Preston soldier’s remains return home with Honorable Transfer Ceremony

<strong>LOGAN—</strong>Hundreds of people showed up at the Logan Regional Airport Wednesday morning to show support as the body of U.S. Army Spc. Cody O. Moosman from Preston arrived around 10 a.m. and was turned over to the family during an Honorable Transfer Ceremony.

Along with a large gathering of family members and friends, dozens of Patriot Guard Riders showed up to honor the fallen soldier. After the plane finished taxying, members of the Patriot Guard lined each side of the plane with flags.

Family spokesman, Col. Tim Marsano who is the Public Affairs Officer for the Idaho National Guard, said the Honorable Transfer Ceremony is “a very solemn and emotional event.”

“The honorable transfer ceremony is steeped in tradition, you’re going to be seeing some of that here today with our National Guard Honor Guard taking the lead on providing the dignity and respect that the remains of Specialist Moosman deserve,” Marsano said. “It’s very, very important that it’s done right, and we work very hard to make sure that happens.”

After the casket was unloaded from the plane, members of the immediate family walked out to it, huddled around it, and officially accepted Moosman’s remains from the military. Following that, members of the Idaho National Guard Honor Guard moved the casket to the Hearse for transport.

“In Idaho, the Idaho National Guard works very close with the army because we don’t have an active duty military installation in the state of Idaho to do the things that the army normally would do,” Marsano said. “We are the people that provide the family with the initial notification, we assign a casualty assistance officer. My role as a public affairs officer is to assist the family with the media as they’ve chosen to do.”

The 24-year-old Moosman was killed in Afghanistan on July 3, when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire. He had joined the military when he was 22, and reached the rank of Private First Class before being posthumously promoted to Specialist.

“With the posthumous promotion that Specialist Moosman received, it’s got to be shown that he died under very honorable and extraordinary circumstances, which he did,” Marsano said. “It’s the way of showing the family the honor that this fallen soldier deserves.”

Moosman’s remains were transported from the airport to the Webb Funeral Home in Preston. The funeral procession was led by law enforcement officers from both Utah and Idaho, and was accompanied by the Patriot Guard Riders, whose motto is “Standing for those who stood for us.”

Viewings for the public will be held on July 12 from 6-8 p.m. at the Webb Mortuary, and July 13 from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the LDS North Stake Center located at 310 N. State Street in Preston. The funeral is scheduled for Friday immediately following the viewing at 11 a.m.

“What stands out in my mind about Specialist Moosman is the great honor that he received from his community and his family. From all accounts, he was very, very well loved from everybody that knew him,” Marsano said. “I speak to people here in Logan that knew him back in high school, and they have only fantastic things to say about him. It’s a very, very sad day for the Moosman family.” 

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