Bystanders saluted Saturday morning as the hearse carrying the remains of a World War II Army flyer passed through Dalton, Ga.

Some stood at attention rendering military salutes while others held their hands over their hearts.

The hearse was carrying the remains of Staff Sgt. Berthold Chastain, a Whitfield County native son who died before most county residents were born.

Sgt. Chastain was born Feb. 2, 1916, in Whitfield County. He was a member of the Harmony Baptist Church in Dalton.

Chastain was killed 68 years ago along with 11 other Army flyers when their B-24 Liberator bomber, nicknamed “Shack Rat,” crashed in New Guinea during an air reconnaissance mission Oct. 27, 1943. Chastain, 27, was the tail gunner.

His only daughter, Tulie Chastain Swilling of Birchwood, rode with her father’s body from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to Ralph Buckner Funeral Home in Cleveland.

The hearse, driven by Kim Randolph, was escorted by about 150 motorcycles and state and local law enforcement agencies.

“It was shocking,” Swilling said during an media interview after their arrival. “I was so surprised by the motorcycle guys. I think there were more than some of them even expected. These guys are just outstanding.”

A military honor guard ceremoniously carried the flag-draped wooden coffin a short distance from the hearse and placed it on a bier positioned just beyond the French doors of the funeral home.

On Friday, Swilling said she felt no one was patriotic anymore, but the Patriot Guard riders and all the people lining the route changed her mind.

“I saw more patriotism today than I’ve seen in a longtime. I was really so surprised so many people who had planned to be on that route to see the procession pass and to show him honor,” she said.

“Some of them had big flags. Some of them had small flags. Some of them just stood at attention with their hands over their hearts and some just stood at attention and saluted. It was just ... tender. I wouldn’t have missed it.”

Cleveland Mayor Tom Rowland said he was proud of the patriotism in the community and encouraged the support of the sergeant and his family. He wanted the family to know the city of Cleveland appreciated Chastain’s service to the country.

“I’m glad he’s finally home. Sgt. Chastain was one of those members of the Greatest Generation and there are very few of those left,” he said. “I encourage Cleveland, on Wednesday, to be here at the service and line the street between here and the cemetery in Birchwood. We did that when Staff Sgt. David Weir died and I would certainly encourage Cleveland to come out and show we support not only the family, but the men and women of the Greatest Generation.”

Swilling said her emotions were mixed about finally having her father’s remains at home with her after all these years. She was notified in November 2010 the aircraft and it crewmembers’ remains were discovered on a mountain on the Southwestern Pacific island.

“It’s a comfort to finally know what happened, that’s one thing,” she said. “The wreckage was covered. It’s just amazing to me the Lord worked it to out where his body could be found and brought home. A friend told me not to think of this as a sad thing. Don’t grieve because this is joyful. He’s home.

“You don’t have that concern anymore about what happened. You know what happened.”

Swilling was only 7 when the “Shack Rat” disappeared. She didn’t grieve then because she always had hope he was still alive.

“To me, my daddy was still alive. He was alive when I talked to him last. I didn’t see him as dead,” she said.

“All of these years, there was always this thing in the back of my mind that he might be somewhere still alive and as long as you don’t know, you still think that. Even after I got older and older, I still ... but when they told us they had found him ... then it hit .. then it was time ... then I grieved.”

A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Wednesday in the chapel of Ralph Buckner Funeral Home with Pastor Dale Tennell officiating.

The conclusion of the service will be marked at 1:40 p.m. with a low altitude flyover of a U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber. The aircraft is scheduled to fly above the funeral home and part of Cleveland at an altitude of 2,000 feet. Interment will be held at the McInturff Cemetery near Birchwood with military honors.

Chastain’s long journey home was documented in a Lifestyles story written by William Wright and published Nov. 10, 2010, based on an interview with Swilling.

Immediately after the aircraft was reported missing, U.S. Army Air Force personnel conducted multiple searches but failed to locate either the crew or the aircraft.

On Oct. 28, 1944, a day after the first anniversary of their disappearance, the entire crew was officially declared dead.

Chastain was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart which was presented to his family. Years later, President Lyndon Johnson issued his daughter Tulie and his mother, Estella Mae Chastain , presidential citations for bravery for the airman’s ultimate sacrifice.

The American Battle Monuments Commission memorialized the 12 crewmen by including their names on the Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines.

On Aug. 9, 2003, a Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command Investigation Team operating in Papua, New Guinea, received information from a local resident regarding a possible aircraft wreckage site. It wasn’t until Jan. 23, 2007, through March 8 of that year, that a recovery team conducted an excavation of the site and escorted the evidence to a central identification laboratory at Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii for analysis. Chastain’s remains were also recovered and positively identified through DNA testing.

Swilling said there will finally be closure for her because she knows her father is at peace. She too is at peace after 67 years of wondering and wondering, but now she knows, but her mother and his brothers, except for one, all died without knowing her father’s fate. So many of them passed with the hope of someday knowing. Sgt. Chastain’s youngest brother died within the past year.

“That’s one of the first things I said to my aunt. I wish he could have known ... he just always wanted to know. I think they will know one of these days. I believe they’re all sleeping now. But I think when Jesus calls us, we’ll all have that knowledge.”