Today's Most Popular Video
Jul 27, 2009 5:54 pm US/Central
Small Minn. Town Says Goodbye To Slain Soldier
BIRD ISLAND, Minn. (WCCO) ―
-
-
Twenty-year-old James Wertish from Olivia was killed along with two other soldiers from Minnesota by an attack in Basra, Iraq. They were from the 34th Infantry "Red Bull" National Guard unit.
James Wertish
There was a huge turnout to remember a Minnesota soldier killed in Iraq. Specialist James Wertish from Olivia was one of the three Minnesotans killed in Basra a week and a half ago. His funeral was held at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Bird Island.
On Monday afternoon there was a huge salute to this hometown hero killed serving his country.
The war in Iraq came home in a big way in tiny Bird Island.
"Small town feeling, everyone's your neighbor," said one person paying their respects.
Family, friends and members of the military packed St. Mary's Church to say their final farewells to Wertish who grew up just next door in Olivia.
"I feel I owe it to him," said
Mourners included Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who flew in by helicopter, and more than 100 Patriot Guard motorcyclists.
Wertish was deployed to Iraq last April, just 3 months after his 20th birthday.
Old and young waved flags and carried signs. The mourners included a former teacher who was surprised when Wertish enlisted in the National Guard when he was still in high school.
"He was a nice kid. All he wanted to do was stay home, farm, become a policeman and be with his family, and do those small town things," said Wertish's former teacher Sharon Steverson.
Some parents brought their children to salute the fallen soldier.
Wertish was the third Minnesota soldier who was buried in recent days.
The show of support from the community has lifted the spirits of other members of the 34th Infantry Division.
"For those of us who continue to serve and for those of us who are overseas, certainly seeing this kind of support for what we do and recognition is very uplifting for us and helps us go on after we've lost a member of our team," said Captain Paul Rivert of the Minnesota National Guard.
The Rev. George Schmit urged Wertish's parents to hang on to their faith.
Schmit says Wertish "raised a little hell now and then," but "deep down in his heart were the values and virtues that guided his life."
A funeral was held Saturday for Spc. Daniel Drevnick of Woodbury. The third soldier, Spc. Carlos Wilcox IV of Cottage Grove, is scheduled to be buried Tuesday in New Albany National Cemetery in Indiana.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
Letters To Santa Sent To Sex Offender?
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
