SPARTANBURG, S.C. - A South Carolina soldier who died more than 40 years ago in a Vietnam jungle will be buried next month at Arlington National Cemetery.

The remains of U.S. Army Spc. Thomas Rice Jr. will be buried April 9 after a memorial for him and three others who were aboard a helicopter that went missing in 1965, Rice's sister Faye Smith told the Herald-Journal of Spartanburg.

"This is the final goodbye because now we know we're actually fixing to bury his remains," she said.

Rice's family held a memorial for the 23-year-old serviceman after he was declared dead in 1966, but they still wondered whether he had died or was being held prisoner.

"We really hated that our parents are not still here to see this final closure, because my mom and dad never gave up," Smith said.

Smith said her mother, Jessie, would "just walk the floor and pray and cry, wondering was her child somewhere sick was he hungry."

About 500 people attended a second service last year after his remains were recovered and identified.

More than 20 of Rice's family members plan to attend the services at Arlington National Cemetery.

Also aboard the chopper were Army Spc. 5th Class Donald C. Grella, Chief Warrant Officer Jessie D. Phelps and Chief Warrant Officer Kenneth L. Stancil.

Rice joined the Army after graduating from Carver High School and later re-enlisted.

Smith was just 10 when her brother went missing, but she remembers that he got up early to chop wood and start a fire so the house was warm for the rest of the family on cold mornings. Smith said her brother also sent part of his soldier's pay back home to help the family.

"This was a brother that I think anyone would love to have had," Smith said.