DFW National Cemetery will hold a service Thursday for veterans who have no family available to attend their funeral.
The cemetery holds funerals for about 40 "unaccompanied veterans" each year; 21 will be laid to rest Thursday.
“Every Veteran with honorable service has earned the right to be interred in a national cemetery and has paid the price by their service to this great nation. We encourage the community to join us as we pay tribute to those who have served and sacrificed for our nation. It simply is the right thing for us to do," says Larry Williams, the director of Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery.
The Department of Veterans Affairs says it either could not locate any family members, or relatives were not able to attend funerals. The memorial includes full military funeral honors, "Taps" will be played, and a folded American flag will be presented.
The service begins at 11:30 at DFW National Cemetery Shelter C:
2000 Mountain Creek Parkway
Dallas, TX 75211
The service members who will be honored:
Carl Hunt
United States Army
SGT: Jul 1974-Mar 1978 (Vietnam)
Jon Ulrey
United States Marine Corps
PVT Sept 1958- Nov 1958
Michael Mattox
United States Air Force
AMN: Dec 1971- Apr 1973 (Vietnam)
Christopher Kirk
United States Navy
No Rank: Nov 1969- May 1971 (Vietnam)
Jose Mireles
United States Army
SP4: Jan 1979- Dec 1982
David Butler
United States Army
PV1 Nov 1974- Dec 1974 (Vietnam)
Howard Wright
United States Army
CPL: Jan 1963- Mar 1968 (Vietnam)
David Hocutt
United States Army
SP4: Oct 1966- Sept 1968 (Vietnam)
Mark Parra
United States Marine Corps
LCPL: Jan 1969- Feb 1971 (Vietnam)
Dennis Baker
United States Air Force
SSGT: Feb 1971- Feb 1991 (Vietnam / Persian Gulf)
James McCormick
United States Army
SP5: May 1970- Dec 1971 (Vietnam)
John Burford
United States Army
SP4: Sept 1962- Sept 1965 (Vietnam)
Hal Thomas
United States Marine Corps
LCPL: May 1969- Feb 1970 (Vietnam)
Arthur Matts
United States Army
SP3: Jul 1954- Jul 1957 (Korea)
Kenneth Floyd
United States Air Force
A3C: Aug 1954- Mar 1956 (Korea)
Scotty Priddy
United States Army
PFC: Jul 1972- Sept 1974 (Vietnam)
Russell Williams
United States Army
PVT: June 1969- Aug 1970 (Vietnam)
Kenneth Embree
United States Air Force
A1C: Jul 1960- Jun 1964 (Vietnam)
Rufus Griffin
United States Army
SP4: Jul 1966- Apr 1968 (Vietnam)
Brian Kirkbride
United States Army
SSG: June1966- Apr 1978 (Vietnam)
Roger Middleton
United States Army
SPC: Sept 1976- Aug 1983