BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Residents in California are being asked to attend the funeral for a veteran who will not have immediate family members in attendance.
According to the Facebook page of Honor Flight Kern County, the funeral for Gerald “Jerry” Pounds will be held on Thursday at Bakersfield National Cemetery in Arvin, California.
Pounds, 94, of Bakersfield, died on Sept. 6, according to his obituary.
Honor Flight Kern County is asking the community to attend the funeral of a veteran who won't have immediate family in attendance. https://t.co/KUki67Tfc6 pic.twitter.com/Zhq0XjtIMs
— KGET 17 News (@KGETnews) December 19, 2023
“Can you help honor war hero U.S. Marine Jerry Pounds? There is no family for his service,” Honor Flight Kern County wrote. “In fact, he passed earlier this year and the money has just been raised for his remains and burial preparations.”
Pounds served as a private first class in the U.S. Marines from 1946 to 1950 and was part of Honor Flight 21 in April 2016, KGET-TV reported.
According to Honor Flight Kern, Pounds was one of the “Chosin Few” who participated and survived the Battle at the Chosin Reservoir that began in North Korea on Nov. 26, 1950, and raged until Dec. 6, 1950.
The US X Corps and Republic of Korea I Corps reported 10,495 casualties during the fighting around Chosin, according to the National Medal of Honor Museum website. The battle, waged in subzero weather, added 7,388 Marines to the list of non-battle casualties.
“He was tough,” Honor Flight Kern wrote. “In fact, two years ago he fell In his backyard from a ladder, where he lay there in 106-degree heat for TWO days until a neighbor found him!”
The funeral is expected to begin at 9:15 a.m. PST, according to KGET.
