The funeral of a Northeast Georgia soldier killed in the line of duty in Iraq will be held this afternoon.
25-year old Jason Harkins was killed along with five other servicemen May sixth after their military vehicle struck a roadside bomb near Baqouba.
While in Iraq, Harkins exchanged a few letters with Pastor Alan Morris of Concord Baptist Church in Clermont. In one letter, Morris says Harkins wrote, "you’ve called me a hero, we don’t see ourselves as heroes...we are just ordinary people called on to do extraordinary things.”
Once, Harkins reportedly entered the line of fire and pulled a soldier to safety. He also had a bullet lodged in his helmet during a shootout with Iraqi insurgents. For his heroism, the Army has told the family Harkins will receive the military’s Bronze star for valor.
The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. at Concord Baptist Church. The White County Chamber of Commerce has asked local businesses to close for an hour at 2:45 p.m. to allow employees to pay public tribute as a the procession makes the 11 mile trip to a Cleveland Cemetery.
Harkins is believed to be the first White County resident to be killed in the Iraq war.
