This week, one of our own — Captain Thomas Edwin Scheurich Sr., a U.S. Navy aviator from Norfolk, Nebraska — finally returns home after more than five decades listed as missing in action. On November 14, 2025, he will be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors
The End of a Long Wait
For 57 years, Captain Scheurich’s name stood among the missing. A dedicated Naval Aviator, he was lost on a night mission over Vietnam on March 1, 1968. For over half a century, his family waited, remembered, and honored his memory with unwavering strength.
The notification this past May that his remains had been identified brought not just closure, but the sacred opportunity to welcome him home with the honor he has always deserved—a moment for the nation to formally thank a hero.
The Price of Freedom
Captain Scheurich represents the very best of naval service: courage under fire, dedication to mission, and unwavering commitment to shipmates and country. He flew into harm’s way, fully aware of the risks involved.
At just 34 years old, he gave everything. He never came home to see his children grow, to meet his grandchildren, to build boats or play his banjo in the years that should have been his. He made the ultimate sacrifice for the liberties we enjoy today.
To the Scheurich Family: We Never Forgot
To the Scheurich family: your father, grandfather, and loved one embodied the warrior spirit that has protected this nation for generations. His sacrifice was not in vain. Because of sailors like Captain Scheurich, America remained free. And because of families like yours, who carried on with grace and strength, we never forgot what was owed to those who did not return.
As we work every day to ensure today’s Navy has the resources, readiness, and support it needs, we are constantly reminded why this mission matters:
- It matters because of sailors like Captain Scheurich.
- It matters because the watch must continue.
- It matters because freedom is never free—it is earned by those willing to stand in the gap.
Welcome home, Captain Scheurich. Your courage endures. Your sacrifice will never be forgotten.Fair winds and following seas, sir.
With profound respect and gratitude,
Americans for a Stronger Navy