A memorial burial service was held for veteran U.S. Navy airman Sammy Drew Hill at the Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery. He served from Oct. 26, 1954 to Aug. 22, 1958, during the Korean War. Hill was an unaccompanied veteran, but he had more family than he thought.
"We honor the veteran, we lay them to rest. They say he has no family but everybody that comes today is his family," Patriot Guard Rider Carlos Chavez said.
Chavez, along with the rest of the Patriot Guard Riders of South Texas, volunteered to help at the service and maintained the flag line. Chavez stressed that they are brothers in arms, giving them a bond even after life.
Other veterans and members of the community honored Airman Hill and showed their support by being there for someone who served their country.
Desert Storm veteran Keith Callis said that a newsletter came out with information about the memorial burial. Four people, all veterans from Flor Bluff, from his post went, along with others from the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization.
"We're buddies. We're best friends. Nobody believes in leaving a soldier behind. He didn't have a family so we came out to be his family," Callis said.
The service lasted half an hour and more than fifty people showed up. A diverse group of people from all over the country came together to make sure that no veteran is left behind.
