'They Deserve To Be Honored': Hundreds Attend Unaccompanied Funeral Of Korean War Veteran In Delaware
BEAR, Del. (CBS) -- In Delaware, hundreds responded to a viral appeal to attend the funeral of a veteran who did not have many living relatives to pay the ultimate sign of respect. Korean War veteran Allister Barker was laid to rest on Thursday in Delaware.
Barker had only one family member who was able to make it to the funeral, but an extended family of about 200 strangers showed up in his honor.
The Korean War is known as the "Forgotten War," but on Thursday, Barker was anything but forgotten.
The 94-year-old Barker served four years in the U.S. Army after immigrating to the States from Trinidad. He was laid to rest at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Bear with hundreds showing up to honor a man most never knew.
"We had noticed from the veteran's hospital and from the New Castle police that there was an unaccompanied funeral that was going to happen today, which means there was no family available," Dan Kapitanic, with the Delaware Patriot Guard, said. "And we make it a priority to make sure we have people here so they get the honors they deserve."
Word of the unaccompanied funeral spread quickly on social media through fire, police and veterans' groups throughout the region.
Charlies Young knew Barker through a Delaware veterans group and had many conversations with him before he died.
"We're going to miss him at meetings, I know that, and at fundraisers. He really liked helping us out," Young, a fellow Korean War veteran, said. "We're going to miss his face and his personality."
George Belgrove flew up from Georgia to attend the funeral. He's overcome by the show of support from complete strangers who were there to honor his cousin.
"I was totally overwhelmed when I walked in this morning. I thought the group outside was for another funeral not realizing that and I started asking questions," Belgrove said. "And that's when they mention to me that it's for Allister."
It was a burial reflective of Barker's service to the country and an extended family bound by their need to honor him.
"These people served our country. They actually signed a check to say they would give their life to protect our freedoms," Kapitanic said. "They deserve to be honored when they're laid to rest."
Veteran organizers say unaccompanied funerals have grown more and more common due in part to social media.
They say it enables quicker communication between funeral homes, military organizations and the public, making sure no veteran is ever buried alone.
