Come out to welcome home 1st Lt. Krogman

When Vietnam veterans returned home from active duty they were not greeted with parades or “thank-yous’ or even a “welcome home.”

At the time, anti-war sentiment was taken out on those who served this great country.

Next week on Monday and Wednesday we can change all that and welcome home one of Worland’s own, U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Alva Ray Krogman of the 504th Tactical Air Support Squadron. Most everyone knows the story, Krogman was shot down over Ban Kok Mak, Laos on January 17, 1967. Krogman was initially listed as missing in action and later listed as killed in action. In July 2020, Krogman’s remains, which were located in 2019, were officially identified.

On Monday, Krogman comes to Worland and on Wednesday he will find his final resting place by his parents at Riverview Memorial Gardens.

Krogman’s remains will be flown into to Billings and an escort of Patriot Guard Riders, law enforcement and anyone else who wants will be escorting him from Billings back to Worland to Bryant Funeral Home.

The estimated time for the escort to be in Worland is 5:20 p.m. Everyone is invited and encouraged to line the streets along 10th Street and Big Horn Avenue from 10th to Bryant Funeral Home to welcome 1st Lt. Alva Ray Krogman home.

This is a chance to honor one of our own, a soldier from Worland, from Wyoming, who paid the ultimate sacrifice, fighting for freedom for others. This is also a chance to pay tribute to all those who came home without a welcome or a thank you.

This is our chance to say thank you for your service, thank you for a job well done.

Wednesday there will be a viewing from 9-11 a.m. at the Worland Middle School Auditorium and a short service at 11 a.m.

If you cannot attend, you are asked again to line Big Horn Avenue to honor Mr. Krogman as the funeral procession makes its way to Riverview Memorial Gardens for the graveside service with full military honors.

You are also welcome to attend the service at the cemetery and a luncheon at the fairgrounds.

As we honor Lt. Krogman let us not forget that according to the U.S. Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, there are more than 1,500 Americans who remain unaccounted for from the Vietnam War, and the U.S. continues its decades-long partnership with the Vietnamese government to find and bring missing military members home.

With so much division in our country, let’s make next week about unity, and with one unified, loud and resounding voice say:

“WELCOME HOME Lt. Krogman, and THANK YOU to you and all of your other fallen comrades.”

--Karla Pomeroy