Copyright Coeur d'Alene Press
Twenty-seven ordinary-looking urns were placed meticulously on the table. Some were weather-beaten, a few were more elaborate than others. The spirit of the day overlooked the containers and focused on the contents. Each one contained the remains of men and women who served their country and had been forgotten. Until now! At the annual Forgotten Heroes ceremony, at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery (WSVC), Medical Lake, Wash., dozens of spectators, mostly veterans and service organization volunteers, gathered to pay tribute to those whose remains had never been claimed. Since 2013, the annual event has paid tribute to hundreds of unclaimed urns of those who served in the United States Marine Corps, the U.S. Air Force, the Army, the Coast Guard, the Space Service Force, and the U.S. Navy. • • • Rudy Lopez, WSVC director, reported, “We conduct this solemn ceremony as it is needed. Sometimes we host three or four a year. It’s important!” “These veterans are really no different than us,” noted guest speaker Crystal Schienbein. “They went to the grocery store, joined service organizations and raised families. They have become special to us because the final chapter of their (service) story was not written.” Schienbein is the chief information officer of the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs. She added, “They waited … some for years, and some for only a few moments. It was the generosity of volunteers like veteran motorcycle riders, funeral business personnel, the “Missing In America Project” and many others who were able to write their story through efforts of research and discovery … and it is a long overdue story!” Keynote speaker USAF Col. Bryce Dibble, deputy commander of the 92nd Air Refueling Wing, Fairchild Air Force Base, said, “They are not forgotten heroes … they are OUR heroes because they are no longer forgotten.” • • • The primary research organization, “Missing in America Project,” reported having provided hundreds of documents certifying the identity of those unclaimed urns. Tom Keating, MIA director, reported, “In almost 13 years in MIA, we have teamed up with many, many volunteer researchers to complete our work. We have five permanent researchers. This year, we had a team of 12 volunteer researchers. And their skills are beyond measure.” They get their information by experience, knowing the various agencies and organizations that have provided, in the past, the needed facts and information used to find the unclaimed urns. Keating spoke with pride and admiration for the skilled researchers, noting the depth of their research. He grinned and jokingly said, “The team of researchers are so thorough in their work that they could get a person’s shoe size and probably find the owner!” While Patriot Guard Riders lined the entryway with flags, the Fairchild Honor Guard presented Military Honors. Retired Air Force Tech Sgt. Dave Henderson played taps. • • • Every voice was quiet as the crowd joined in a moment of silence. Some bowed their heads. Some wiped away tears. Others saluted. The wind echoed the sound of "Amazing Grace” as Piper Deborah Cole played her bagpipes in the background. The forgotten heroes are now remembered. They have been honored. And all is well as they are laid to rest. • • • David Sutton is a former military journalist who served with the U.S. Army during the Vietnam era. He resides in Spokane with his wife, Vickie.
