Durden/Hudson Funeral Directors Assist WAA

The Veterans of the Library meet each Monday morning at 9:30 a.m. except holidays at the Franklin Memorial Library for coffee, pastries and fellowship.  With the leadership of Veteran John Tapley, the veterans have taken on the National project, "Wreaths Across America" for the first time and have selected 4 cemeteries in Emanuel County out of the more than 170 cemeteries, to place wreaths on the graves of veterans.  So far, the veterans have walked these 4 cemeteries and have come up with more than 600 marked veteran's graves.  Many families have not marked their family veterans that have been buried in these 4 cemeteries, so we have asked the public to help us identify their veterans.  The group asked Durden/Hudson Funeral Directors to come and tell us what they could do to help these families obtain government headstone or markers. Debbie Hudson Dubberly and Faith Vedder presented each member a packet containing Form SF 180, request pertaining to military records and an instruction and information sheet on how to get these records.  Also, VA Form 40-1330, a claim for standard government headstone or marker.  They also gave each member a copy of VA Form 27-2008, the Application for United States Flag for Burial Purposes.  Finally, they explained and provided the instructions for completing an application for burial benefits, VA Form 21P-530.  Project WAA will occur on December 17, 2022, at 10:00 a.m.  Remember, if your family veteran or veterans are buried in the East Brook Cemetery, Old Settlers Cemetery, First Baptist Cemetery or the Swainsboro City Cemetery and their tombstone is not marked as a veteran, their names are not on the list.  Please, if your vet is not marked as a veteran, contact the library, Sherrie Watt, at 478-237-7791 and give her your vet's name, service, cemetery and the location in the cemetery.  This information needs to be submitted by the first of November in order to order a wreath for your vet without any cost to you.

GARY MASON, DEBBIE HUDSON DUBBERLY, FAITH VEDDER, JOHN TAPLEY