John Wayne’s five words at the 1979’s Oscars silenced every cynic in Hollywood 

Sixteen days after that, on June 11, 1979, John Wayne passed away at UCLA Medical Center. In his final months, he had enrolled in an experimental cancer vaccine study, telling doctors, ”If this is helpful, I’m going to help you afterward.”

His family would go on to establish the John Wayne Cancer Institute, carrying forward his legacy of courage and hope.

Wayne was buried at the Pacific View Memorial Park Cemetery at Newport Beach, California. It’s located on a beautiful ocean-view hillside, though the exact spot was a secret for decades.

According to a LA Times piece, for years his grave’s location remained a mystery. Guards locked fans out of his funeral service, and his farewell ceremony remained a private affair. His grave was left unmarked for two decades.