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More than a hundred volunteers who lined the road for the funeral of Army Sgt. Floyd Jackson march back to the funeral home. Many of the volunteers who included civilians, Boy Scouts and military personnel carried American flags that were dipped as the procession passed by. Jackson died in a Korean prisoner of war camp in 1951. Photo by Tom Munds
Decades later, soldier laid to rest Words to honor a fallen hero
Floyd Jackson died in 1951, DNA aids identification of remains By Tom Munds
tmunds @coloradocommunitymedia.com Army Sgt. Floyd Jackson died more than 60 years ago. But loved ones - his mother, brothers and sisters, family friends — never had the chance for final closure or to honor a fallen hero with a full military funeral. Jackson paid the ultimate sacrifice for his country when he died in a Korean prisoner of war camp half the world away. Those same loved ones were plagued first with nagging, then lingering, then permanent unanswered questions. Until recently, that is. Because the right people were in the right place at the right time, Jackson was laid to rest next to his mother on March 7 in Olinger Chapel Hill Cemetery in Centennial — six decades after he died in the POW camp. Jackson continues on Page 7
Staff report Army Sgt. Floyd Jackson died at a prisoner of war camp in 1951 during the Korean War. It took about 60 years for his remains to be identified and returned home for burial. Michelle Mueller, married to the soldier’s grandnephew, Randy, said the 19-year-old Jackson followed a family tradition by going into the military service. His mother’s father fought for the Union in the Civil War and his father served during World War I. “It was one of the coldest winters on record in Korea and we were told the Communists took the coats from American soldiers For more photos and a video and gave them to their of the ceremony for Army soldiers,” she said. “The Sgt. Floyd Jackson, go to Army said many prisCentennialCitizen.net oners died of disease, malnutrition or froze to death.”
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Joanne Mueller, niece of Army Sgt. Floyd Jackson, received the folded flag that covered his coffin from Army 1st Lt. Joseph Zarella during the March 7 funeral ceremonies at Olinger Chapel Hill Cemetary. Jackson was captured in 1950 and died in a Korean prisoner of war camp in February 1951. The Army recently used family DNA to identify his remains. Photo by Tom Munds
Here are the words of others who attended Jackson’s burial service on March 7 at Olinger Chapel Hill Cemetery in Centennial: “It was an amazing time that brought our whole family together. We rode in the procession from the airport and it was incredible. There were people lined up along the route with flags and we saw police officers and firefighters saluting as we went by. There is an elementary school near the funeral home and children were standing along the fence when we drove in.” — Randy Mueller, an Englewood business owner and grandnephew of Jackson “This is a Korean vet who came home after all this time. There are thousands who are still over there and others who are not identified.” — Korean war veteran Robert Murphy, who felt he had to pay his respects to Jackson
A picture of 19-year-old Littleton resident Floyd Jackson after he joined the Army in 1950. Courtesy photo
Veterans saluted and most other people put their hands over their hearts as Army Sgt. Floyd Jackson’s flag-draped coffin was brought to the grave site for the funeral with full military honors. Jackson died in a Korean prisoner of war camp in February 1951. Photo by Tom Munds
“He was captured, released and came home to us in 1953 when the war was over. I am here to represent him. My feeling is he sacrificed so much, we couldn’t get him back for so long. Thanks for the hard work of all the people no one sees and by the grace of God he is finally back at home. It was emotional and there were tears today.” — Charmaine Francoys Griffith, whose father was in the same company as Jackson