A Kansas man whose fighter plane was shot down in North Vietnam in 1965 is finally laid to rest in his native state.

Family and friends gathered in Pilsen Saturday to bury Maj. Dean Klenda.

The Wichita Eagle reports Klenda’s sister, Deanna Klenda, worked relentlessly with The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency until recovery teams from the U.S. and Vietnam found his remains in 2014.

Dean Klenda’s burial came on the 51st anniversary of the day he went missing. His F-105 Thunderchief was helping attack targets east of Hanoi when it was hit by enemy fire, causing him to try to eject. The military says he failed to separate from his ejection seat before it hit the ground.

Maj. Dean Klenda is laid to rest. (US Air Force photo)