HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – Kentucky Veterans Cemetary West in Hopkinsville held a service and ceremony on Sept. 24 to honor nine deceased prior service members who never received a proper military funeral. Upon their death, each of these individuals did not have any family that was able to receive their ashes, leaving them to sit in storage for several years, some nearly two decades, until the Missing in America Project located them and arranged this service.

“These soldiers have all died with no family. Nobody claimed them, they were just sitting on a shelf,” said Fred Behnke with the Missing in America Project. He and his wife Claudia personally carved each box containing the ashes and organized the ceremony. He added that in these instances, it is hard to know what leads to remains being unclaimed, it could be anything from lack of family, or estrangement after suffering from PTSD.

Volunteers with the Missing in America Project scout out crematories and funeral homes, looking for unclaimed remains, they then determine through Veterans Affairs if they are a military dependent, service member, or spouse. After this process, they are able to take possession of the remains as family.

“These nine veterans didn’t have a family, we are now their family,” said Behnke at the beginning of the service. Community members, city and county officials, patriot guard riders, active service members, and JROTC students all showed up in support. Each urn was processed out of the hearse by service members from each branch of the military. Army, Navy, Marine, and Air Force representatives folded a flag to honor each fallen member’s branch, with the ceremony concluding with Taps and a gun salute.

“We don’t know their journey and how they ended up to where they were unclaimed, but we do know that their story continues here today as we honor their service, their life, and their spirit as they are laid to rest here on this hallowed ground with their fellow military members,” said the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Whitney Allen.

Names of veterans, final resting place

The boxes were escorted to their final resting place in the cremation wall facing the pavilion at the cemetery. Each box featured a crest from their branch of the military, with stones bearing their names secured in place.

These are the names of the veterans who were laid to rest during the ceremony, along with how long they awaited a funeral.

Navy veterans:

  • Electrician’s Mate First Class Thomas Hayes Ryan: Died at 70 year old Vietnam veteran waiting for 13 years, one month, and 18 days.
  • Gunner’s Mate 3rd Class Troy Ree Vaughn: Died at 84-years- old, World War II veteran waiting for 15 years, five months, and six days.
  • Seaman Recruit Joe Michael Love: Died at 50 years old, waiting for 17 years, three months, 23 days.

Air Force veteran

  • David Irvin Sunderman: Died at 70 years old, Vietnam veteran, waiting for 12 years, five months, seven days.

Marine veteran

  • Private Steven Allen Madden: Died at 66 years old, Vietnam veteran, waiting for four years, six months, 20 days.

Army veterans

  • Specialist 4th Class John Ausburn Huggins III: Died at 82 years old, Vietnam veteran, waiting for one year, ten months, ten days.
  • Private First Class John A. Crow: Died at 89 years old, Vietnam veteran, waiting for 15 years, five months, 14 days.
  • Private First Class Harold L. Hatfield: Died at 80 years old, World War II veteran, waiting for 18 years, two months, 14 days.
  • Private John Wayne Chiders: Died at 67 years old, Vietnam veteran, waiting for three years, seven months, 16 days.

Find out more about the Missing in America Project, and how to volunteer on their website.