February military services to honor 15 veterans in Fernley

Services with full military honors are set for Feb. 9 for Feb. 15 for veterans whose remains have been in the care of a local funeral home but remained unclaimed.

The Nevada Veterans Coalition is conducting its seventh ceremony at the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Fernley to honor veterans whose service ranged from World War I to Vietnam War. A similar service honoring 27 veterans occurred in September.

NVC spokesman Tom Draughon said he is lining up guest speakers for February’s service. After the speakers and remembrance for the veterans, the NVC honor guard then conducts a rifle volley, a bugler plays “Taps” and soldiers or NVC members perform a flag-folding ceremony and presentation. A bagpiper leads a procession of volunteers who will place the servicemen’s custom-made wooden urns into individual niches at the columbarium. A smaller service to honor unaccompanied remains will he conducted on Jan. 25 at 3 p.m. Draughon said the public is invited to attend both services.

In September, NVC President Brett Palmer, who also is commander of the honor guard, said 1,400 remains initially needed identification, and the research the research began with 147 individuals but 27 remains were initially identified and honored four months ago. Ideally, the NVC would like to inter all 1,400 veterans, but Palmer said the identification process is time consuming.

Draughon said the NVC has appreciated assistance from Walton’s Funerals and Cremations for their vast database to work from, the National Personnel Records Center and their vast team of researchers, NVC members’ countless volunteer hours, the honor guard and various other escorts and the NNVMC staff for guiding the coalition through the proper procedures to honor the veterans.

The veterans to be honored in February are as follows:

Donald Brewster (1925-2005), U.S. Navy 1943-1946, WWII.

Charles Depeu (1921-1990), U.S. Army 1942-1945, WWII.

Marvin Engel (1942 - 2008), U.S. Army 1964-1967, Vietnam.

Ernest Fairchild (1897-1977), U.S. Army 1917-1919, WWI.

Jay Finchum (1941-2008), U.S. Air Force 1959-1965, Vietnam.

Oscar Fry (1890-1976), U.S. Army 1919-1920, post-WWI.

Howard Fuller (1927-1996), U.S. Navy/U.S. Army 1945-1950, WWII.

Ralph Gawthrop (1927-1992), U.S. Marine Corps/U.S.A.F. 1946-1974, WWII/Korea/Vietnam.

James Glennie (1925-1996), U.S.A.F. 1964-1974, Vietnam.

James Grove (1924 - 1994), U.S. Army 1942-1945, WWII.

Clyde Gunter (1897-1977), U.S. Army 1918-1919, WWI.

William Javorsky (1922-1977), U.S. Navy 1942-1946, WWII.

Richard Jaworski (1925-1992), U.S. Army 1945-1947, WWII.

John Kearney (1920-1987), U.S. Navy/U.S.A.F./USAF 1943-1973, WWII/Korea/Vietnam.

Jack Keopp (1923-1974), U.S. Army Air Corps 1943-1947, WWII.