Veteran Honors Military by Restoring Neglected Headstones: ‘We Need to Bring Them Back’

A veteran in Pinellas County, Florida, has embarked on a special mission to visit cemeteries and give back to military members.

Sixty-three-year-old Ron Knudsen restores headstones of American soldiers and began the project a year ago when he saw a video about the process, Bay News 9 reported Friday.

In the video titled “WWII Airman Killed In Action Over Germany 1944 Gets Clean Veteran Headstone by Memorial Day 2021,” a man showed viewers how to properly clean the stones.

Many of them were blackened due to the elements and in dire need of care, but when the process was finished, the color had been restored and the name was more clearly seen:

“I enjoy working in the cemetery,” he explained, adding, “It’s quiet and peaceful and there’s history here, a lot of history here.”

Knudsen served in the United States Army and National Guard and commented how he was surprised so many headstones were neglected and in need of care.

He hopes to ensure not one more soldier is forgotten.

“I’ll be working on one tombstone and then I’ll hit something next to it and it’ll be another veteran buried there and it’s so buried you can’t see it,” he stated. “And to me, it’s like a forgotten individual. We need to bring them back.”

Knudsen works as a part-time maintenance technician and puts what he earns toward purchasing cleaning supplies for the headstone project.

In addition, he buys small American flags for every one of the soldiers and although it is costly, Knudsen told Bay News 9 it was worth every penny.