Funeral Procession Route Set For Local Sailor Killed in Pearl Harbor Attack
Article Presented By Tomlinson Insurance
The final journey for a Chillicothe native headed to his burial resting place, will take place Saturday, August 20th. Navy Musician 1st Class Joseph W. Hoffman, was killed aboard the U.S.S. Oklahoma after Japanese warplanes attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. The Navy was unable to identify Hoffman’s remains for almost 80 years, until new DNA technology was able to accomplish that task on September 8th, 2020. Hoffman’s remains had been buried in Hawaii’s Punch Bowl Cemetery, along with more than 400 of his shipmates until he was identified.
Joseph Hoffman’s remains were flown by the U.S. Navy to John Glenn International Airport Tuesday, August 16th and were transferred to Murray-Fettro Funeral Home in Greenfield, where his casket has been placed in the chapel side parlor until a funeral procession will take him to Chillicothe for a ceremony this Saturday morning. His remains will then be returned to Greenfield for burial in the Hoffman Family plot.
According to Retired Lt. Colonel Bob Leach, the August 20th funeral procession route to Chillicothe will enter the first capital via US Route 35 east at approximately 10am, taking the Pleasant Valley exit. From there, the procession will drive down Pleasant Valley Road to Moundsville Road then turn south on State Route 104, getting back on Rt 35 east at the East Main Street exit, then west on High Street, passing under ladder trucks from the Chillicothe Fire Department with an American Flag suspended from the crossed ladders next to the Ross County Courthouse, then proceed before making a right on Walnut Street to Yoctangee Parkway, then stop at the Ross County Veterans Memorial Park for an 11am ceremony.
The Chillicothe ceremony will involve three dignitaries to speak:
“Joseph W. Hoffman in his Church” – Pastor James Wade, Tyler United Methodist Church
“Joseph W. Hoffman in his Community” – Mayor Luke Feeney, City of Chillicothe
“Joseph W. Hoffman in the United States Navy” – Rear Admiral Gene Price, Vice Commander, Naval Information Forces
Following the Chillicothe ceremony, the funeral procession will leave Chillicothe Return Route to the Greenfield Cemetery will be Yoctangee Parkway to N. High St / 104 N to Moundsvillle Rd to Pleasant Valley Road to Veterans Parkway to US 50W to SR 28W to Greenfield. on their way to Greenfield for the final burial.
The community is asked to line the procession routes waiving American Flags to pay tribute to the first official Ross County casualty in World War II, and the last unidentified Pearl Harbor fatality to be positively identified.
