With no direct family available to attend, the Fort Vancouver chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and AmVets invited the public to stand in their places to honor five veterans recognized at the Brush Prairie Cemetery, Sunday, June 2.
The five veterans, from World War II and the Korean War, were buried without proper military honors at the Brush Prairie Cemetery. Despite the rainy weather, organizers handed out flags to attendees as part of the ceremony on Sunday, June 2.
“We’ve been coming out and cleaning graves … and since these men had no family, and both our fathers served and we don’t have anything of theirs, we’re taking this to remember them all,” said DAR volunteer Julie Byler, while carrying the folded American flag after the ceremony.
The five men buried without honors recently received headstones, a project DAR members are passionate about. To read more about their headstone efforts, visit thereflector.com/stories/local-dar-members-working-to-honor-all-veterans-at-brush-prairie-cemetery,329981.
Information courtesy of D.A.R. on the five veterans given proper honors on June 2:
Ernest Paul Cornelius enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was born in Nebraska and lived in Battle Ground. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and traveling. He was buried in 2004 with a temporary marker.
Clyde Melville Starr enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War II. He later worked in the Portland Shipyard in support of the U.S. Navy as a civilian. He was born and died in Portland, with some of his school years taking place in the Reno, Nevada, area. He was buried with an unmarked grave since 1962.
George Albert Myers enlisted in the Army in World War II. He also served in the Merchant Marines, helping to provide resources to needed areas while enemy ships and submarines tried to deter them. One ship he was on, the S.S. William Whipple, was in Kolkata, India, when Japanese planes bombed the port. His ship was damaged by fragments but sustained no direct hits, nor casualties. George was a newlywed, just 22 years old, when he died in a motorcycle accident.
Clearvle Cecil Dunn went by Cecil. He served in the U.S. Navy as a fireman first class aboard the U.S.S. Oakland (CL95) during World War II, and from June 1949 to October 1952 in the Coast Guard during the Korean War. He later worked at Alcoa Aluminum for many years.
Arnold Hakvist was in the U.S. Navy from April 8, 1942, to Jan. 17, 1945, during World War II. He was a first generation American. A former neighbor who lives far away said Hakvist was a good man and made a great champagne strawberry shortcake and offered care while she was sick.
At 10 a.m., Sunday, July 14, a public dedication ceremony will take place for Civil War veteran Blandaman Smith at the Brush Prairie Cemetery. Smith was in the Enlisted Missouri Militia and was buried in 1915 in an unmarked grave at the local cemetery.
