He's been gone for more than 80 years but has never been forgotten.
On Saturday, the remains of U.S. Army Tech. 5 Clifford H. Strickland were interred at his final resting place, yards from his parent's gravesite at Union Highland Cemetery in Florence.
Strickland was 25 when he died a prisoner of war during World War II.
"While this is not a national cemetery, this spot becomes just as sacred of a place because it honors and serves as a memorial of one who gave all," said U.S. Army Chaplain Major Marty Shubert during Strickland's graveside service Saturday.
He referred to Strickland as a son, a brother, an uncle, a soldier, a patriot, and a fallen warrior of this nation whose remains are now home.
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A native of Fowler, Strickland was a member of Company C, 803rd Engineer Battalion (Aviation), when Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands in December 1941. He was among thousands of U.S. and Filipino service members captured and interned at POW camps and subjected to the 65-mile Bataan Death March after U.S. forces fell to the Japanese. According to historical records, Strickland died a POW July 29, 1942.
"We can talk about what we know that he must have endured and how he would have fought alongside his brothers at arms during the Battle of Bataan, we can talk about and only imagine the horror experienced on the Bataan Death March and the strength and resolve that must have existed within him to make it to the prisoner of war camp, and then to continue to survive until his body could no longer withstand and fight its battle against dysentery and disease," Shubert said. "Or we can talk about the man he was and still is today in spirit and truth."
Two fellow WWII veterans attended Saturday's ceremony: Royal Schmidt, 100, and Leroy Kuehl, 95.
Both men said they were happy for the Strickland family to have their loved one home.
"I saw a lot of true Americans today, really true Americans," Schmidt said. "That's what the fight was for - America."
Florence Mayor Steve Wolfe also expressed his delight for the family and the closure they may now have.
"The fact that this happened here is an honor," he said. "It is an honor to have Clifford buried here and have it be his final resting place."
Clifford was the third of 11 children born to Clarence Alfred Strickland and Lydia Bell (McCumber) Strickland on Jan. 6, 1917, in Fowler.
His nephew, who also shared during the service, Pastor Clark Baldwin, said many of the family members grew up knowing about their uncle, but never thought he would be found.
"I think for all of us it is kind of surreal," he said after the service. "This is where he wanted to be. He is at rest; he has come home and today meant he was honored for his service and sacrifice."
Baldwin was touched when traveling into Florence for the service he saw all of the people and flags in town, ready to welcome home a hero.
"My thought coming through was, 'small towns get it,'" he said.
Strickland was accounted for by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency Dec. 20, 2023, after the remains of World War II Unknowns were disinterred from the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in 2018 for laboratory analysis.
"The reason we have the records we do is because the prisoners who themselves who were sick, who were dying, were the ones who actually were doing the burials in the cemetery," said Dr. Gregory Kupsky, a historian for Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. "They were also trying to keep records the best they could while burying people with as much honor as they physically could. It is those records that to a large extent make this possible."
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Strickland was the fourth of seven individuals in their common grave to be identified. After his identification, a fifth individual was identified in March and brought home.
"It really is an honor to work on their stories and try to finish their stories," Kupsky said.
Family members traveled from across the country to attend Saturday's service. Also in attendance were dozens of individuals from several service organizations, local dignitaries and community members who wanted to pay their respects.
Before Strickland's casket was lowered into the earth, Baldwin addressed his uncle directly.
"Welcome home, brave soldier," he said. "Go in peace."
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