Funeral home takes Gulfport veterans to National WWII Museum for Veterans Day

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - In honor of Veterans Day, Riemann Family Funeral Homes brought veterans from Gulfport to New Orleans for a trip to the National World War II Museum.

This is the funeral home’s 15th year making the trip. Officials said it is a way of giving back to veterans for what they have done for the country.

“You really walk away with what men and women did for this country,” said Tim LaFontaine, a Vietnam veteran.

Robert Dell, a Vietnam veteran, said his family inspired him to serve. His stepfather, Cecil Broman, and two uncles served in World War II.

Their names are etched in the walls of the museum.

“They’re all passed away now, but their names are still here, so that’s something to think about,” Dell said.

Dell said the trip is a meaningful way to recognize veterans. He said he thinks that recognition does not happen often enough.

“That’s a real honor. Most all the veterans don’t get the honor that they deserve,” Dell said.

LaFontaine said the museum brings back memories of his father, who was injured in World War II when a shell exploded beside him. LaFontaine said his father’s service inspired him to serve in Vietnam.

“This is an outstanding uniform. Every time I see the people who wore this, it makes me a little emotional,” LaFontaine said.

“He just gave me the good morals that gave me my spine to handle adversaries. He was a good man. I miss him,” LaFontaine said.

Chad Riemann, president of Riemann Family Funeral Home, said trips like this honor veterans’ service and pass their history on.

“The specialness of this place revolves around all the stories in the history that’s on every wall of this museum,” Riemann said.

“We get to serve those veterans every day, and this is just the way to say, actually, thank you to them, you know, and share the special Veterans Day holiday, because it’s one of the very most important that we have all year long,” Riemann said.

According to the museum, more than 30,000 World War II veterans are still alive across the United States.

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