An Army veteran, he was buried Thursday with full military honors. No friends or family came, and no old Army buddies swapped stories. But it was a soldier's farewell, the morning air broken by a 21-gun salute fired by a group of paralyzed veterans.
Posted on 02/11/2005 7:37:04 AM PST by Former Military Chick
DALLAS - Harold Dean Harris died homeless and destitute in an abandoned building and might have gone to a pauper's grave if not for the military papers found in his wallet.
An Army veteran, he was buried Thursday with full military honors. No friends or family came, and no old Army buddies swapped stories. But it was a soldier's farewell, the morning air broken by a 21-gun salute fired by a group of paralyzed veterans.
Harris, 63, and another homeless Army veteran, Hayden Glyn Kresge, 53, were laid to rest at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery because of a partnership between the Veterans Affairs Department and a nationwide funeral home network that has paid for military burials for more than 300 homeless vets over the past two years.
Very little was known about either man, both of whom served two-year Army stints decades earlier. Military officials could not immediately say where the two men served. Neither had relatives or friends at their brief, back-to-back ceremonies.
A few VA officials came to pay tribute, and a group of homeless men acted as pallbearers.
"Without you who came out on this cold day, these men would have had to go to their graves alone," said Cindy Simpson of Dignity Memorial Funeral Providers, the funeral home network.
Disabled American Veterans chaplain Cynthia Burks received the flag from Harris' flag-draped casket. Moving with military precision, Michael Riley, deputy commander of the Paralyzed Veterans of America, wheeled forward to give Burks three polished brass rounds from the rifle volleys, representing duty, honor and country.
"When one is in need, we'll be right there beside them," Burks said tearfully. "It was an honor to accept this flag."
The Rev. Alton Jones, a former homeless veteran himself, officiated at both services. He called on the few gathered to look ahead to a life without sickness, sorrow or homelessness, and sang a verse of "When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder."
Jamie Jewell, another funeral home representative, said neither man had as much as a photograph among their belongings. But "obviously, Mr. Harris was proud of his service," she said, "because he had his papers in his wallet."
Veterans are eligible for Dignity burials if they were homeless and honorably discharged and no one comes forward to claim the body. Dignity pays costs not covered by the VA, such as the casket and a hearse. Volunteers stand in for absent loved ones.
"I really feel every veteran deserves full military honors, especially homeless veterans who die alone," Riley said. "No matter what their walk of life was after they left the service, the fact remains that they did serve our country. To me, it's the highest honor a person could do."
Kresge, who served from 1971 to 1973, died Jan. 21 after being taken to a Dallas hospital. He suffered from hardening of the arteries, high blood pressure and diabetes. A chaplain knew of his military service and passed the information on.
Harris' body was found Jan. 14 in the abandoned building where he apparently was living. He suffered from hepatitis C. He served from 1961 to 1963.
"A veteran, when he's homeless, goes through pride and doesn't want to contact family and loved ones and let them know how bad things have gotten," Jones said.
Note: there are no "official" words to Taps above are the most popular.
I honor and thank you for your service, we will never forget!
I know that many of these people don't want to be helped on the street, but it is particularly shameful when this has happened to someone who has defended this nation. These are the people who should never be forgotten.
Thank you for your service. RIP, Soldier.
God Bless our Veterans,,I wish none of them were homeless.
I sincerely believe that the US military will for all intents and purpose be the shining light illuminating a very dark and cold future if liberalism takes hold. Principles such as honor, love of country, dignity are all but frowned upon as liberalism preaches an idiology of equality and victimhood. God bless the men & women of the armed services. Wherever they are.
Rest in peace boys and may God welcome you into His home and have a mansion prepared for each of you.
What a sad story. At least there are still people out there who care.
This is a damn shame!
And there are literally tens thousands of veterans all over America many of whom returned from Viet Nam to be "treated" by the VA with drugs that made addicts and vegetables out of them just living on park benches.
Well at least these men are at peace and with God now!
God bless them one and all!
Semper Fi,
Kelly
that is so sad. To die homeless with noone to care but strangers. Thank God for the strangers.
My God Have Mercy On His Soul.
Negative. Three rifle volleys, not a 21-gun salute.
TAPS for a homeless Veteran!! PING
An Army veteran, he was buried Thursday with full military honors. No friends or family came, and no old Army buddies swapped stories. But it was a soldier's farewell, the morning air broken by a 21-gun salute fired by a group of paralyzed veterans.
Kleenex recommended prior to reading.
Thank God for this forgotten hero!
They dwell in the house of the Lord now. May they all rest in peace.
God Bless.
BTW: Is Upland still the "Gateway to Palmdale?"
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