GERMANTOWN, Tenn. — Three Memphis-area veterans were laid to rest in a special ceremony Thursday, and those who attended the service were complete strangers.
That’s because the three men haven’t had any family come forward to claim them.
Wesley Russell, 76, served in the U.S. Army and died in September.
Arnold Martin Klechka, 71, passed away in October. He also served in the Army.
Charles Bradley Fox, 60, died in November after serving in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Dozens of people turned out to pay their respects to these men they never even knew, including fellow veterans.
“They gave a part of their lives for the defense our country and peace around the whole world,” said Jim Brown, a Marine Corps veteran who attended the ceremony.
All three were laid to rest in the West Tennessee Veterans Cemetery in Germantown with military honors.