Unaccompanied veterans honored at Mountain Home National Cemetery

Six unaccompanied U.S. service members were recognized and honored during a recent ceremony at Mountain Home National Cemetery in Tenessee.

“They lose touch with their families or they just don’t have any families left or decisions, they’re being buried here without any honors being performed because there’s no family member. We like to make sure every veteran gets the honors they deserve and are remembered,” Navy veteran Brian Peterson, administrative officer for Mountain Home National Cemetery, told WJHL .

National and Department of Veterans Affairs grant-funded cemeteries routinely hold unaccompanied ceremonies for unclaimed veterans and veterans whose families are unable to attend an interment service. While there may not be next of kin at these ceremonies, they are usually well attended by the local military and civilian community.

“Sometimes the coroner’s office has spent a couple of years trying to locate family members of people that they have,” Peterson continued. “They just can’t do it anymore so they ask that we can do their internment and give them their final resting place that they deserve.”

According to a post on the cemetery’s Facebook page, the veterans honored during the April 17 ceremony were: Larry David Cooper, Army, Vietnam War Era; James Dale Jones, Army, Vietnam War Era; Jon Rhae Lee, Navy, Peacetime Era; Jeffery Leon Mack, Army, Peacetime Era; James Thomas Sowers, Army, Vietnam War Era; and John Earl Wagner, Army, Vietnam War Era.

Veterans and groups like Rolling Thunder, Vietnam Veterans of America and American Legion Post 24 joined together to put the ceremony - which included a rifle salute, the playing of Taps, and a flag folding presentation, reported WJHL.

Mildred Longcrier took care of Mack by taking him places and ensuring he had food and his bills were paid.

“He passed just recently, which came as kind of a shock to me,” Longcrier told WJHL. “He just passed away so they got in touch with me to let me know.”

Longcrier said Mack was honored to be a veteran and serving the country meant a lot to him.

“They fought for our country and they’ve been injured, and they are people and they have no family,” she continued. “I just can’t bear the thought of someone not having some type of little service.”

An Unaccompanied Veterans Service is held once a quarter at the cemetery, according to its Facebook post. The next one will be held July 17 at 3 p.m.

Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com .