Chad Vollmer laid to rest

GRAND RAPIDS -- U.S. Army Sgt. Chad Vollmer, a Grand Rapids resident killed Dec. 23 while serving on a combat mission in Iraq, was laid to rest today.

Military officers presented his parents, Sandy and Terry Vollmer, with his Bronze Star for bravery and a Purple Heart. They also presented the parents with American flags, including one that had draped his casket.

"We are here to honor the life and memory of a favorite son, loving brother, a good friend and an American soldier, Chad Vollmer," Major Timothy Mattison, an Army chaplain, told those who gathered at Calvary Church in Grand Rapids.

The family, which includes his sister, Heather, was joined by other relatives, friends and numerous soldiers.

The Michigan National Honor Guard provide military honors. Flags flew all around the church, while Honor Guard members stood at attention. The Patriot Guard, a group of veterans who rode in on motorcycles, held flags outside the church.

Sgt. Vollmer, 24, was a graduate of Grand Rapids Central High School. An Army specialist, he was among three Michigan soldiers killed by an improvised roadside bomb in Salman Pak, Iraq. Pfc. Wilson A. Algrim, 21, of Howell, and Pvt. Bobby Mejia II, 20, of Saginaw, were also killed. They were all assigned to the First Battalion, 125th Infantry in Big Rapids.

Military officials recalled his love for freedom and his country, and described him as a leader in the face of horror in Iraq. His family said he loved wanted to serve his country. He had served six years with the Army National Guard.

From the Press

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