Brothers Jay and William Moreland have made the first of two final journeys before their final interment in a week.
The first journey saw the brothers’ remains escorted from Omaha, Nebraska, to Emporia’s Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home Friday afternoon, where they will remain until their final escort to their eternal resting place in Bushong next Saturday. That escort will come as part of the brothers’ formal repatriation ceremony scheduled to take place at Bushong Cemetery at 1:30 pm that day.
The Moreland brothers, both sergeants in the US Army, were killed in action in World War II when the vessel they were on board struck an underwater German mine during the invasion of Omaha Beach on D-Day. Both of their remains were positively identified earlier this year.
The Moreland brothers’ repatriation will follow similar activities for fellow Bushong native Sgt. John Owen Herrick, who was returned home back in November 2024 and was also killed in action during World War II.
Photos by Tagan Trahoon/KVOE News
