FORT JACKSON, S.C. – Full military honors are due each deceased military member who served honorably. Some, however, have no one to provide such services after they pass away and their remains all too often go unclaimed.
The Missing In America Project locates, identifies and inters the unclaimed cremated remains of these veterans and on June 6, seven veterans received a full military honors funeral at the Fort Jackson National Cemetery.
The seven veterans, six Soldiers and one Sailor were interred in a ceremony with over one hundred in attendance with honor guards from Fort Gordon, Georgia, American Legion Post 71 in North Augusta, South Carolina and the U.S. Navy.
The remains were escorted from American Legion Post 193 in Chapin, South Carolina, to the cemetery by members of the MIAP, American Legion Riders of South Carolina and the Patriot Guard Riders.
“The significance of today's event,” said Steven Goulet, Military Honors and Event Manager at Fort Gordon, “was that after years of waiting these seven previously unclaimed Veterans were laid to rest with the honor, dignity and respect they have earned and rightfully deserve for their honorable service to our Nation.” Goulet is also the MIAP State Coordinator for South Carolina.
The interred veterans are:
Private Frederick J. Southerland, U.S. Army
Spec. 4 John J. Cardenas, U.S. Army
Spec. 4 William A. Ballard, U.S. Army
Tec. 5 Marion C. Bomar, U.S. Army
Sgt. Wade L. Harrington, U.S. Army
Sgt. Robert A. Eames, U.S. Army
Seaman Eric J. Gerhart, U.S. Navy
Not much else is known about these men other than they served their country honorably. It is known that between them there were 23 years of service in World War Two, Viet Nam and/or the Cold War. Students from South Carolina's Department of Juvenile Justice built special urns to hold the remains.
For more information on the Missing In America Project visit: www.miap.us
Date Taken: | 06.06.2014 |
Date Posted: | 06.10.2014 11:45 |
Story ID: | 132654 |
Location: | FORT JACKSON, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
Web Views: | 128 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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