COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado — Forty-five years is not too long to wait for a hero.

Col. Leo S. Boston was laid to rest Friday with full military honors in sacred ground on the U.S. Air Force Academy, 45 years after he was shot down on a search and rescue mission in North Vietnam.

His odyssey ended Friday as hundreds gathered to pay their last respects, at last.

“We are here to honor a national hero,” said Capt. Joshua Kim, who conducted the service. “Help us honor Col. Boston well.

The epic journey ends a quest for closure that started when Boston was shot down in April 1966. Searchers spent days trying to find him, but rain, jungle cover and enemy fire finally forced them to abandon their search.

His journey ended as family and friends filed past flags flying at half-staff Friday across Colorado, ordered by Gov. John Hickenlooper in Boston's honor.

“I'm not sure how to feel,” said a younger man to a veteran wearing a VFW cap.

“We should all start by feeling grateful,” the veteran said.

Almost 500 people showed up. If there was a dry eye in the house, they were lying eyes.

Boston's oldest daughter, Bethany Boston-Johnson, a Vail Valley local, rode in a limousine with her younger brother and sister. She was 6 years old when her father answered his country's call and went to war.

Christmas 1965, Boston pulled his three children away from their new presents and helped get them ready for church, even though they didn't want to leave their new toys.

Her father scooped Bethany up in his arms and said, “Bethany, you have to be brave.” She says it's one of the last things she remembers him telling her.

Outpouring of respect

The outpouring of respect and support has been overwhelming, Boston-Johnson says.

Gen. Mike Gould and his wife, Paula, attended. He's a three star general and the Air Force Academy superintendent.

Two huge columns of motorcycles escorted Boston-Johnson, the family and the hearse toward the cemetery Friday. As they roared slowly through the Air Force Academy grounds, hundreds and hundreds of cadets stood at attention, saluting.

A ground crew in the Atlanta airport performed as a color guard as Boston's remains were loaded onto a plane bound for Denver. A motorcycle motorcade escorted Boston-Johnson and the hearse carrying her father from Denver to Colorado Springs.

It all became possible because, several years ago, the U.S. and Vietnam began cooperating in finding and identifying the remains of lost U.S. military personnel. Boston's remains and a piece of his plane were handed over by two elders in a remote village. It had to be him — he was the only one in that area. But technology was still a few years away from being able to make a positive identification.

Finally, last April, Boston-Johnson's phone rang as an Air Force scientist told her they had finally been successful. She flew to Honolulu earlier this month, and back to Colorado with her father's remains earlier this week.

Long way home

“It's been a long time since to bring Col. Boston home,” Kim said.

He read from the Bible, Ecclesiastes 1:3-8, where it says there is a place under heaven for every purpose, “a time for war and a time for peace.”

Kent Krohlow and some other veterans from the local VFW post made the trip to Colorado Springs for the funeral. When it was over, Krohlow pulled a folded bandana from his pocket that came from his best friend, who also died in Vietnam.

“It has never been out of my possession,” Krohlow said. “Being here and bringing this was my way of honoring him.”

“It honors the military, the nation, and the mission of ‘no man left behind,' even if it takes 45 years,” Krohlow said.

A 21-gun salute was followed by “Taps.”

As the family was handed their commemorative flags, F-16 fighter jets screamed overhead. As they passed, one peeled off and ascended straight up through the high light clouds, toward heaven, toward Col. Leo S. Boston.

Staff Writer Randy Wyrick can be reached at 970-748-2935 or rwyrick@vaildaily.com.