Sgt. 1st Class Robert B. Blake Jr passed away at Dorn VA Hospital January 7.

The 72-year-old Viet Nam War veteran’s remains were unclaimed for weeks.

After an exhaustive search for relatives by the Richland County Coroner’s office, it was determined that he had no family to provide funeral arrangements.

Dignity Memorial Funeral Homes and the Patriot Guards Riders stepped up to provide a final salute and a proper burial at the National Cemetery at Fort Jackson.

Dignity has a Homeless Veterans Memorial Burial Program for the casket and hearse.

Patriot Guard Riders and Lexington and Richland County Sheriffs officers provided an escort from Caughman-Harman Funeral Home in Lexington to Fort Jackson Mar. 6.

The procession left Caughman-Harman and a service with full military honors was conducted by the National Cemetery staff.

Patriot Guard is a US based organization which attends and provides escorts for fallen military veterans and 1st responders.

Patriot Guard’s 329,696 members are all volunteers who pay all their own expenses.

Their motto is “Standing for those who stood for us”.

Many of them are veterans themselves and consider it an honor to protect mourners from harassment and fill the ranks at funerals for indigent and homeless veterans.

SFC Blake was born in 1948 and joined the US Army in 1966 where he spent 23 years. He received a Purple Heart, Bronze Star, the Viet Nam Cross of Gallantry, Combat Infantry Badge and Parachute.

Dignity Memorial and the Patriot Guard are willing to provide their service to American veterans and 1st Responders.

William Lynch of local Dignity Memorial Funeral Homes told the Chronicle they have participated multiple times over the past few years.