Cpl. Joshua Palmer (NCD)

(reprinted from ReviewAtlas.com, November 17, 2004)

Hometown hero laid to rest

By Tom Radz and Stacey Creasy

Journal Staff Writers

LAHARPE - More than 500 people gathered Tuesday to pay their final respects to a hometown hero, Cpl. Joshua Palmer, who died about a week earlier while serving his country in Iraq.

For the past week family members, friends and loved ones expressed how proud they were of Palmer, who was killed in a tragic accident while running a bulldozer, building a fighting position, when the ground beneath him gave way, causing Palmer and bulldozer to plunge into the Euphrates River.

Investigators believe Palmer and another soldier from his unit, 22-year-old Jeffrey Lam of New York, drowned.

The accident remains under investigation.

Palmer was killed on Nov. 8 during his second tour of duty in Iraq with the U.S. Marine Corps. He was stationed with the Marine Unit in Peoria as part of Charlie Company's 6th Engineering Battalion. Those who knew Palmer said he did not think twice about going back to Iraq. Palmer was a young man who felt a need to serve his country.

Most of the war stories stopped Tuesday. It was a day to reflect on how Palmer lived life to the fullest, how he enjoyed working with his hands whether it was working on motorcycles back home or working in Iraq to help stabilize the war-torn country.

Tuesday was the day Palmer's family, friends, and classmates said good-bye to the former LaHarpe High School graduate, who's name will hopefully live on through some sort of memorial fund that will be used to help people and projects in the Blandinsville-LaHarpe area.

Palmer's funeral was held at LaHarpe High School, another place near and dear to the young man, in order to make sure there would be enough room for all the people who wanted to pay their final respects.

The young soldier was buried at McConnell Cemetery near LaHarpe with full military honors. The funeral procession was led by some of the people Palmer worked with at the motorcycle shop.

Some of Palmer's fellow Marines carried him to his final resting place. He received a complete military salute in his honor for paying the ultimate price for his country.

Palmer's death marked the second time this year the Blandinsville-LaHarpe area has been forced to bury one of its sons.

Evan James, 20, of LaHarpe died in March in Iraq. A number of people in town said they hope this is the last time someone from their community becomes a casualty in Iraq.

"Some prices are too high to pay," one person said.