Classmates from as far as Florida, New York and Delaware and throughout Indiana are coming to Knox for memorial services for Chief Warrant Officer, Andy Howes. Many of his Knox High School classmates have MIA bracelets that they wore for a number of years, or put away in a known chest awaiting his return. The family has invited all who have bracelets to put them in the casket with the remains.
Howes will be returning to Knox on Monday, with a Patriot Guard escort, and memorial services will be held at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday evening at the Knox Community Center.
The remains are being returned to Knox from Hawaii, where they have rested since 1988, after being brought to the United States commingled with other human remains. Howes was the last member of the Firebird Nine crew to be identified. The others included Capt. Herbert Crosby, SFC Wayne Allen and SFC Francis Graiosi.
Following services in Knox, the remains will be transported to Arlington County, Virginia where they will be interred in Arlington National Cemetery. The cemetery is situated directly across the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
