Full Military Honors For Kipina

The family of a Calumet man missing since the Vietnam War can finally have closure after his remains were laid to rest Thursday in Arlington National Cemetery.

The remains of US Army Staff Sergeant Marshall Kipina were identified earlier this year and interred with full military honors in a special ceremony.

US Senator Gary Peters of Michigan describes the ceremony, “It certainly was a very moving ceremony. It started with a flyover of Army Blackhawk helicopters in honor of his service. He was then afforded full military honors as he was laid to rest.”

Kipina was lost in Laos in 1966 when his aircraft was lost during a mission. The crash site was not located until decades later.

Peters says Thursday’s ceremony allows the family to finally move on.  “He was presumed dead. They didn’t expect him to be back, but to have the remains and to have him receive the full honors that he deserved and earned and to be laid to rest is something that is extremely important,” said Peters.

Also present for the ceremony were four JROTC cadets from Calumet.  Peters said, “The community came together to allow them to come to Washington DC to be there at the service and to really represent the entire community of Calumet who sent one of their sons overseas 50 years ago to serve his country and to fight for freedom and then to lose him and to not have him come back home is something that impacts not just the family but the entire community, particular a community as close knit as Calumet.”

A service was also held at Lakeview Cemetery in Calumet at the same time that the Arlington service took place.