20 Forgotten Brothers, Honored in Burial Ceremony

Photo credit: Ed Betz

8 January 2010 - Flag-draped coffins of 20 veterans who died in New York City and whose bodies went unclaimed were buried in a ceremony that began Saturday morning at Calverton National Cemetery in Calverton.

The soldiers served in war or peace time from the 1940s to the 1970s. Several groups combined efforts to organize and provide for the burials, including Dignity Memorial, a national network of funeral home directors, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which will reimburse the city for some expenses, and the NYPD, and Nassau and Suffolk police departments which provided police escorts.

No U.S. veteran should end up abandoned at a morgue, tribute organizers believe.

January 8, 2011 - Twenty U.S. veterans whose unclaimed remains had languished for as long as three years in morgues around New York City were given full military honors during a burial at Calverton National Cemetery Saturday.

The ceremony, which included a gun salute and the playing of taps, drew more than 1,000 people, who endured freezing temperatures to pay their respects to men none of them knew.

The names of the men, who died penniless and apart from family and friends, were read aloud by John Caldarelli, a Korean War veteran and member of the American Legion Greenlawn Post 1244, who had helped arrange the burial ceremony. {continued

Those lost brothers finally Honored!

Anderson Alston (1924-2008) - - U.S. Army Master Sergeant Anderson Alston was a combat veteran in WWII. He joined the US Army on August 14, 1943 and was honorably discharged on March 22, 1946.

Rafael Arroyo (1936-2010) - - Private First Class Rafael Arroyo joined the US Army on August 10, 1959 and was honorably discharged on July 3, 1971.

Barry Carl Brooks (1936-2010) - - Veteran Barry Carl Brooks joined the US Air Force on August 27, 1957 and was honorably discharged on August 20, 1969. His rank is unknown.

John Cronin (1936-2007) - - Sr. Airman John Cronin joined the US Air Force in August 1955 and was honorably discharged on May 3, 1958.

Donald DeGault (1946-2009) - - Private Donald DeGault joined the US Army on April 1, 1963 and was honorably discharged on December 16, 1965. Private DeGault was a sharpshooter in the Army.

Clifford Henry (1952-2010) - - Petty Officer Second Class Clifford Henry was a Medical Field Service Technician in the US Navy, as well as a Small Arms Marksman.

Henry Hightower (1923-2009) - - Private Henry Hightower joined the US Army on March 26, 1943 and was honorably discharged on September 15, 1943.

Frederick Hunter (1950-2010) - - Private Frederick Hunter joined the US Army on January 11, 1968 and was honorably discharged on January 4, 1971.

Theodore Jackson (1954-2010) - - Private Theodore Jackson joined the US Army on March 20, 1975 and was honorably discharged on October 17, 1979.

Miguel Lugo (1932-2008) - - Private First Class Miguel Lugo joined the US Army on January 25, 1954 and served with the Artillery. PFC Lugo was honorably discharged on January 25, 1956.

Myron Sanford Mabry (1940-2010) - - Veteran Myron Sanford Madry joined the US Navy on May 3, 1960 and was honorably discharged on July 22, 1971. His rank is unknown.

Thomas Miller (1932-2009) - - Corporal Thomas Miller joined the US Army on May 8, 1951 and was honorably discharged on May 7, 1954.

Michael Nardi (1949-2010) - - Private Michael Nardi joined the US Marine Corps on September 1, 1964 and was honorably discharged on October 1, 1967.

PVT Ernest Nichols joined the US Army Aug 28, 1953 and was honorably discharged Aug 7, 1956. PVT Nichols passed away July 29, 2010.

Charles Nicholson (1946-2010) - - Private Charles Nicholson joined the US Marine Corps on December 30, 1963 and was honorably discharged on July 29, 1964.

John Palazzo (x - 2006) - - Seaman Apprentice John Palazzo joined the US Navy on January 11, 1965 and was honorably discharged on January 10, 1967.

Robert Prioleau (1940-2010) - - Spec. 4 Robert Prioleau joined the US Army on November 25, 1958 and was honorably discharged on February 26, 1962.

James Rose (1926-2010) - - US Army Veteran James Rose passed away on July 31, 2010. His rank is unknown.

Robert Thompson (1933-2010) - - Veteran Robert Thompson joined the US Air Force on January 11, 1952 and was honorably discharged on January 10, 1956. His rank is unknown.

Steven Wrighton (1952-2010) - - Private Steven Wrighton joined the US Army on June 30, 1970 and was honorably discharged on October 30, 1970.

Sources: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Dignity Memorial and The Missing in America Project.