19 Veterans Without Family Laid To Rest By Strangers
DENVER (CBS4) - On an overcast and cool Friday afternoon, 19 Colorado Veterans were laid to rest. Strangers stood in since these Veteran's families could not be found.
Many of these Veterans were homeless and their relatives could not be located.
Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 1071 and Honors Burial Project has set out to locate, identify and inter the unclaimed cremated remains of American veterans.
The unclaimed remains are from communities across Colorado.
Volunteers from nearly every local military organization attend these burials.
"It's very emotional, we all show up to honor these veterans who were never given the respect and honor they deserve," Sons of the American Revolution Longs Peak Chapter member George Smith told CBS4.
It takes the joint efforts of private, state and federal organizations, to provide honor and respect to those who have served this country by securing a final resting place for these forgotten heroes.
The formerly unclaimed cremains of 19 Veterans from World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam and peacetime were given their final resting place along side other heroes buried at the cemetery Friday.
PHOTO GALLERY: Veterans Without Family Laid To Rest By Strangers
Their remains were escorted to their final resting place by Patriot Guard riders and others before being honored with a full military service.
Matt Kroschel covers news throughout Colorado working from the CBS4 Mountain Newsroom. Send story ideas to mrkroschel@cbs.com and connect with him on Twitter @Matt_Kroschel.