Apr 04 2008

A Brother Returns, 39 Years Later!

39 years later, a military burial


PhotobucketAir Force honor guard members carry the remains of Maj. Perry Jefferson during burial services at Arlington National Cemetery on Thursday, April 3, 2008 in Arlington, Va. (AP | Kevin Wolf)

 

PhotobucketA photo from 1968 shows then-Capt. Perry Jefferson, left, discussing security with Army Capt. Kent Brown, also of Denver, at Phan Rang Air Base in Vietnam. (Special to the Post)


ARLINGTON, VA – Thirty-nine years to the day from when he disappeared in Vietnam, Colorado’s Maj. Perry Henry Jefferson today received a burial with full military honors.


Family, a contingent of Vietnam veterans and retired members of Colorado’s Air National Guard 120th Fighter Squadron commemorated Jefferson under a leaden sky with a cold wind whipping.


More than a dozen veterans clad in leather jackets rode motorcycles to the service.


“Maj. Jefferson honored the flag,” said Chaplain Col. Ret. Victor Hoops, who served with Jefferson 39 years ago.


Jefferson was the last member of the 120th Fighter Squadron missing in action in Vietnam.

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His remains were turned over to U.S. officials nine years ago by a Vietnamese national living in California, who reported that his mother had brought them with her when she immigrated to the United States.


An honor guard member stands by the casket of Maj. Perry Jefferson as mourners gather around at the end of burial services at Arlington National Cemetery on Thursday, April 3, 2008 in Arlington, Va. (AP | Kevin Wolf)

Jefferson’s grave lies a few feet from one with multiple soldiers killed in World War II. Next to Jefferson’s grave is that of a man killed in Iraq in June 2007.

 

1 comment

  1. PhotobucketWill see a warn bracelet, on my right wrist. This is an MIA/POW bracelet with the name and rank, long worn to unreadable, of CDR ELLIS ERNEST AUSTIN who is honored on Panel 6E, Row 125 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Photobucket I have worn this bracelet since the battle started with the politicians, some brother ‘Nam Vets, and powers to be for the Memorial, “The Wall”, to our fallen brothers and sisters of an invasion and occupation that should never have happened, only removing for a couple of very short periods, otherwise worn 24/7 these many years!

    We made a Promise we wouldn’t Allow the same Failed Policies to happen again, well Nation Quickly forgot the Promise, us Vets Didn’t, Nation won out and Cheered On Another Needless Invasion and Occupation, now into it’s Sixth Year! Photobucket Sadly I’ve had a vision in my mind since the War Drums started beating and many of us were saying what was to come. That vision is Another memorial to the Fallen of Iraq and Afganistan, built Facing our “Wall” making a Corridor for the Visitors and Mourners to Walk Between. Made of a differant shade of marble, facing “The Wall’ and slightly higher than, with the names of All ‘The Fallen’, not only the counted In-Country Fatalities but those who Die as a Result of their Service to Country, a Country that quickly forgets them, the Suicides, the Unknown Causes, any related result of these ‘Wars Of Choice’!!

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