A World War II veteran had no one left to bury him. Then 1,500 strangers showed up.

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May 25, 2026 / 3:23 PM EDT

/ CBS News

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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. When he died on May 6, there was no one left to bury him.That is, until Terrance O'Keefe of Hanover-Hanson Veteran Services put out a call to give Arnold a proper send-off. "We planned for the entire state to at least show up," he said.The community delivered."I got there about an hour early and there were already a hundred people deep," Erin O'Malley Mandeville said.She showed up because her husband served for 26 years in the Navy. "Everyone deserves the respect of remembrance. Especially our veterans," she said.At Arnold's service, four veterans simultaneously saluted his casket. The priest also offered the crowd a glimpse into who John Bernard Arnold III was as a man, including his love for classical music, chocolate cake and "Grey's Anatomy."