Homeless Vets Buried With Full Honors
Associated Press
February 11, 2005

DALLAS - Harold Dean Harris died homeless and destitute in an abandoned building and might have gone to a pauper's grave if not for the military papers found in his wallet.

An Army veteran, he was buried Thursday with full military honors. No friends or family came, and no old Army buddies swapped stories. But it was a soldier's farewell, the morning air broken by a 21-gun salute fired by a group of paralyzed veterans.

Harris, 63, and another homeless Army veteran, Hayden Glyn Kresge, 53, were laid to rest at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery because of a partnership between the Veterans Affairs Department and a nationwide funeral home network that has paid for military burials for more than 300 homeless vets over the past two years.

Very little was known about either man, both of whom served two-year Army stints decades earlier. Military officials could not immediately say where the two men served. Neither had relatives or friends at their brief, back-to-back ceremonies.

A few VA officials came to pay tribute, and a group of homeless men acted as pallbearers.


"Without you who came out on this cold day, these men would have had to go to their graves alone," said Cindy Simpson of Dignity Memorial Funeral Providers, the funeral home network.

Disabled American Veterans chaplain Cynthia Burks received the flag from Harris' flag-draped casket. Moving with military precision, Michael Riley, deputy commander of the Paralyzed Veterans of America, wheeled forward to give Burks three polished brass rounds from the rifle volleys, representing duty, honor and country.

"When one is in need, we'll be right there beside them," Burks said tearfully. "It was an honor to accept this flag."

The Rev. Alton Jones, a former homeless veteran himself, officiated at both services. He called on the few gathered to look ahead to a life without sickness, sorrow or homelessness, and sang a verse of "When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder."

Jamie Jewell, another funeral home representative, said neither man had as much as a photograph among their belongings. But "obviously, Mr. Harris was proud of his service," she said, "because he had his papers in his wallet."

Veterans are eligible for Dignity burials if they were homeless and honorably discharged and no one comes forward to claim the body. Dignity pays costs not covered by the VA, such as the casket and a hearse. Volunteers stand in for absent loved ones.

"I really feel every veteran deserves full military honors, especially homeless veterans who die alone," Riley said. "No matter what their walk of life was after they left the service, the fact remains that they did serve our country. To me, it's the highest honor a person could do."

Kresge, who served from 1971 to 1973, died Jan. 21 after being taken to a Dallas hospital. He suffered from hardening of the arteries, high blood pressure and diabetes. A chaplain knew of his military service and passed the information on.

Harris' body was found Jan. 14 in the abandoned building where he apparently was living. He suffered from hepatitis C. He served from 1961 to 1963.

"A veteran, when he's homeless, goes through pride and doesn't want to contact family and loved ones and let them know how bad things have gotten," Jones said.

That's just beautiful.

I'm too moved by this to comment further...

same

wow. that's touching.

a thought i want to add.. its pretty bad how people who served thier country die like that. i for one dont wish it would happen to me

That's great. I'm glad to hear it.

Halfway down the trail to Hell,
In a shady meadow green
Are the Souls of all dead troopers camped,
Near a good old-time canteen.
And this eternal resting place
Is known as Fiddlers' Green.
Marching past, straight through to Hell
The Infantry are seen.
Accompanied by the Engineers,
Artillery and Marines,
For none but the shades of Cavalrymen
Dismount at Fiddlers' Green.
Though some go curving down the trail
To seek a warmer scene.
No trooper ever gets to Hell
Ere he's emptied his canteen.
And so rides back to drink again
With friends at Fiddlers' Green.
And so when man and horse go down
Beneath a saber keen,
Or in a roaring charge of fierce melee
You stop a bullet clean,
And the hostiles come to get your scalp,
Just empty your canteen,
And put your pistol to your head
And go to Fiddlers' Green.

Felix, you rock, man. God Bless.

Good one, Felix...made me cry all over again.

This one we played at my Dad's funeral:

Artist: Joseph Kilna McKenzie Lyrics
Song: Sgt. McKenzie Lyrics

Original Scottish Version
Lay me doon in the caul caul groon
Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun
Lay me doon in the caul caul groon
Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun

When they come a wull staun ma groon
Staun ma groon al nae be afraid

Thoughts awe hame tak awa ma fear
Sweat an bluid hide ma veil awe tears

Ains a year say a prayer faur me
Close yir een an remember me

Nair mair shall a see the sun
For a fell tae a Germans gun

Lay me doon in the caul caul groon
Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun

Lay me doon in the caul caul groon
Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun

Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun


English Translation
Lay me down in the cold cold ground
Where before many more have gone
Lay me down in the cold cold ground
Where before many more have gone

When they come I will stand my ground
Stand my ground I’ll not be afraid

Thoughts of home take away my fear
Sweat and blood hide my veil of tears

Once a year say a prayer for me
Close your eyes and remember me

Never more shall I see the sun
For I fell to a Germans gun

Lay me down in the cold cold ground
Where before many more have gone
Lay me down in the cold cold ground
Where before many more have gone

Where before many more have gone

In memory of Sgt. Charles Stuart MacKenzie
Seaforth Highlanders
Who along with many others gave up his life
So that we can live free

We will remember them

We also played this one:

Artist: US Military Academy Glee Club and Metro Voices Lyrics
Song: The Mansions of the Lord Lyrics

To fallen soldiers let us sing,
Where no rockets fly nor bullets wing,
Our broken brothers let us bring
To the Mansions of the Lord

No more weeping,
No more fight,
No friends bleeding through the night,
Just Devine embrace,
Eternal light,
In the Mansions of the Lord

Where no mothers cry
And no children weep,
We shall stand and guard
Though the angels sleep,
Oh, through the ages let us keep
The Mansions of the Lord
------------------------


God give peace and rest at last to these brave men. And I hope the VA are able to track down the families and let them know their loved ones nightmares are finally over.

[ 02-17-2005, 07:54 AM: Message edited by: Lady Sedai ]