06/13/2022
We have new history--or history news--with upcoming events we'd like to share.
On December 2, 1950, Corporal Kenneth E. Ford, a young man from Hocking, Iowa, Monroe County, was reported missing in action near Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. On December 31, 1953, he was declared dead. In 2018 some remains were returned to the United States, and in 2010 it was determined that Cpl. Ford's remains were among those.
ARRIVAL IN IOWA: On Friday, June 17, his remains are scheduled to arrive at Des Moines International Airport and will then be brought to Tharp Funeral Home in Albia. The plane should arrive about 4 p.m., and it is estimated that arrival in Albia will be about 6:15. The procession will make a loop around the square before heading to the funeral home.
MEMORIAL AND PROCESSION: A memorial service will be held at Tharp Funeral Home on Wednesday, June 22, at 1:00 p.m. Following the service, the funeral procession will travel west on Benton Avenue/old highway 34 [sorry, had the wrong old highway earlier] to the Catholic Cemetery and then south to Highway 34. From there it will pass the Welcome Home Soldier Monument, through town on Highway 5, and then on Highway 137 out to Pleasant Corners Cemetery. Hand-held U.S. flags are available from the Office of Veterans' Affairs and from Tharp Funeral Home to those who wish to wave them in his honor.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Volunteers are needed to place the 500 American flags along the route. If you can help, meet at Tharp Funeral Home on Tuesday, June 21, at 4 to place the flags and then again on Thursday, June 23, to take down the flags.
We hope many can find the time to honor the life of this young man and the service in which he gave his all. Meeting him on the square on Friday, helping to erect and take down the flags on June 21 and 23, and lining the funeral procession route on June 22 will all show our appreciation and to welcome him home.