Unattended Veterans Service organized by Chester County Coroner’s Office
Area residents are invited to join the Chester County Coroner’s Office at the Unattended Veterans Service at Washington Crossing National Cemetery.
The ceremony will be held at 830 Highland Road, Newtown PA, 18940 on Thursday, Aug. 29, at 2 p.m.
The Coroner’s Office will be interring the cremated remains of nine unclaimed veterans from the county with full military honors. The veterans include: • Walter John Kelly, U.S. Navy Seaman, Vietnam Era, from Phoenixville
• Stanley Joseph Wapnarski, U.S. Air Force Sergeant, Vietnam Era, from Phoenixville
• Glennwood Redden, U.S. Marine Corps Corporal, from Coatesville
• Lawrence P. Burgess, U.S. Army Specialist, Vietnam Era, from Coatesville
• Robert Stewart, U.S. Army Private First Class, Vietnam Era, from Parkesburg
• John Paul Poehlman, U.S. Army Specialist, from Parkesburg
• Henry Thomas Spencer, U.S. Army Private First Class, Vietnam Era, from West Chester
• Henry J. Ghelberg, U.S. Army Private First Class, from Exton
• Joseph Sean Rinehart, U.S. Army Private 1, Persian Gulf Era, from Downingtown. During the ceremony, the veterans’ names will be read and the Pennsylvania Military Honors team will present the flag on the behalf of the veterans. A rifle salute and live Taps will be provided. After, the veterans will each be placed in their own niche in the columbarium which will be engraved with “Proudly Served.”
“These veterans are being recognized and receiving a military honors burial thanks to the ongoing efforts of Justine Newman, an intern with our office, who began this project in 2017,” Chester County Coroner Dr. Christina VandePol said. “This will be the second Unattended Veterans Service for Chester County Veterans and we plan to make this an ongoing tradition. I applaud Justine’s initiative and her respect and compassion for these Chester County veterans. We and the Washington Crossing National Cemetery welcome anyone who wishes to join us in providing these veterans with the proper burial they deserve. We hope to see many interested individuals at this beautiful tribute to our local military.”