VFWMI

Corporal Vester Hicks Jr., killed in Korea at 17, laid to rest in Michigan after DNA match Corporal Vester Hicks Jr. was killed during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in December 1950. A DNA match in 2025 finally brought him home.

🇺🇸 THANK YOU — A COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER FOR CPL. VESTER HICKS, JR. 🇺🇸

Today was about one soldier, one family, and one community making sure a promise was finally kept. 🫡🇺🇸

After more than 75 years, Cpl. Vester Hicks, Jr. was finally home. Today, we had the incredible privilege of helping es**rt this young 17-year-old Korean War soldier on the final leg of his journey to his place of rest.

The outpouring of support for Cpl. Hicks and his family was something we will never forget. ❤️🤍💙

On behalf of VFW Post 1136, we want to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who helped make today possible.

🏠🇺🇸 Czopek Funeral Home — Thank you for the extraordinary care, dignity, compassion, and attention you gave Cpl. Hicks and his family throughout his homecoming and final journey. Your team helped bring this entire community together to give him the farewell he deserved.

🚔 Wyandotte Police Department — Thank you for ensuring Cpl. Hicks’ procession departed his hometown safely and with the respect and honor befitting a fallen American soldier.

🚒 Wyandotte Fire Department — Thank you for standing with us and helping our community honor one of its own. 🇺🇸

🚔🇺🇸 Michigan State Police — Thank you for providing the es**rt from the Wyandotte city limits all the way to Great Lakes National Cemetery. Your presence ensured Cpl. Hicks and his family made that final journey safely, respectfully, and with dignity. From the moment you joined the procession until we reached his final resting place, you helped us bring our brother home. 🫡

🇺🇸 Mayor Robert DeSana — Thank you for representing the City of Wyandotte and standing alongside our veterans, our community, and the Hicks family as we welcomed one of Wyandotte’s sons home.

🏛️ Our State Representative — Thank you for being present and helping honor the life, service, and sacrifice of Cpl. Hicks.

🇺🇸 American Legion Post 217 and Wyandotte VFW Post 1136 — Thank you to all of our veterans and members who once again answered the call when it mattered. Different organizations, same mission: honoring those who served before us.

🏍️🇺🇸 And to EVERY RIDER who showed up — THANK YOU.

You came from different Riders groups, different veterans organizations, different communities, and different backgrounds.

But today, none of that mattered.

Today, there was only one mission:

🇺🇸 ES**RT OUR BROTHER HOME. 🇺🇸

The sight and sound of those motorcycles accompanying Cpl. Hicks on his final journey was something his family—and all of us fortunate enough to witness it—will carry with us for a very long time. 🏍️🏍️🏍️🇺🇸

And finally, THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY. ❤️🤍💙

🇺🇸 To every person who stood along Fort Street holding an American flag…

🇺🇸 To every business that proudly displayed the Stars and Stripes…

🫡 To every veteran who stood and rendered a salute as the procession passed…

❤️ To every parent and grandparent who brought their children out to witness what honor, sacrifice, and remembrance look like…

🇺🇸 To everyone who shared our posts, spread the word, helped organize, or simply stopped what they were doing and stood respectfully as Cpl. Hicks passed by…

THANK YOU.

Cpl. Vester Hicks, Jr. left Wyandotte as a 17-year-old soldier more than 75 years ago.

Today, when he left his hometown for the final time, Wyandotte stood for him. Downriver stood for him. Law enforcement stood for him. His fellow veterans stood for him. The Riders stood for him. And his community made damn sure he was not alone. 🇺🇸

That is what these words truly mean:

🇺🇸 NOBODY IS LEFT BEHIND.
🎗️ NOBODY IS FORGOTTEN. 🇺🇸

To the Hicks family, thank you for allowing all of us the tremendous honor of sharing in Cpl. Hicks’ homecoming and final farewell.

And to Cpl. Vester Hicks, Jr.:

🇺🇸 Welcome home, Corporal.
🫡 Rest easy. Your mission is complete.
❤️🤍💙 We had you from here.

🇺🇸🫡🏍️❤️🤍💙

MIA will finally come home to his family.
Comrades:
On September 4, 2026 the remains of Cpl Vester Hicks, Jr
US Army KIA/MIA 12/2/1950 from the Korean War were identified and the family was notified.
He arrived at Detroit Metro Airport on Wed 9/23 at 5:27am. Attending his arrival at Detroit was Past District 4 Commanders Tracy Nagy and Brian Martin with members of VFW Post 1136. He was then moved to Czopek Funeral Home at 2157 Oak St., Wyandotte 48192, telephone 734-285-9000.
On Friday, 9/25, at 10:30 am a veterans memorial service will be conducted by the Downriver Veterans Memorial Team with remarks by the local State Representative and the Mayor of Wyandotte.
He will be es**rted to Great Lakes Natl Cemetery, departing the Funeral Home at 11:00 am for scheduled service and internment at 1:00 pm.
If you are able to attend the service please plan on arrival at GLVANC between 12:30 and 12:45 on Friday. Military honors will be performed by US Army casualty team.
Cpl Hicks' surviving will finally see their long missing uncle returned home to be cradled in the arms of a grateful nation and entrusted to the care of Great Lakes VA National Cemetery.

dpaa-mil.sites.crmforce.mil

MIA will finally come home to his family.
Comrades:
On September 4, 2026 the remains of Cpl Vester Hicks, Jr
US Army KIA/MIA 12/2/1950 from the Korean War were identified and the family was notified.

He will arrive at Detroit Metro Airport on Wed 9/23, Delta Flight 310 at 5:27am. He will then be moved to Czopek Funeral Home at 2157 Oak St., Wyandotte 48192, telephone 734-285-9000.

On Friday, 9/25, at 11:00 am he will be es**rted to Great Lakes Natl Cemetery, for scheduled service and internment at 1:00 pm.

If you are able to attend the service please plan on arrival at GLVANC between 12:30 and 12:45 on Friday. Military honors will be performed by US Army casualty team.

Cpl Hicks' surviving will finally see their long missing uncle returned home to be cradled in the arms of a grateful nation and entrusted to the care of Great Lakes VA National Cemetery.

See the story of Cpl Hicks at the following web link:

dpaa-mil.sites.crmforce.mil