Posted on 03/29/2015 9:50:09 AM PDT by SandRat
SIERRA VISTA — A small group of “almost forgotten veterans” were laid to rest during a short, simple ceremony Saturday.
Fred Santana, the founder of the Missing in America Project, said those who were honored are like many “who have been on the shelves in America’s funeral homes.” The cremains were brought to Sierra Vista from Tucson.
Santana came to the event from California to witness the latest group of soldiers, sailors and airmen — 17 of them this trip — to finally have a military-style burial. He said one time he helped recover 15 Civil War veterans and some of their wives “who had been on the shelves for 93 years,” to give them a long overdue burial.
There are still thousands of deceased veterans throughout the nation who have yet to be honored, Santana said. There is a need to find their remains, many of which are being kept at thousands of funeral homes.
Three of the veterans honored Saturday were World War II service members — two sailors and a soldier. Others served during the Korean and Vietnam wars and during peace time.
While the crowd was smaller than at prior ceremonies — less than 150 — they showed up to honor each veteran.
Each branch of the service — Army, Navy and Air Force — had representatives who carried the cremains to the stage and later took them to be placed in a niche.
Some soldiers attending the NCO Academy on Fort Huachuca took part in the ceremony with one of them, Sgt. 1st Class Damian Hoffman, ringing a bell as each name was read.
Also in attendance was the post’s senior officer, Maj. Gen. Robert Ashley, commander of the Army’s Intelligence Center of Excellence and the fort.
The warm afternoon was full of sounds of chirping birds and of the lanyards of the service flags clanging against the poles on which the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard banners were flying.
Symbolically, three American flags were unfolded and refolded by two soldiers, two sailors and two airmen, as a firing party shot off 21 rounds and the 24 sad notes of “Taps” was sounded.
Then the cremains of the veterans and the wife of one, were carried to their final resting places.
THOSE HONORED
Veterans who were laid to rest Saturday at the Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery were:
• Patrick Campbell, 67, Army veteran.
• Paul Dailey, 82, Army and Air Force veteran.
• Harry Ellis 80, Army veteran.
• Bennie Farmer, 60, Navy veteran.
• Duane Ferguson, 78, Army veteran.
• Currie Hicks, 69, Navy veteran.
• Albert Keys, 89, Navy veteran.
• Jefferson Manatt, 59, Air Force veteran.
• John McArthur, 79, Navy veteran.
• Steven McDonald, 57, Navy veteran.
RIP comrades. And thank you for your service.
May you receive the honor and respect you deserve as God Almighty welcomes you home.
God bless these people for doing this.
May God bless and keep all of our brave fighting men and may He welcome home all of those who have passed.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.