Local man lays wreath at Tomb of Unknown Soldier
Photo Provided From left, back row, Matt Sandy and Ben Sandy. Front row, Jeff Sandy, sister Laurie Sandy Martin and a sergeant of the Honor Guard.
Photo Provided From left, Jeff Sandy, wife Renee Sandy, son Matt Sandy with wife Abbie and child Evie Sandy, son Ben Sandy, sister Laurie Sandy Martin, Ben and Jessica’s son Beckett Sandy, Ben’s wife Jessica and sister Tina Sandy Peter.
Photo Provided An Honor Guardsman, left, carries the wreath while accompanied by a U.S. Army bugler.
Photo Provided From left, back row, Matt Sandy and Ben Sandy. Front row, Jeff Sandy, sister Laurie Sandy Martin and a sergeant of the Honor Guard.
Photo Provided From left, Jeff Sandy, wife Renee Sandy, son Matt Sandy with wife Abbie and child Evie Sandy, son Ben Sandy, sister Laurie Sandy Martin, Ben and Jessica’s son Beckett Sandy, Ben’s wife Jessica and sister Tina Sandy Peter.
Photo Provided An Honor Guardsman, left, carries the wreath while accompanied by a U.S. Army bugler.
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ARLINGTON, Va. - A Wood County man and his family participated in a wreath-laying ceremony in a solemn act of remembrance and national tribute at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery.
Jeff Sandy was accompanied by his family that included his wife Renee Sandy, his sisters Tina Sandy Peter and Laurie Sandy Martin, his sons Benjamin with his wife Jessica and Matt Sandy with his wife Abby and his grandchildren Beckett, Evie and Milo.
The wreath was dedicated to Gerald E. Sandy, Sandy's father, who landed at Utah Beach during World War II with the 80th Infantry Division, 317th Regiment, Company K, known as the Blue Ridge Mountain Division, under Gen. George Patton.
It was an emotional event, Sandy said. The significance of the moment became more apparent when a member of the Honor Guard came to escort the family to the tomb, he said.
"I felt my dad's presence when I walked down those steps," Sandy said.
Gerald E. Sandy fought in the major campaigns from France and into Germany, including the Battle of Bulge, Sandy said. He marched into Germany before being ordered to Austria, Sandy said.
His father was among only 27 soldiers out of the original 195 in the division, not including several thousand replacements, who returned from the war, Sandy said.
"And he never talked about it," Sandy said.
Sandy was recommended by Bernie Lyons, a local veterans advocate and retired U.S. Marine.
"If there's anyone who has earned an honor like that it was him," Lyons said.
Lyons participated in a wreathing laying ceremony the year before in July 2025 and knows of the emotions Sandy had.
"I know how he felt," Lyons said.
Sandy said the family is grateful to Lyons and Bill Kaemmer, executive director of the Four Chaplains Foundation, for recommending the family.
Sandy presented each member of the Honor Guard a West Virginia Department of Homeland Security Challenge Coin designed by Michael Cutlip. The coins were provided by Homeland Security Secretary Michael T. Baylous, Sandy, who was secretary of Homeland Security under former governor Jim Justice, said.
Sandy also has been honored with the Four Chaplains Foundation Bronze Medallion, the Distinguished Mountaineer Award, the U.S. Treasury Honor Award and the U.S. Department of Defense Iraqi Achievement Medal.
While at Arlington National Cemetery, the family also paid its respects at the grave of Air Force veteran and beloved Marshall University supporter Dan Kimsey of Wood County.