Monday, October 16, 2006
Soldier finally home from Korea
Hoosier's remains buried in Rushville
By Rob Schneider
The Indianapolis Star
RUSHVILLE, Ind. — Sitting in front of his brother's flag-draped casket, Jimmie Sizemore knew his brother's journey home was finally over.
As members of an Army honor guard from Fort Knox, Ky., sat ramrod straight with their white-gloved hands on their knees, Sizemore said Saturday's "celebration and homecoming" at First Baptist Church was not a time for sadness.
"For me, it is the end of a long, uncertain road -- 56 years, to be exact," Sizemore, 79, told a crowd of at least 100. "I am glad we finally got him here."
Army Cpl. Charles "Buddy" Sizemore's hometown proved it had not forgotten its fallen soldier, who was killed during the Korean War more than 50 years ago and whose remains were returned to the United States last week.
As a police-led motorcade traveled from the church to East Hill Cemetery, people watched from their doorways and small American flags hung from telephone poles. Firetrucks were parked in the center of town with their lights flashing.
At the cemetery's entrance, the Rushville and Connersville fire departments had hung a large U.S. flag from a firetruck, and firefighters saluted as Buddy Sizemore's remains passed.
Sizemore, a 1948 graduate of Rushville High School, was declared missing in action on Nov. 2, 1950, after the Chinese overran the 8th Cavalry Regiment near Unsan, North Korea. Hundreds of his fellow soldiers died.
Days later, Jimmie Sizemore received a telegram notifying him that his brother was missing. He delivered the news to their parents, Asher and Odessa Sizemore. "That was the worst day of my life," he said.
He didn't learn any more about his brother's fate until 2000, when the North Korean government reported finding Sizemore's remains in a mass grave. Sizemore gave a blood sample to be used in a DNA test and, a couple of months ago, received notification that the Army had identified his brother's remains.
Those remains were returned to Indiana last week accompanied by an Army honor guard. Todd Funeral Home of Rushville picked up the remains at Indianapolis International Airport, and the Rushville police escorted them to the funeral home.
Saturday was a day to remember Buddy Sizemore and finally say goodbye.
Jimmie Sizemore told those gathered that he and his brother were part of a country and western group that performed as Asher and Little Jimmie at the Grand Ole Opry and other places across the country. When Buddy, who was born in 1929, was old enough, he joined the group and played a stand-up bass. "He could play the strings off that dude," Sizemore said.
Sizemore recalled how crazy they were about going to baseball games in Cincinnati or basketball games in Indianapolis.
On trips to Indianapolis, they would stop at a White Castle restaurant, where Jimmie would get four or five hamburgers and his brother would buy 24 and eat them at the game. On the trip home, they would stop again, and his brother would order another 24 hamburgers.
"He had a hollow leg or something," Sizemore said. "That boy could eat."
Dee Monroe, a classmate of Buddy Sizemore's, recalled driving around Rushville in Buddy's car. It was so beat up that they needed a rope to keep the passenger door closed and cardboard to cover the holes in the floorboard.
He also recalled that they took their dates to an ice cream shop and asked them to sip their drinks slowly because they couldn't afford refills.
Monroe, 76, tried to get his friend to join the Navy with him, but he resisted.
"I can walk a lot farther than I can swim," Buddy Sizemore told Monroe.
Looking at the casket Saturday, Monroe said: "Buddy, here I am standing in front of you again. For now, my friend, I must say goodbye. God bless, and thank you."
Back To Sizemore Tribute Page
Story written by Rob Schneider of
The Indianapolis Star
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