On Thursday afternoon, five unaccompanied veterans were laid to rest at the Seaman First Class Billy Turner Veterans Cemetery, and a crowd of over 100 gathered to pay their respects.
Assistant Cemetery Programs Director Deanna Shaw welcomed everyone to the ceremony.
“It is our duty and our honor to provide a dignified burial, perpetual care and eternal rest to our nation’s servicemen and women,” Shaw said. “There can be any number of reasons why a service member becomes unaccompanied or unclaimed. Some are deliberate. Others are not. But none of those reasons affect our purpose here today. Today we are here to remember the lives of these gentlemen and to stand with them as part of a grateful nation they voluntarily served.”
The five veterans were Airman Monty Montegut with the United States Air Force, Pvt. Wallace Kimble Williamson with the United States Marine Corps, Pvt. Jon Lee Damron with the United States Army, Petty Officer Harmon Keith Birmingham with the United States Navy, and Seaman Clifford Eugene Anderson with the United States Navy.
All five were buried with full military honors. Each service member’s ashes were carried into the ceremony by two enlisted men from their branch of service. Rep. Tammy Townley received the ceremonial flag on the veterans’ behalf.
The ceremony wrapped up with Cemetery Administrator Jamie Smith talking about how these veterans were found through the FOUND (Finding Oklahoma’s Unclaimed National Defenders) program and reminding living veterans to register with the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs.
“In the state of Oklahoma, funeral homes gain the legal right of disposition after just five days,” Smith said. “When no next of kin is found or no one steps forward, the funeral homes are faced with a tough decision. Rather than scattering the ashes in a potter’s field, some choose to wait, hoping that someone will come forward.
“I am deeply grateful for the funeral home that entrusted me with 377 names. From that list we identified 36 with verified military service. Some have been reunited with family. Some unmarked graves will receive headstones. Others are still undergoing eligibility determination. But today five veterans have been brought to their final resting service.”
More unaccompanied veterans services will likely take place later this summer.
