KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — Seven unclaimed veterans were buried with a ceremony at the East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery on Wednesday. Families had not claimed those veterans, so community members stepped in to fill the gap.
"While they have no family to claim, we stand in the gap today as their family," said Pat Polis, who led the service.
Those veterans buried were:
- Sergeant First Class Jerry Alan Palmer
- Specialist 5 David Brent Bledsoe
- Private First-Class Terrell Wayne Biggerstaff Jr.
- Aviation Botswain's Mate 3rd Class Charles Robert McMeans
- Private Frederick Joseph Chase
- Private Joseph Norman McGoldrick
- Private Paul Deen Alexander
"We're faced with the challenge of honoring these men who are classified as unclaimed veterans who have no obituary," said Pat Polis. "What we do know is they are veterans, which means they are one of us."
Hundreds of people braved the rain to honor the veterans at the East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery, including retired Staff Sergeant Donald Lowrei. Lowrei said he served during the Vietnam War when veterans weren't viewed positively in the U.S. He remembers when his brother-in-law arrived back in the U.S.
"When he got off the airplane, they spit at him," Lowrei said.
That's why, Lowrei said it's important for him to make sure every veteran is honored.
"When I come here, I look for a girl that I buried here the first time," said Lowrei.
Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs spoke at the event. The Vietnam Veterans of America officiated the ceremony.
A motorcycle escort brought the urns of the unclaimed veterans from the Berry Funeral Home to the cemetery.