After 67 years of wondering and waiting, a Toccoa family is finally getting some closure. The remains of Army CPL Terrell J. Fuller will be returned home to Toccoa on August 9th.
Fuller served with the 2nd Infantry Division during the Korean War. In February 1951, his Regiment was supporting Republic of Korea Army attacks against Chinese forces in South Korea. When the Regiment withdrew, Fuller was missing.
The Toccoa native was later reported captured and killed.
In April of this year, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified his remains.
Fuller’s closest living relatives are still in Toccoa. On April 24th, DPAA called to tell them he’d been identified.
“We were all shocked when the call came in,” says Fuller’s great-niece Amy Ramsey Hix. “We were like, even after 67 years of him being missing, it is nice to know that our country is still bringing our soldiers home to their families.”
Hix and her family are now preparing for a long-awaited homecoming.
Patriotic homecoming
The military will fly Fuller’s remains home to Georgia from Hawaii on August 9th. His family will receive his remains during a plane side service at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Fuller’s great-great nephew Will Grafton will serve as a special escort. Grafton is in the Army, stationed at Fort Stewart near Savannah. He’ll accompany his great-great uncle’s remains home to Toccoa along with other family members, a military honor guard, and law enforcement.
The procession will travel up I-85 North through Fulton, Dekalb and Gwinnett counties. It will then continue on GA 985 and 365 North through Hall and Habersham counties before turning onto US 123. From there, the procession will proceed to Acree Davis Funeral Home in Toccoa.
Volunteers are organizing a patriotic roadside welcome on August 9th. They encourage the public to line the route to pay their respects.
The funeral home will host a public visitation with the family from 4-7 p.m. on August 10th. The family will hold a private burial and memorial service at Stephens Memorial Gardens the following day.
The outpouring of community support has touched the family.
“Since April, we have had so many from our local community offer some kind of help,” Hix says. “We would like to thank everyone for everything they are doing and we could never thank them enough for their efforts. It is amazing to see such a small town come together for a hometown hero returning home years after he gave the ultimate sacrifice.”
