CONTACT: Eric Durr, 518-786-4581 or 518-429-5186 (cell)

FOR RELEASE: Friday, Apr 03, 2009

ON SITE: Staff Sgt. Kevin Abbott (cell) 315-427-3084

WHO:

Members of the Espey family, including Sgt. Espey’s sisters, 18 Soldiers of the New York National Guard Honor Guard, and a color guard provided by local veterans groups.

WHAT:

Fifty-eight years after Sgt.Dougall Espey was declared missing in action, the New York National Guard Honor Guard will perform military honors at his long-delayed burial on April 3 at Woodlawn National Cemetery, on what would have been his 80th birthday. Espey was an Elmira native who died in combat in November 1950 near Unsan, North Korea. Burial with full military honors for Army Sgt. Dougall Espey following Mass at St. Charles Borromeo Church.

WHEN:

Military burial with full honors will be after the Mass which begins at 10 a.m. Friday, April 3.

WHERE:

Woodlawn National Cemetery, 1825 Davis St, Elmira; church address is 130 Oakwood Avenue, Elmira Heights.

Visual and Coverage Opportunities: The New York National Guard Honor Guard will render full military honors, including a firing party, and the presentation of the flag to the family of Sgt. Espey. The Casualty Assistance Officer, Lt. Col. Dave Mull, Sgt. Espey’s sister Mariam Espey, and members of the Espey family will be briefly available to speak with the media. The family has requested that the Media not attend the Mass at the St. Charles Borrome Church. Members of the media are urged to remember that this is a solemn event.

BACKGROUND:

The Process: The remains of Sgt. Dougall Espey where flown from the military’s Central Identification Laboratory at Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii, accompanied by a military escort. The remains were met by the New York Military Forces at Rochester International Airport on the afternoon of Tuesday March 31, an honorable transfer was conducted and the remains were moved to the James D. Barret Funeral Home in Elmira. Calling hours are scheduled for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 2. SGT. Dougall Espey: Espey, who was 21 when he was reported missing, was assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. On Nov. 1, 1950 the 1st Cavalry Division was attacked by two Chinese divisions. The 3rd battalion of the 8th Cavalry Regiment, stationed near a bend in the Kuryong River known as “the Camels Head” was surrounded and effectively destroyed. More than 350 Soldiers were missing after the battle. His status was changed from missing to died while missing in 1953. Espey lived in Elmira when he joined the Army. He trained at Fort Dix. Between 1991 and 1994 the North Korean government turned over 208 boxes containing the remains of between 200 and 400 American Soldiers who died in North Korea. Espey’s remains were identified last year thanks to a donation of blood by one of his surviving sisters, Mariam Espey, age 78. She now lives in Mount Laurel, New Jersey and served as an Air Force nurse during the Korean War. The Espey’s were informed of the identification in September 2008 and the Department of Defense formally announced the identification of his remains in January 2009. The New York Military Forces Honor Guard: Organized in 1999, the New York Military Forces Honor Guard provides funeral honors for New York Soldiers killed in action, and honorably discharged veterans and retired service members. The Honor Guard provides this service at no cost to families and funeral homes when teams are available. The 125 members of the Honor Guard are trained to the same standards as the members of the “Old Guard” which provide honors at Arlington National Cemetery. Fifty-five of the Honor Guard members are on full-time duty performing this service at nine detachment locations around the state while the other members serve when extra volunteers are needed. An Honor Guard team appeared on an episode of the television show “Law and Order.” The Honor Guard members pride themselves on their perfection. On average the Honor Guard performs 900 funeral services each month, mainly for veterans of World War II, said Don Roy, director of the Honor Guard. The Honor Guard has also performed funeral honors for the 31 New York Army National Guard Soldiers who have died in Afghanistan and Iraq. “We are honored to take care of those we consider heroes,” Roy said. “Emotionally it can be hard and draining on the Honor Guard and the family.” It’s unusual for the Honor Guard to be bringing home a Soldier who died in combat in a war fought more than 50 years ago, Roy said. The last such instance the Honor Guard handled occurred several years ago and involved a Soldier killed in Vietnam. Woodlawn National Cemetery: Woodlawn National Cemetery was first used for Soldier burials during the Civil War when Confederate prisoners of war who died at a nearby prisoner of war camp. The graves went unmarked until 1907. Thanks to the work of an African-American, escaped slave named John Jones, who was sexton of the cemetery and kept a list of the names and regiments of the Confederate Soldiers, this information was recorded on the government-purchased markers. Woodlawn is one of six National Cemeteries in New York. Photo Cutline: Photo 090202-A-9270G-023. Members of the New York Army National Guard Military Forces Honor Guard render final honors to Sgt. Jonathan Keller at Calverton National Cemetery Feb. 2. Keller, a Citizen Soldier from Wading River, N.Y., had served in the Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment and received full military honors during his funeral service. Photo by Lt. Col. Richard Goldenberg, 42nd Infantry Division (Released)

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