Savannah soldier makes final journey home as community pays its respects
Just east of the Bay Street viaduct Thursday morning beneath an American flag, Sgt. Breonna Moffett made her final journey home.
Savannahians lined the road from Fahm Street and down Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to pay their respects to Moffett, a U.S. Army Reservist who was killed in action on Jan. 28 after a drone in Jordan struck her container dwelling unit.
Moffett's hearse was escorted through downtown Savannah to Campbell and Sons Funeral Home on West Park Avenue by her family and Mayor Van Johnson as well as members of the Savannah Police Department, Georgia State Patrol and Patriot Guard Riders.
About 60 people gathered along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard between West Harris and Liberty Streets. Several were seen wiping their eyes as the escort passed.
Tina Robinson, who lives just off Gwinnett Street in downtown Savannah. She did not know Moffett, but her son is stationed in West Virginia, and she got a call from him the night before that he would be deploying within the next year.
"I'm not sure how I feel about that, yet," Robinson said, just before the motorcade turned on MLK from Bay Street.
"She gave the ultimate sacrifice and the only thing we can do is honor her sacrifice," said Glynda Jones, who stood nearby waving an American flag and recording the motorcade. "To be 23 years old, and to serve for the love of her country."
Moffett's remains arrived by plane Thursday morning at Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport in advance of visitation and funeral services on Friday and Saturday, respectively. Visitation will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, and funeral services take place at 11 a.m. Saturday. Both services will be held at Jonesville Baptist Church in Tatemville.
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Moffett was a graduate of Windsor Forest High School and entered the U.S. Army Reserves in 2019. She was assigned to the 718th Engineer Company, 926th Engineer Battalion, 926th Engineer Brigade at Fort Moore in 2023.
“As a community, we mourn the loss of one of our bravest members who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country,” said Johnson in a prepared statement released on Wednesday.
Last month's drone strike in Jordan killed two other reservists also from Georgia. Gov. Brian Kemp attended the funeral service for Staff Sgt. William Rivers, held Tuesday in Carrolton, Georgia. The third fallen soldier Sgt. Kennedy Sanders' services will be held Saturday in Waycross.
Evan Lasseter is the city and county government reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at ELasseter@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah soldier makes final journey home as community pays its respects
