This past week my wife and I were with her family near Johnson City TN to lay to rest her uncle Master Sergeant Roy E. Head .
He had joined the navy during world war two and was assigned to the Pensecola for several of the engagements she was involved in . Including a couple that Tokyo Rose said the ship was sunk . After the war he got married and went to college , must have been to boring because he joind the army in forty seven . He made stripes quick , was assigned to Ft. Riley KS and was called to Korea where he was captured in a chinese ambush . Conditions were not good at the prison camp and he died 4/30/1951 .
It was about seven years ago my father in law and his younger brother gave a DNA sample to the army just in case any remains were turned over . Last year a shipment of remains was returned and Sgt. Head was positively identified . This year the Army contacted the two remaining brothers and his wife who are still alive . The army arranged an escort to be with the remaining family and get them together for the funeral and burial . They even had a sergeant escort Sgt. Head from Hawaii to Johnson City . There was an honor guard that was at the family cemetary in Clinchport as well .
If there is anything that is done well and carried through to the end in this country . The professionals that make up this particular unit of the army went above and beyond to help this family . Sgt. Head is now resting next to his father and mother less than a half mile from where he was raised . This has been an incredible weekend to say the least , I'm sure you Korean war vets can appreciate the moment .
Jack
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Originally Posted by Dean D.
