Texas post provides honorable stop for veterans cremains on way to interment

In May of 2007 via National Executive Committee passage of Resolution 24, The American Legion voiced its support for “the mission of the Missing In America Project (MIAP) in locating and identifying the unclaimed cremated remains of veterans and securing a final resting place for these forgotten heroes.” A brochure also was developed for assisting Legion Family members in becoming more educated about and involved with MIAP’s mission.

Texas Legionnaire George McHorse Jr. first learned of MIAP’s mission a year ago, when he was serving as commander of American Legion Post 208 in Kerrville last year. MIAP volunteers were escorting the cremains of a group of veterans and needed a place to honorably store the urns during the overnight stop.

McHorse said yes, and the experience led him to quickly providing an affirmative when the request was made again in late April. A hearse with 11 urns of cremains of veterans stopped overnight in Kerrville on April 27 before heading out the next day to take the urns to Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio for interment. The urns were placed in Post 208 to remain until the hearse and its escorts – including Chapter 208 American Legion Riders – headed out the next morning.

“We like to (be) behind other veterans, and that’s why we’re members at Post 208,” said McHorse, now serving as Post 208’s adjutant. “And when it comes to a proper burial at their final resting place, when I first heard about it last year, I thought that that’s just not right. There are veterans who don’t have family members or whatever circumstances, their remains will sit on the shelves in funeral homes or county offices that aren’t being properly tended to. So, we were very happy to be involved in it last year and were glad to support it again this year.”

The hearse carrying the cremains pulled in front of Post 208, where the members assisted in ceremonially unloading the urns and taking them inside to be placed on tables where each servicemember’s name is written on a piece of paper with their branch of service. Each urn sits alongside an American flag.

And from the time the urns are taken into the post until the time they are carried out the next day, members of Post 208 took turns standing watch over the urns.

“We consider that even during that short period of time that they’re here, we consider that area to be hallowed ground. We’re honored to watch over them,” McHorse said. “And the post is very happy to be a part of this and give the (MIAP volunteers) a chance to come in and get some time to rest, to rejuvenate from the long ride and then be ready for the next day and do a proper interment.”

McHorse said Post 208 will be willing and able to assist MIAP whenever asked. “It’s not like we feel this is a chore we have to do,” he said. “This is an honor for us, because some of the veterans – I’ve heard of one urn being in a funeral home or a location for 40 years. We want to help them get to their final resting place.”