A Military Funeral
Hundreds of Soldiers and civilians on Fort Leavenworth braved a cold north wind last Friday morning to pay tribute to Corporal David Unger, one of the 100+ U.S. service members killed in Iraq this month. CPL Unger was buried at the Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery after a funeral in the Fort Leavenworth Main Post Chapel. David had a close connection with many members of the chapel community. His mother coordinates watch care for all of the chapel congregations and activities, and long-time chapel members had often seen David in the child-watch areas of the chapel, helping to tend the children. Several of our young adults "grew up with him" through the years in the Leavenworth school system.
Despite our proximity to Kansas City, Leavenworth is really a small town with a strong sense of community, and the community turned out in force. Visitation took place at Leavenworth High School, where people stood in long lines to pay their respects to the family. Across the street, a small band of hateful protesters briefly lofted vicious signs and shouted vulgar epithets in an attempt to wound the family even more deeply. They were far outnumbered by members of the Patriot Guard Riders and local veterans groups, so that the family could be shielded from their hate.
On the day of the funeral, the people of Leavenworth lined the route from the funeral home to the gates of the fort. On post, hundreds more lined Grant and Pope avenues to honor our fallen brother. About 20 minutes before the funeral procession arrived, I walked the route from the Grant Avenue lake to the chapel, speaking to people along the way. At one point, I heard a voice say, "Chaplain Lewis, do you remember me?" I did remember her. She works on post. About this time last year, I helped notify her that her son had died in uniform at an Army post in the United States. We buried her son in the same cemetery in which CPL Unger would be laid to rest. Like David, her son had deep Leavenworth roots, having been born at the military hospital that sits between the chapel and the cemetery. Despite what must have been a painful reminder of her own loss, she stood under grey skies in the chilling breeze to comfort another grieving family.
Thank you, people of Leavenworth. Your demonstration of solidarity and respect honored CPL Unger and surrounded his family with love.
Even children from School Age Services braved the elements.
A contingent of veterans stood watch during the funeral.
The Patriot Guard Riders escorted the procession and formed an avenue of flags in the cemetery.
The 705th MPs formed up to the west of the chapel.
Chaplain (Major) Ken Godfrey developed a close relationship with the family during his three years as Family Life Chaplain and returned from his current assignment to conduct the funeral.
A horse-drawn hearse bore CPL Unger's remains from the chapel to the cemetery.
Most mourners walked from the chapel to the cemetery for the interment. The Patriot Guard Riders lined the procession route with the national colors.
The crowd at the committal shelter was so large that it overflowed the space.
A piper and a bugler helped render honors.
The honor guard fired three volleys in the traditional salute to the fallen.
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RocksAlive was there. His report is here.
John of Argghhh! has covered this event as well, here and here.
The Leavenworth Times stories are here, here and here.
UPDATE 11/3/06: The Leavenworth Lamp article with some very good pictures is here. [Be aware that this page is jumbled in Internet Explorer 6, but looks fine in Firefox 1.5.]
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See also my previous post on the funeral of PFC Brian Bradbury in St. Joseph.
All photos in this post are by the author.
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