Close Up Club Looking To Honor DHS Grad Buried in Arlington Cemetery
Decatur Metro | March 7, 2011DHS Close Up Club Sponsor Chris Billingsley writes in…
We were unable to schedule a wreath laying ceremony at the Arlington Cemetery Tomb of the Unknown Soldier [for this year's trip to D.C.]. I am hoping that someone in Decatur knows of a DHS graduate buried at Arlington. We are planning to purchase a wreath to lay at a graduate’s grave. I already contacted several veteran organizations for this information but it is not common knowledge.
Would you be willing to post a request for Arlington information? I need the exact name of the graduate, branch of service, years of military service, and the dates of birth and death.
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In case you are unable to find a graduate buried at Arlington, Cpl. Victor M. Langarica was one of 12 soldiers who were killed in a helicopter crash on January 20, 2007 in Iraq. Although he was buried here in Atlanta, remains of all 12 soldiers also were buried in a group interment at Arlington National Cemetery. His hometown of record was listed as Decatur, although I don’t know if he lived in the city of Decatur or in the Decatur area. You can read more here:
http://iraq.pigstye.net/article.php/LangaricaVictor
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-10-12-1942818875_x.htm
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/vmlangarica.htm
However, another quick Google search turned up this from the Decatur Education Foundation’s website:
The Harry Edwards Class of 1960 Memorial Scholarship honors the life and legacy of Harry Edwards. Harry graduated from Decatur High School in 1960 and from Georgia Tech in 1964. He was commissioned in the United States Navy, earned his pilot wings, and was assigned to the aircraft carrier the USS Constellation. While on a mission over North Vietnam on October 20, 1966, Harry’s plane was shot down. His remains were later recovered and buried with full honors in Arlington National Cemetery.
http://decatureducationfoundation.org/our-work/scholarships
Good work dsw!
Thanks. To complete it, I searched the VA’s Nationwide Graveside Locator and Lt. Cmdr. Harry Sanford Edwards Jr. is buried in Section 60, Site 6604, in Arlington. His date of death is listed as April 16, 1974, which I presume is when he was declared dead. His remains were identified in 1996, according to this DOD press release: http://www.defense.gov/news/Aug1996/m082896_m182-96.html
Cpl. Langarica also is buried in Section 60, site 8051. Section 60 is where most of the servicemen and women killed in Iraq and Afghanistan are buried.