Fallen Soldier Honored

Hundreds of people from the Quinlan, Union Valley, West Tawakoni, Cash and Boles area lined State Highway 34 last Thursday in honor of United States Army Specialist Jonathon David Arthur "J.D." Emard.

The young soldier, a 2005 graduate of Boles High School, died of wounds suffered in combat June 4 in Tikrit, Iraq.

The crowd carried homemade signs and American Flags and was comprised of friends, students and teachers of Boles and W. H. Ford high schools.

A chartered Lear jet bearing the casket of Spec. Emard landed at Majors Field in Greenville Thursday morning.

A long line of police cars, fire trucks, Patriot Guard Riders, limousines and private vehicles had to divert from the planned path of Farm-to-Market Road 1570 to SH 34, through the Cash, Boles and Quinlan communities and on to Terrell.

A five-vehicle major accident involving two 18-wheel vehicles and the required landing of a LifeStar helicopter on the SH 34 roadway caused the diversion and slight delay.

However, no one in the crowd seemed to care about the delay and used the time to talk about the young soldier who went to both W. H. Ford and Boles High School. The talkative crowd scrambled to their feet and either held a sign, placed hand over heart, or saluted at 12:15 p.m. as the procession made its way through the Quinlan area.