The Southern Arizona Missing in America Project will honor and inter 33 veterans on Saturday, Oct. 20. The veterans were homeless, unclaimed or indigent.
The veterans will be placed in the columbarium at the Arizona Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery at Marana. The MIA Project has interred more than 3,600 veterans worldwide.
Bonnie Dudelston, cemetery administrator, said the ceremony is meant to honor and respect all veterans.
“Some of these unclaimed cremated remains are either left in a house, or in an apartment, in a closet somewhere, or abandoned by family. Or just sitting on a funeral home shelf that haven’t been claimed," Dudelston said. "So if they’re veterans, they’re going to make sure they’re placed in a veterans’ cemetery with dignity.”
The ceremony is open to the public and will include military honors, last roll call and the missing man formation flyover.
