Gone, not forgotten: Lubbock VFW honors West Texas man nearly 80 years after death in WWII

Family of U.S. Army Private Willard D. Taylor and members of the Lubbock Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2466 gathered this week to honor the ultimate sacrifice he made nearly 80 years ago during World War II.

Taylor, who was from Sweetwater, was killed in action while serving in Europe during WWII with the 115th Infantry Regiment in the 29th Infantry Division. Taylor paid the ultimate sacrifice on Aug. 2, 1944, according to the VFW.

“Freedom is not free, it comes at a price a few people would ever know,” said Benny Guerrero said, chief of staff for the Lubbock VFW post.

For his ultimate sacrifice, Taylor was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart medal by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson, according to an official letter his family has kept.

“Our Purple Heart recipient who wears the scars of battle and the Gold Star family who have a hole in her heart because they lost someone dear,” Guerrero said. “We owe them a debt of gratitude that we could never repay.”

According to a letter from U.S. Quartermaster General Herman Feldman, Taylor was permanently laid to rest in 1949 at St. James in Normandy, France.

But Tuesday's ceremony came about after Taylor's family recently found his casket flag along with other stored items. Guerrero said family members had initially asked if they could have the flag refolded. Instead, he said, VFW leaders wanted to pay proper respects through a ceremony with full military honors.

During the ceremony, Guerrero did the last roll call, Taps were played and a 21-gun salute was issued.

Members of the VFW also refolded the casket flag that was folded in 1949 for the family members who could not attend a service in France.

“We fly something called the red, white and blue in our country,” Guerrero said. “Those colors are significant, but one of the most powerful colors is the red because it's the sacrifice that gives us that flag and it gives us our ideals - this true value.”

At the end, a representative from U.S. Rep. Jody Arrington's office presented the family with a flag that was flown over the U.S. Capitol at his request.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Lubbock VFW honors West Texas man nearly 80 years after death in WWII