Over 1,000 Strangers Attend Funeral of Vietnam War Veteran Peter Turnpu

More than 1,000 people attended the funeral service for Peter Turnpu, an Army veteran with no known family.

Over 1,000 strangers, including many veterans, attended Peter Turnpu’s funeral in New Jersey.
Credit: philly.com

Peter Turnpu, 77, served during the Vietnam War. He died of natural causes alone in his home on December 9 in Waterford, New Jersey. According to a story on philly.com, Turnpu lived alone and had few acquaintances. He was married, but he and his wife divorced in 1980 and the couple had no children.

Upon Turnpu’s death, a police officer reached out to LeRoy P. Wooster, owner of LeRoy Wooster Funeral Home, and asked if he could help out with a funeral. Wooster agreed and donated his time to secure a casket and to transport Turnpu’s remains to the cemetery.

Wooster was intent on giving Turnpu a legitimate funeral. He placed a notice in a local newspaper to try and locate possible family members in the area. Then, Wooster took to the social media realm to try and recruit members of the public who might want to attend.

Wooster’s campaign was a success, to say the least. The funeral announcement went viral on Twitter and Facebook. Hundreds of condolence messages were posted online, and turnout to Peter Turnpu’s funeral was astonishing.

Veterans of all ages came to salute and pay their respect to one of their brothers, a member of their military family. The commonality of service to their country formed the bond between them.

“This is my brother,” said retired Army Sgt. Jose Burgos, 52, of Flemington, New Jersey, who was wounded in combat in Iraq. “It’s a brotherhood.”

People from across the spectrum came to pay their respects. Camden County Freeholder William Moen showed up, as well as 13-year-old Aidan Peterson, who attended the funeral to play “Taps.” Retired Air Force Chaplain Rev. Rochelle Coles said she decided to come because, “We have a saying in the military that we don’t leave a troop behind.”

Military Funeral

Peter Turnpu was honored with a traditional military funeral on January 18. He served in Vietnam from 1964 — 1966 and was honorably discharged, ensuring his eligibility for a proper military funeral.

Peter Turnpu as an elderly and young man.
Credit: philly.com

A hearse brought Turnpu’s casket to the burial grounds of the Brigadier General William C. Doyle Memorial Cemetery where the service was held. An honor guard stood at attention and pallbearers removed the casket that was draped with an American flag from the hearse. Veterans saluted the casket as it passed by.

A military chaplain officiated the service, and a retired Army captain sang “The Caissons Go Rolling Along.” Two honor guards eventually folded the flag and handed it to Tom Engkilterra, the regional coordinator of the National League of POW/MIA families.

Wooster decided the flag should go to Engkilterra because Peter Turnpu has no known family. Engkilterra plans to showcase the flag in his home and share Turnpu’s story.

“He’s part of my family now,” he said. “It’s a mind-blowing honor to receive it.”
A lengthy procession of mourners filed by Turnpu’s casket to pay their final respects after the flag was removed. Salutes and tears flowed steadily before the casket was taken to its burial ground.

A story like this really tugs at the heart strings and makes you realize how tight-knit the military family is. It’s amazing that over 1,000 strangers decided to attend an Army veteran’s funeral to showcase their respect for the members of our nation’s military.

Peter Turnpu’s funeral also displays the power that social media has in today’s world. This event was able to grow like it did because messages can be spread far and wide online, reaching countless people. For all its pitfalls, social media certainly contributed to a wonderful thing in this instance.