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Soldier's Body Returned For Funeral

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 6, 2008

ZEPHYRHILLS - Sgt. Brandon Bucknor drove 1,400 miles to say goodbye to his friend.

Bucknor, his wife, Dominique, and dozens of others gathered at Zephyrhills Municipal Airport on Monday to greet the body of Sgt. Marcus Mathes, killed last week by a mortar attack in Baghdad.

The Bucknors drove from Fort Sill, Okla., as soon as they learned Mathes, 26, was killed.

"Me and Marcus were in different units, and we joined at different times, but we were in the Army together, so there was always that brotherhood," said Brandon Bucknor, who knew Mathes since high school.

A visitation was Monday night at Hodges Funeral Home in Dade City. The funeral is at noon today at Calvary Assembly of God on the U.S. 98 Bypass in Dade City.

Mathes' body was flown from Dover, Del., on a charter jet that landed about noon Monday.

As a group of skydivers descended in the background, the jet rolled beneath an arc made by water cannons.

As his casket was lowered from the gleaming jet, Mathes' widow, Julia, 24, was comforted by family.

Geoff Fox

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