Plans are still coalescing to repatriate a Bushong soldier killed during the Normandy invasion in World War II.
John Owen Herrick will be escorted from Omaha to Emporia’s Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home on Friday. Herrick will then be escorted from Roberts-Blue-Barnett to Maplewood Memorial Lawn Cemetery for burial and special services at 2:30 pm on Veterans Day. The procession routes and estimated arrival time in Emporia have not been divulged.
Herrick, age 19, was assigned to Company B, 149th Engineer Combat Battalion in the European Theater and was killed during the Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944. Herrick was among around 200 soldiers aboard Landing Craft Infantry 92 when it hit an underwater mine and was struck by enemy artillery shells.
While listed as being from Emporia, Herrick attended high school in Bushong and was one of four soldiers from the town killed during the Omaha Beach invasion.
Herrick’s repatriation process follows similar proceedings for US Marine Private Glenn White of Emporia, who was killed in the Pacific Theater in 1943. White was repatriated to Emporia in 2021.
Meanwhile, as Emporia’s All Veterans Tribute activities get underway, Emporia State University will provide a unique look at the work done to identify the remains of soldiers.
Dr. CE Moore will have a presentation about his better-than-40-year career in forensic anthropology focusing on the remains of prisoners of war and service personnel missing in action. The presentation is called “Accounting for MOW.MIA Servicemen from America’s Past Wars” and will be from 7-8 pm Monday at ESU’s Science Hall Room 72.
Moore’s presentation is part of Emporia State’s Master of Science in Forensic Science seminar series now into its fifth year.
