Tennessee honor guard 'blown away' by turnout at funeral for veteran who died without family: report
Tri-County Veterans Honor Guard gave final military honors to Charles Sidney Sides
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}United States Army veteran Charles Sidney Sides, 84, passed away this month with no living family, so dozens of members of the public attended his funeral Thursday to honor the fallen hero.
The Tri-County Veterans Honor Guard in Tennessee gave final military honors to Sides, saying that he had only been in the area for a few days before suddenly passing away on June 1.
Photos posted by WVLT reporter Abby Kousouris show the Honor Guard along with citizens and other veterans paying their respects to Sides.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}WORLD WAR II VETERAN TRAVELS TO SOUTH CAROLINA TO GIVE A FINAL SALUTE TO THE MAN WHO SAVED HIS LIFE
"The Honor Guard asked people to attend and were blown away by the support," WVLT reported.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Sides was honorably discharged at the rank of staff sergeant, according to an obituary posted online by a mortuary in Maynardville.
Since 2000, funeral homes in more than 30 cities have given dignified burials to about 3,000 veterans who died alone, the Associated Press reported in 2019.