS Mornings," based in New York City. Read Full Bio David Begnaud May 25, 2026 / 3:23 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google John Bernard Arnold III knew loss before he knew much else. His mom died when he was young, and he grew up in foster care before serving in World War II for the Navy.His great love in life was making people laugh; he was a passionate magician who never married or had any children.
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