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By DAVE DOMESCIK | Staff Writer

MONTEVALLO – The Alabama National Cemetery hosted an interment service for an unclaimed veteran on Thursday, May 15 beginning at 10:15 a.m.

The service was a partnership with the Alabama Missing in America Project, Veterans Recovery Program, Roselawn Funeral Home and Roselawn Cemetery. The previously unclaimed cremated remains of Retired U.S. Air Force MSGT Woodrow Vance Drake were honorably interred.

“MSGT (Ret) Drake served honorably in the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force during the WWII and Korean War periods,” read a statement from the Missing in America Project. “Mr. Drake died in 2006. This was the fourth MIAP service held in Alabama and brings our number of unclaimed interments to 16.”

The purpose of MIAP is to locate, identify and inter the unclaimed cremated remains of American veterans through the joint efforts of private, state and federal organizations and to provide honor and respect to those who have served the U.S. by securing a final resting place for forgotten heroes. MIAP has located, identified and interred more than 7,000 unclaimed veterans.

The burial service on Thursday was open to the public and included a Patriot Guard escort/flag line, military honors, live taps and bell ringing. Eldon Woodie, the Alabama MIAP state coordinator and the chairman of the Support Committee for the Alabama National Cemetery, discussed the importance of laying Drake to rest and giving him honors, helping ensure no veteran is forgotten or left without a final resting place.

“I’m not a rich guy, but I feel pretty rich when (events like this) happen,” Woodie said. “I was thinking of the hundreds of airmen and soldiers that I worked with during my 30 years in the military… It feels good to stand in (and honor) somebody. For me, it’s a real feeling of satisfaction.”

For more information on the Alabama National Cemetery, visit Scalnc.org. For more information on the MIAP, visit Miap.us.