Eight veterans, whose bodies lay unclaimed after their passing, were recently honored with a dignified military send-off in East Tennessee. In a ceremony suffused with profound respect for their service, these men, who had served in various branches of the U.S. military, received a proper memorial on Thursday at the East Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery.
The combined efforts of the East Tennessee Regional Forensic Center and the Dignity Memorial Homeless/Unclaimed Veteran Burial Program ensured these veterans were not forgotten. Individual names such as Sergeant Billy Walter Sharbono, Airman Richard Remine, and Airman Basic Michael Anthony Scales, among others, were read aloud, each representing a life of commitment to the nation. The public gathering stood as a testament to their courage, with around 100 veterans in attendance to pay their respects, WBIR reported.
The ceremony included military honors from various organizations, including the Navy, the Army, the East Tennessee Veterans Honor Guard, and the Pigeon Forge Honor Guard. The solemn sound of "Taps" was performed by bugler Chuck Sayne who, in a statement obtained by WATE, expressed his commitment to honoring those "homeless men, who, no family, nobody to mourn their passing."
Marti Baker, founder of the organization CareCuts, revealed that some of the veterans were homeless at the time of death. She shared the poignant tale of Ray Cate, a Navy veteran who faced numerous life barriers and tragically succumbed in an accident, "he was hit and ran on N. Broadway St. in his wheelchair." Chris Thomas, Chief Administrative Officer with the Knox County Regional Forensic Center, highlighted, during an interview with WATE, the vital role of the veteran community in honoring their fellow servicemen, "to pay respects to all these soldiers and the veteran community is able to come out and pay respect to other soldiers they served with."
Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs, in a sentiment echoed at WVLT, captured the collective sense of duty, saying, "they’re claimed by us. They’re part of our community and that’s the least we can do to make sure that they’re remembered and their service and sacrifice has never forgotten." This gesture of communal solidarity stands as a reminder of the sacrifices made by those who have worn the uniform, whose legacies, irrespective of their post-service journeys, continue to be honored by fellow citizens and servicemen alike.
