Nearly 81 years after he was killed at Pearl Harbor, Russell Melton will return home to a hero's welcome.
The remains of Melton -- who died at age 23 aboard the USS West Virginia on Dec. 7, 1941 -- will be accompanied by a motorcade to his native Amite County on Wednesday and buried Saturday with military honors.
"I'm hoping people will line Highway 24 and the streets of Liberty," said American Legion official Murry Toney of Liberty, who's coordinating the event.
Louisiana and Mississippi Patriot Guard Riders will provide motorcycle escort Wednesday from New Orleans to Gloster.
"I want to give this young man the welcome home he deserves after 80 years," said Roger Barrett, state captain of the Mississippi Patriot Guard.
Melton's remains are scheduled to arrive on an American Airlines jet in New Orleans at 3:04 p.m. Wednesday.
The casket will be transferred to a hearse, which will head north on Interstate 55 accompanied by the Louisiana Patriot Guard to the Mississippi Welcome Center north of Osyka. There the Mississippi Patriot Guard will take over along with Mississippi Highway Patrol and other law enforcement vehicles.
The hearse will continue north to McComb, then go west on Highway 24 through Liberty to Brown Funeral Home in Gloster.
Toney estimated the hearse will come through Liberty around 5:30 or 6 p.m. if all goes according to schedule.
"I would love for everybody down in that area, the fire departments to have their fire trucks out, people standing on the side of the roads with flags," Barrett said.
Officials are hoping there won't be any of the delays that have been plaguing air travel in recent weeks.
"Since it's a military deal they're going to get him on a flight," Barrett predicted.
He said some members of the Louisiana Patriot Guard might accompany their Mississippi counterparts on to Gloster.
The casket will stay at the funeral home until Saturday morning, when the Mississippi Patriot Guard will escort the hearse to Mount Pleasant Baptist Church for a 10 a.m. funeral. Melton's parents are buried at Mount Pleasant.
"We're going to be there with flags and do a flag line," Barrett said.
Some historical reenactors will be on hand in uniform to welcome guests, said Toney, who is past department commander and alternate national executive committeeman for the Department of Mississippi American Legion.
He expects a number of elected officials to be on hand as well.
