Garrett Knoll laid to rest

Hundreds of mourners Friday said a final goodbye to a Huron County Marine killed in Iraq while serving our country.

PFC Garrett Knoll, 23, of Verona died nearly two weeks ago in an explosion near Baghdad. He was killed on one of the bloodiest days for American ground forces since December 2005.

Bad Axe is a closely knit community and the loss hit everyone hard.

Knoll's family didn't want cameras inside Bad Axe High School, his alma mater, and 300-plus people attended the funeral service for the 2001 grad.

Outside, you could see the overwhelming show of support. Dozens of American flags were hoisted by throngs of people who lined the processional route.

Everybody from the Patriot Riders to kids from the elementary and middle schools attended.

At the Verona Township Cemetery, Knoll got military honors from the members of the 82nd Airborne Division.

His grandparents -- the people who raised him -- received the flag that draped his coffin from the Honor Guard.

Knoll's cross country coach said he will remember one of his star athletes.

"I'm going to remember a hard runner," he said.

Knoll liked to fish, hunt and work on automobiles. He attended Ferris State University for three years and then he moved on to attend Baron Institute in Connecticut in 2005.

After graduation he decided to join the Army. His obituary states he loved being a combat medic, soldier and paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division.

He was known as a quiet and polite young man who had a good sense of humor.

From WJRT 12

Related Link:
Garrett C. Knoll dies of 'wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his location'