‘Forgotten’ Colorado veterans laid to rest after remaining unclaimed for years

DENVER (KDVR) — They had been forgotten or deserted by household and associates, their cremated stays left in containers on native mortuary cabinets for years, and even many years in some instances. However on Thursday, they had been lastly laid to relaxation alongside fellow service members at Fort Logan Nationwide Cemetery, because of an area veterans group decided to proper a unsuitable.

“It’s unbelievable, actually. They only died and no person got here and claimed their cremains,” mentioned Jim Topkoff, member of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1071.

“There could also be some instances the place their household possibly threw them out or they left and by no means got here again,” he added.

A Vietnam veterans group’s new mission

The native Vietnam veterans group took on a brand new mission seven years in the past.

“We found as a chapter that there (had been) actually hundreds of unclaimed cremains sitting in mortuaries all around the state. And we thought, there’s obtained to be some veterans in there, in order that’s sort of how we obtained began on this program,” Topkoff mentioned.

So the group set to work with native mortuaries, going by means of previous information and figuring out the unclaimed stays of those that served their nation. Then they began the lengthy strategy of confirming their identification and repair by means of the Veterans Administration, earlier than scheduling interment ceremonies at Fort Logan Nationwide Cemetery.

“As a veteran, we take a look at our brothers, and we are saying, you understand, they served honorably, they served their nation, they usually’re entitled to the advantages this nation supplies for them. So after we obtained that drilled into our heads, we mentioned, that is actually necessary,” Topkoff mentioned.

Honors Burial Undertaking holds memorials held for 122 Colorado veterans

The group has helped find and maintain memorials for 122 Colorado veterans, together with one whose stays had been sitting on a mortuary shelf for 60 years.

They don’t understand how the veterans died, or what occurred whereas they had been residing that led to their abandonment at demise. However they know conflict can change individuals, and veterans typically find yourself homeless or addicted after they return.

“We’ve had a full colonel, we’ve had two completely different medical doctors, one was an MD, one other was a dentist, so these individuals, you understand, they reached a plateau in life that many people by no means achieved,” Topkoff mentioned.

On Thursday, seven males had been laid to relaxation as a part of the Honors Burial Undertaking:

• Jerry Burton Blodgett, U.S. Navy, Vietnam
• Allen Stephan Bralley, U.S. Military, Korea
• William Dobraninch, U.S. Marines, Peacetime
• Charles Franklin Lowell, U.S. Military, Korea
• John Larry Schulte, U.S. Military, Peacetime
• Harvey Thomas Taylor, U.S. Military, World Battle II
• Anthony Troutner, U.S. Military, Vietnam

It was a remaining roll name for a gaggle of forgotten heroes, because of some veterans who lastly remembered.

“I assume our purpose is to seek out as many of those as we are able to earlier than our time is up. Till we’re unable to do it anymore, that is what we’re going to maintain doing,” Topkoff mentioned.

To be taught extra in regards to the Honors Burial Undertaking, go to the VVA Chapter 1071 web site.