An Alabama police officer stood at attention during a torrential downpour Monday at the funeral procession for a 100-year-old Army veteran.
Despite a driving rainstorm in the small town of Spanish Fort, Officer Newman Brazier of the Mount Vernon Police Department maintained his dignified stance in honor of the late Pvt. 1st Class Robert Lee Sterling, a member of the 92nd division of the Buffalo Soldiers in World War II who died on June 5, NBC 15 reported.
Sterling was one of the few Black men to bravely fight in the Pacific.
Brazier, who is also a veteran, said he had no idea that his dedication and respect in the pouring rain would draw national attention.
“That’s what vets do,” Brazier said to NBC 15. “I felt that he wanted to be acknowledged. I felt that being from a small town like Mount Vernon and that he can do what he did, and he can pass and nobody realize it and not respect it It was my point to let everyone in that area know that he was there, he was passing through, even if it was for the last time.”
Sterling had celebrated his milestone birthday on April 12 by participating in a parade.
The WWII veteran also gave an interview on YouTube back in 2015.
About the Author
