Missing in America Project will honor homeless and indigent veterans with motorcycle procession from Tucson to Sierra Vista
TUCSON – A staff member from U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ office will be among scores of motorcycle riders who will travel from Tucson to inter the remains of more than a dozen indigent and homeless veterans at the Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Sierra Vista.
Congresswoman Giffords participated in a similar ceremony almost two years ago.
The April 25 ceremony will be conducted by the Arizona chapter of the Missing in America Project. The national organization locates, identifies and inters the unclaimed cremated remains of American veterans to provide honor and respect to those who have served this country.
“We are committed to leading the joint efforts of many veteran groups to bury unclaimed vets with respect, so their mission can be complete,” said Bob Day, Arizona state coordinator for MAIP. “It is similar to ‘No Man Left Behind’ in battle. We believe no veteran should be forgotten, and that each deserves to be laid to rest with honor for their contribution to our freedom.”
On Monday, the cremated remains of 18 veterans will be transported from Tucson to the Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery for interment. The remains of one veteran’s wife also will be interred.
One of the veterans died in 1983 and his remains have been stored since then on a shelf in a Southern Arizona cemetery, Day said. Another veteran died as recently as February.
Escorting the hearse carrying the cremains will be at least 100 motorcycle riders, including Amanda Sapir, a constituent services representative in Giffords’ Tucson office.
As part of the honors portion of the service, the flag covering the remains of one veteran will be presented to Sapir to be given to Giffords, who is recovering in a Houston hospital after she was shot in the head Jan. 8.
In May 2009, Giffords, who owns and rides a motorcycle, joined more than 300 motorcycle-riding veterans who escorted the remains of 58 American veterans from Tucson to the Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Sierra Vista. Those soldiers died between the mid-1860s and the late 1880s, and were originally buried in what is now downtown Tucson. (A photo from that 2009 event is available here.)
Media is welcome to attend Monday’s ceremony.
WHAT: Missing in America Project inters veterans’ remains
WHEN: Monday, April 25, 2011
SCHEDULE:
• 8:30 a.m. – Procession leaves Adair Funeral Home, 1050 N. Dodge Blvd., Tucson
• 10:30-10:45 a.m. – Procession arrives at Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 1300 Buffalo Soldier Trail, Sierra Vista
• 11 a.m. – Interment service at cemetery
Congresswoman Giffords participated in a similar ceremony almost two years ago.
The April 25 ceremony will be conducted by the Arizona chapter of the Missing in America Project. The national organization locates, identifies and inters the unclaimed cremated remains of American veterans to provide honor and respect to those who have served this country.
“We are committed to leading the joint efforts of many veteran groups to bury unclaimed vets with respect, so their mission can be complete,” said Bob Day, Arizona state coordinator for MAIP. “It is similar to ‘No Man Left Behind’ in battle. We believe no veteran should be forgotten, and that each deserves to be laid to rest with honor for their contribution to our freedom.”
On Monday, the cremated remains of 18 veterans will be transported from Tucson to the Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery for interment. The remains of one veteran’s wife also will be interred.
One of the veterans died in 1983 and his remains have been stored since then on a shelf in a Southern Arizona cemetery, Day said. Another veteran died as recently as February.
Escorting the hearse carrying the cremains will be at least 100 motorcycle riders, including Amanda Sapir, a constituent services representative in Giffords’ Tucson office.
As part of the honors portion of the service, the flag covering the remains of one veteran will be presented to Sapir to be given to Giffords, who is recovering in a Houston hospital after she was shot in the head Jan. 8.
In May 2009, Giffords, who owns and rides a motorcycle, joined more than 300 motorcycle-riding veterans who escorted the remains of 58 American veterans from Tucson to the Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Sierra Vista. Those soldiers died between the mid-1860s and the late 1880s, and were originally buried in what is now downtown Tucson. (A photo from that 2009 event is available here.)
Media is welcome to attend Monday’s ceremony.
WHAT: Missing in America Project inters veterans’ remains
WHEN: Monday, April 25, 2011
SCHEDULE:
• 8:30 a.m. – Procession leaves Adair Funeral Home, 1050 N. Dodge Blvd., Tucson
• 10:30-10:45 a.m. – Procession arrives at Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 1300 Buffalo Soldier Trail, Sierra Vista
• 11 a.m. – Interment service at cemetery
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