SHAWANO, WI- A solemn funeral service and burial for Private Herbert E. McLaughlin, a Shawano native and the city’s first World War II casualty, was held on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Woodlawn Cemetery in Shawano.
Honors and Procession
The event was a deeply ceremonial occasion, reflecting the reverence typically reserved for Arlington burials. It featured a horse-drawn caisson procession from Swedberg Funeral Home down Fifth Street, accompanied by a riderless horse, U.S. Army pallbearers, and full military honors including Taps and the presentation of the American flag.
Community and State Recognition
Flags across Wisconsin flew at half-staff that day, following a proclamation by Governor Tony Evers, honoring McLaughlin’s ultimate sacrifice.
Homecoming and Legacy
McLaughlin’s remains had returned home days earlier on August 6, ushered in by a solemn escort past the VFW Post 2723 and community members. Since December 2024, his identity had been confirmed through DNA analysis, allowing this long-overdue tribute. The flag that was on his casket and his purple heart will be displayed at the Herbert E. McLaughlin VFW Post.
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