Senate Resolution No. 1131
BY: Senator ROLISON
POSTHUMOUSLY honoring the life and service of
United States Army Air Forces Staff Sergeant Eugene
J. Darrigan who was laid to rest in his hometown of
Wappingers Falls, New York, on May 24, 2025, more
than eight decades after his death in World War II
WHEREAS, Members of the Armed Services from the State of New York,
who have served so valiantly and honorably in wars in which this
country's freedom was at stake, as well as in the preservation of peace
in peacetime, deserve a special salute from this Legislative Body; and
WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize and
honor the memory and sacrifice of those who served with courage and
distinction in our nation's armed forces; and
WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Eugene J. Darrigan, a proud native son of
the Village of Wappingers Falls, Dutchess County, New York, served with
great bravery as a radio operator in the United States Army Air Forces
during World War II; and
WHEREAS, On March 11, 1944, while serving aboard the B-24 bomber
"Heaven Can Wait," Staff Sergeant Darrigan and 10 fellow crew members
were tragically killed in action when their aircraft was struck by enemy
fire and crashed off the coast of New Guinea; and
WHEREAS, For 81 years, the remains of the "Heaven Can Wait" crew
were deemed unrecoverable, lost in the depths of the Pacific Ocean; and
WHEREAS, Through the extraordinary efforts of Project Recover-a
nonprofit organization dedicated to locating and returning missing
American service members-in partnership with the Defense POW/MIA
Accounting Agency (DPAA) and researchers from the Scripps Institution of
Oceanography, the wreckage of the aircraft was located in 2017 following
an extensive underwater search; and
WHEREAS, In 2023, the DPAA launched its deepest-ever underwater
recovery mission, deploying elite Navy divers in a pressurized bell to
recover remains and artifacts from the crash site over 200 feet below
the ocean's surface; and
WHEREAS, Among the recovered items were dog tags bearing the name of
Staff Sergeant Eugene J. Darrigan, linking the remains to this heroic
airman and restoring his place in history; and
WHEREAS, On May 24, 2025, Staff Sergeant Eugene J. Darrigan was
finally laid to rest with full military honors in his hometown of
Wappingers Falls, with more than 200 members of the community, family,
and fellow citizens paying their respects; and
WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Eugene J. Darrigan left behind a loving
wife, Florence Schindler, and a young son, Thomas D. Schindler, both of
whom have since passed; he is survived by grandchildren and extended
family members, including his niece, Virginia Pineiro, who solemnly
accepted the folded flag in his honor; and
WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Eugene J. Darrigan's return home represents
a profound and long-awaited homecoming, not only for his family, but for
the grateful community of Wappingers Falls and the nation he served;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor United States Army Air Forces Staff Sergeant Eugene J. Darrigan
posthumously, recognizing his selfless service, supreme sacrifice, and
long-overdue return, and to express the heartfelt gratitude of the
people of New York State; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the family of Staff Sergeant Eugene J. Darrigan, as a
symbol of our enduring respect and remembrance.
