Fallen Chicago Marine Honored, Mourned
UPDATED 03/09/12 10:19 a.m.
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A fallen American hero arrived home in the West Beverly neighborhood Friday morning, after a procession from Midway International Airport.
As WBBM Newsradio's Bernie Tafoya reports, U.S. Marine Cpl. Conner Lowry was killed on Thursday of last week while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, the U.S. Department of Defense said.
After the plane carrying his body landed at Midway, there was a procession from the airport to St. John Fisher Church, at 10234 S. Washtenaw Ave. in the West Beverly neighborhood, where Lowry's funeral will be held on Saturday.
On the way to the church, the procession stopped at Brother Rice High School, 10001 S. Pulaski Rd., where Lowry graduated in 2006. A Marine honor guard stood at attention, and hundreds of people who lined Pulaski Road stood silently – many of them waving American flags and holding their hands over their hearts – as Brother Rice senior James Habisohn played taps.
"Normally, people that are friends with him can't pay their respects as much as they want to, but I felt I got a better chance to pay my respects," Habisohn said.
Afterward, there was a touching, teary-eyed moment, as Lowry's mother and sister got out of a limousine and hugged a couple of people, including Habisohn.
Meanwhile, the Chicago Police Marine Corps League was also present Brother Rice with a check for $25,000 to start a scholarship in Lowry's memory.
