MOLINE, Illinois -
A veteran of the Iraqi war came home for the last time. The body of Army Sergeant Justin Duffy arrived at the Quad City International Airport Tuesday afternoon.
The chartered flight pulled into the airport and unloaded the body of Duffy. He was a 31-year-old man who fought in the 82nd airborne division in Iraq and was killed by an improvised explosive device that blew up his Humvee in Baghdad. He lived as a soldier fighting for our country and in death was respected and honored for his service.
His family had the support of the army on the tarmac and the patriot guard riders, their escorts.
Eric Swanson the Patriot Guard Captain says, "We just want them to know that we're here to support them in anything that they need. They've now entered the realm of what's called gold star families. They have lost somebody in war and we have a huge network in this area that has already gone through that."
As Sgt. Duffy's hearse drove by he was saluted again. It's something the riders say they have done nine times in the last 2 years from this airport.
Duffy grew up in Moline and went to Seton Catholic School until 6th grade when he moved to Nebraska. His teacher Jane Barrett told Reporter John David last week about how she remembered him as a student and his legacy.
"This will really touch home with the students to realize that a young man that once sat here at Seton school, his family's been affected this way, and that he did give his life for our country."
His parents will miss the man, the soldier, their son. And now they must bury a child. At Rafferty Funeral Home they watched as his casket draped with an American flag came back to Moline, his childhood home. And his final resting place will be at Rock Island Arsenal Cemetery.
Sergeant Duffy's funeral is set for Friday morning at Sacred Heart Church in Moline.
The chartered flight pulled into the airport and unloaded the body of Duffy. He was a 31-year-old man who fought in the 82nd airborne division in Iraq and was killed by an improvised explosive device that blew up his Humvee in Baghdad. He lived as a soldier fighting for our country and in death was respected and honored for his service.
His family had the support of the army on the tarmac and the patriot guard riders, their escorts.
Eric Swanson the Patriot Guard Captain says, "We just want them to know that we're here to support them in anything that they need. They've now entered the realm of what's called gold star families. They have lost somebody in war and we have a huge network in this area that has already gone through that."
As Sgt. Duffy's hearse drove by he was saluted again. It's something the riders say they have done nine times in the last 2 years from this airport.
Duffy grew up in Moline and went to Seton Catholic School until 6th grade when he moved to Nebraska. His teacher Jane Barrett told Reporter John David last week about how she remembered him as a student and his legacy.
"This will really touch home with the students to realize that a young man that once sat here at Seton school, his family's been affected this way, and that he did give his life for our country."
His parents will miss the man, the soldier, their son. And now they must bury a child. At Rafferty Funeral Home they watched as his casket draped with an American flag came back to Moline, his childhood home. And his final resting place will be at Rock Island Arsenal Cemetery.
Sergeant Duffy's funeral is set for Friday morning at Sacred Heart Church in Moline.
