PFC Joe Elmore slated to arrive in Albany Wednesday, big public turnout expected for arrival procession, weekend services

Posted August 15, 2018 at 2:13 pm

Joe Elmore.psd

Private First Class Joe Stanton Elmore’s remains are now scheduled to arrive in Clinton County Wednesday, August 15, around 4 p.m.

Services for Joe Elmore will be Saturday, August 18, at 1:00 p.m. at the Albany United Nazarene Church, with visitation at the Church beginning at 1:00 p.m. Friday. (A complete death notice appears on page 3).

April Speck, who is a relative of Elmore’s and who works with several different local organizations including the Albany – Clinton County Chamber of Commerce and the Clinton County Tourism Commision, said Elmore’s remains will arrive at Nashville Airport around 12:52 p.m. on Wednesday.

“They will have a ceremony at the airport from 1:30 to 2:00 p.m. and then they will bring him from the By-pass on 1590 in front of the hospital. He will arrive at Haddix Funeral Home at 4 p.m.,” Speck said. “He will have a Kentucky State Police escort as well as a military escort and Rolling Thunder will be in the escort.”

According to Speck, students at Albany Elementary School are presenting a ceremony on Wednesday to show their respect on the day Elmore is to arrive in Clinton County.

Three organizations, the Industrial Development Authority, Clinton County Tourism Commission and the Albany/Clinton County Chamber of Commerce are combining forces and purchasing small flags, appropriately 650, for students and staff at AES.

“We want them to learn what honor, respect and sacrifice really looks like. There is no greater example of love for one to lay down his/her life for our country,” AES Principal Tim Armstrong said.

Armstrong also mentioned he hosted a ceremony on Tuesday at 2 p.m. in front of the entire student body and invited several members of Elmore’s family to attend.

Armstrong said he decided to hold the ceremony in the gym on Tuesday since school will be dismissed before Elmore is set to arrive in Albany Wednesday afternoon.

Also at the intersection of Kentucky Hwy. 1590 and the By-pass, American Flags purchased by the Albany/Clinton County Chamber of Commerce will be hanging as the escort brings Elmore into Albany.

Elmore was a member of Company A, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was one of 2,500 U.S. and 700 Republic of Korea soldiers assigned to the 31st Regimental Combat Team, also known as Task Force MacLean and renamed as Task Force Faith.

In November, 1950, Elmore’s unit was deployed along the north shore of North Korea, in the South Hamgyong Province. On November 27, 120,000 Chinese troops attacked the task force Elmore was in. A fight that lasted 17 days in the bitter cold winter in Korea. Elmore was declared MIA on December 2, 1950 and presumed dead on December 31, 1953.

According to it’s facebook web page, the Kentucky Chapter 3 Rolling Thunder organization will be one of the lead escorts from the Nashville airport, following the Kentucky State Police from Nashville to the Haddix Funeral Home in Albany.

The organization also plans to perform a Flag Line at the Haddix Funeral Home as Elmore is transferred into the funeral facility.

Elmore’s remains were identified on July 5, 2018.