Paul Gregg burial service

According to the Illinois National Guard, a graveside funeral service with full Army Funeral Honors was held for U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Paul Allen "Dusty" Gregg on Monday, May 11, 2026.

 via Illinois National Guard

ARCOLA, Ill. (WAND) — A central Illinois soldier who went missing fighting in World War II had his remains returned home after more than 80 years.

According to the Illinois National Guard, a graveside funeral service with full Army Funeral Honors was held for U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Paul Allen "Dusty" Gregg on Monday. The service was at the Arcola Township Cemetery.

Gregg was born in 1915 in Arcola, and was drafted into the United States Army in 1941.

Paul Gregg

The National Guard said he served with the historic 28th Infantry Division, a Pennsylvania National Guard unit known as the "Keystone Division" and the oldest continuously serving division-sized unit in the U.S. Army. 

Gregg also fought in the 1944 invasion of France during World War II. He was reported missing in action on December 18, 1944, in Luxembourg.

In May 2025, Gregg's remains were dug up and identified through DNA analysis.

Copyright 2026. WAND TV. All rights reserved.