Memorial service to honor fallen sailor

A memorial service for U.S. Navy Fire Controlman First Class Gary L. Rehm Jr. will be at 4:30 p.m., Aug. 7, at VFW Post 1079 Honor Guard, 500 S. Abbe Road in Elyria.

The Department of Ohio VFW, District 9, will conduct a chapel memorial service at 7 p.m., according to a news release.

A rife volley and taps will be performed by the Post 1079 Honor Guard, the release said.

Following the service will be the Celebration of Life to honor and remember Rehm.

Presentations will be made by Department of Ohio VFW, city of Elyria and the Lorain County Commission.

Family, friends and former classmates of Rehm will have the opportunity to share their memories, according to the release.

Rehm, 37, was one of seven sailors killed when the Navy destroyer, USS Fitzgerald, and a Philippine-flagged container ship collided off the coast of Japan on June 17.

He grew up in Elyria and attended Elyria West High School for the first two years he was in high school, according to the release.

Rehm graduated from Oberlin High School as a Lorain County Joint Vocational School student in 1998.

After high school, he immediately joined the U.S. Navy following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Stanley J. Rehm, who served on the Navy destroyer, USS David W. Taylor in the South Pacific during WW II.

Rehm was planning to retire from the Navy in a few months after 28 years of service to his country, the release said.

His remains were returned to Virginia, and he will be buried with military honors Aug. 16 in Arlington National Cemetery, according to the release.

Rehm’s parents reside in Williamsburg, Va. and his wife of 17 years resides in Hampton, Va.

“The Elyria community began asking that a service be held for Gary as soon as the awful news of his death was reported,” said David Root, post judge advocate. “I started putting it together right away so our citizens and his family, friends could have the closure they need. The support of so many to help make this a reality has been overwhelming.

“I want to thank everyone who has stepped forward to give the community what they want and need.”