The remains of an Iowa sailor who died in a Japanese prison camp more than 80 years ago were finally laid to rest Saturday, November 7, 2026, in Sioux City.
Fireman First Class Robert Shove was born in Cherokee, Iowa, in 1922 and spent most of his life in Sioux City before joining the U.S. Navy in 1940.
Shove was captured in Corregidor, Philippines, while serving alongside his fellow sailors aboard the USS Canopus during the Japanese invasion. Following his capture, he was forced onto the infamous Bataan Death March and eventually sent to a prisoner-of-war camp in the Philippines.
Although Shove survived the march, he died in 1943 after approximately 18 months in captivity. His death was attributed to disease and malnutrition. His remains were placed in a mass grave alongside other prisoners who died in the camp.
Following the war, efforts to identify the remains were unsuccessful. Shove was eventually buried in an official cemetery in the Philippines, identified only by a number.
Decades later, renewed efforts to identify unidentified service members finally brought answers to his family. In 2014, his remains were exhumed and transferred to Hawaii for further examination. In 2019, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency successfully identified Shove through DNA comparison using a sample donated by his younger brother.
His nephew, Michael O’Brien, who lives in Medford, Massachusetts, was contacted by the military and informed that his uncle had finally been identified. O’Brien said the news was surreal, particularly because he had known very little about his mother’s older brother and the circumstances surrounding his death.
The identification brought a long-awaited sense of closure to the family, allowing Shove to finally return home after more than eight decades.
O’Brien and family members traveled to Iowa for the homecoming and funeral services. On Thursday, November 5, Shove’s remains received a dignified transfer in Council Bluffs, where a military color guard escorted his casket from the aircraft.
O’Brien described the emotional experience of being able to stand beside his uncle’s casket, reflecting on the sacrifice made by a young sailor who never made it home.
On Saturday, November 7, Shove was laid to rest with full military honors at Memorial Park Cemetery in Sioux City. His final resting place is alongside his mother, brother and sister.
Governor Kim Reynolds ordered all flags across Iowa to be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset Saturday in honor of Shove and his service to the country.
After more than 80 years, Fireman First Class Robert Shove has finally come home.
