Dozens Pay Tribute To Homeless Vietnam War Veteran In Dunbar

Dozens of veterans and their supporters gathered Thursday at the Donel C. Kinnard Memorial State Veteran Cemetery to pay their respects to one of their own.

Ronald Tittle, a Vietnam War veteran, was homeless when he died, with no known family.

But thanks to the attendance of West Virginia’s Patriot Guard, he wasn’t laid to rest in obscurity.

Gary Parkhill of Grafton is the Patriot Guard’s state chairman. He led a group of about 15 motorcycle riders to the Kinnard cemetery Thursday to honor Tittle.

Parkhill said he didn’t know Tittle, and his group got the notice of Tittle’s burial at the last moment. 

“It was short notice, it came to me the night before,” he said. “And of course, I accepted it, as soon as I saw it, even though it’s this far, two, two and a half hours away from me. So it was something I wanted to do. So that’s why I’m here, to show my honor and respect for this hero. He’s a hero, he’s a Purple Heart recipient.”

Parkhill is on the road a lot. He says he’s run 54 missions in a year and half.

“In fact, we have another one tomorrow in Ravenswood,” he said. “So I’ll be over there. I’ll go back to Grafton, get a good night’s sleep and then I’ll come back down to Ravenswood tomorrow for that service.”

A federal report last year estimated that more than 35,000 veterans nationwide were homeless. Veterans of the Vietnam and post-Vietnam eras are particularly vulnerable, the report said.

Like Tittle, Kinnard was a decorated Vietnam veteran and an advocate for veterans’ needs.

No matter what Tittle went through in life, his fellow veterans made sure he got a worthy sendoff.

West Virginia’s Department of Veterans Assistance offers help to homeless veterans. More here.