Posted at: 07/28/2009 6:16 AM
By: Becky Nahm

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Funeral Held for Olivia Soldier

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The Patriot Guard, along with community members and mourners, all holding flags, lined the streets of Bird Island Monday in honor of fallen soldier Spc. James Wertish.

His funeral was held in the small town located near his hometown of Olivia.

Wertish, 20, was one of three Minnesota soldiers killed July 16 in Iraq.

To mark his sacrifice some planted American Flags in the lawn in front of St. Mary's Catholic Church, including his friend, Kristina Gass.

Gass said, "I came to pay my respects. It's the only thing I can do, and he deserves it."

The Patriot Guard, a group that sends motorcyclists to military funerals to serve as an honor guard, unfurled larger flags and lined the funeral procession route.

People who knew Wertish well said he was a fan of stock car racing, enjoyed working on his family's farm and wanted to become a police officer. His dreams of working in law enforcement led him to join the military.

Wertish and the men with whom he died, Spc. Dan Drevnick and Spc. Carlos Wilcox, were all members of the Stillwater-based 34th Military Police Company, part of the 34th Infantry Division known as the Red Bulls.

The families of each soldier have attended the funerals of the other two.

A friend of the Wertish family, Joe Kelly said, "I think they're doing incredibly well. It's a very strong family with a great support system around them--their extended family, friends, the whole community supporting them."

The Rev. George Schmit urged Wertish's parents to hang on to their faith.

Schmit says Wertish "raised a little hell now and then," but "deep down in his heart were the values and virtues that guided his life."

Wertish was buried Monday in Olivia.

A funeral was held Saturday for Drevnick, who was from Woodbury. He was buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.

Hundreds of people attended Wilcox's funeral Friday in Cottage Grove. He'll be buried Tuesday in Indiana, next to his father.

The Associated Press Contributed to this report.