Remembering veterans who’ve lost their battle with COVID-19 this Memorial Day

SALISBURY, N.C. — Memorial Day is a day to remember the sacrifice of fallen military heroes, but some veterans are in another battle during the pandemic.

U.S. Air Force veteran Tracy Brown died from COVID-19 a few weeks ago in a nursing home.

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A friend, Tom Caudle, said he’s thinking of Brown and other veterans affected by COVID-19.

"Everybody that knew him really thought the world of him,” Caudle said. “He was just a great guy."

Brown served shortly after the Korean War.

"He was stationed at Casa Blanca,” Caudle said.

A recent injury sent Brown to nursing homes in Concord and Huntersville.

Caudle said no one could attend the burial at the Veterans Cemetery in Salisbury to protect family members and friends from COVID-19.

"They told us that we couldn’t go to the funeral, couldn’t go to the graveside,” Caudle said. “We wanted to be there but couldn’t be there. My hope is that they’ll bypass the virus, come out of there and be just fine.”

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More than 100 veterans who died from the virus have been buried at the national cemetery in Salisbury.

[ROLL CALL: The VA invites you to honor and remember the following veterans for their service to this nation]

Second patient at NC State Veterans Home in Salisbury dies from COVID-19 Second patient at NC State Veterans Home in Salisbury dies from COVID-19

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