MOUNTAIN HOME, Tenn. (WJHL) — The end of someone’s life is when people often gather to remember and celebrate the life lived by the person who died. But for some, they have no one.
The Mountain Home National Cemetery and local Veterans group step in to honor the fallen heroes who are unaccompanied when they pass.
“They served their country. They served in their community. Some very quietly,” Sue Nan Whelan, the director of the cemetery said. “And they deserve the honor and respect of every veteran. The flag folding, having military honors and people [standing] up for them. They deserve it as anyone else does.”
Patients finding hope in Regional Recovery Center “They have no family for whatever reason. No one claims them. They’re all from the immediate area. So we love, as the staff here are mostly veterans at Mountain Home National Cemetery, we love the fact that they’ve chosen here the funeral homes work with us and we get to take care of them forever.”
No other burials happen and flags are flown at half-staff during the quarterly ceremony for the unaccompanied.
“[I spent] 21 years in so I kind of know what it’s like to be away from family and everything,” Veteran TJ Miles, who is also a member of VFW Post 2108, said. “And when you pass away again, you got no family. So it’s just not right that these men and women should be passed on to the next life by themselves. Without somebody here to celebrate it.”
Between two and six veterans are honored. On Wednesday, five veterans were honored.
- John B. Calhoun, Navy, Vietnam
- David A. English, Navy, Vietnam
- Rodrick A. Hawkins, Army, Peace Time
- Calvin Crole, Navy, Korea
- Warren C. Cerrena, Air Force, Vietnam
“Sometimes, they end up in a medical examiner’s office,” Whelan said. “They end up in a funeral home and know they’ve done the cremation and no family’s been to claim them. And years later, here we are and we’re making sure they have that honor.”
They want more people to come out and pay their respects.
“You got the combat veterans, you got the American Legion, you have us VFW and it just goes to show that these veterans aren’t forgotten,” Miles said. “And I just wish there were more people out here, especially ones that aren’t affiliated with the military, just the civilians alone that would come out and show their gratitude to these men and women that gave so much for our country.”
“All our brothers and sisters in arms, it’s not a prerequisite to know them. It’s just a prerequisite to know what they did.”
The next ceremony is set for Wednesday, Oct. 16 at 3 p.m. in the Commital Shelter on the Annex side of the cemetery.
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