Cpl. Stephen Peter Nemec

Cpl. Nemec was a member of Company A, 1st Battalion 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, and was engaged in heavy fighting against the Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces (CPVF) at Turtle Head’s Bend, near the village of Unsan, North Korea. Sadly, he died during the battle.

Visitation for Cpl. Nemec will be held on Monday, July 1, 2019 from 6 to 8 p.m. which will be preceded by a brief ceremony at 5:30 p.m. wherein he will be awarded the Purple Heart.

On Tuesday, July 2, 2019, a funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. at the Cotten Funeral Home Chapel to honor his life and legacy of service to our Great Nation. Cpl. Nemec will then be laid to rest at New Bern National Cemetery with full military honors. Because he loved motorcycles, any individuals or groups with motorcycles are invited to escort his procession – please line up at Cotten Funeral Home.

An “Avenue of Flags” is also being organized to welcome the procession for Cpl. Nemec to the New Bern National Cemetery and volunteers are needed to hold flags along the procession route on National Avenue. Anyone wishing to participate in the “Avenue of Flags” event are asked to meet and park no later than 10 a.m. at Ruth’s Chapel FWB Church, 2709 Oaks Road, New Bern, due to limited parking at the cemetery. Shuttle service will be provided from the church to the cemetery and back once the ceremony at the cemetery has concluded. Staff members will be on hand to provide flags and complimentary bottles of water. Special thanks to Bill Rust and A. Thompson Flags and Flagpoles for lending the flags to be used for this occasion.

Today, 7,663 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. Using modern technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously returned by North Korean officials or recovered from North Korea by American recovery teams. Nemec’s name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, along with the others who are missing from the Korean War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

May we never forget this American Hero and the price that he has paid for the cause of freedom and liberty.

Cotten Funeral Home & Crematory is honored to serve the family of Cpl. Nemec.