Family and friends gathered Monday to say goodbye and thank you to a Pittsburg County soldier who died while on active duty in Alaska.
Army Sgt. Miles Tarron died in Anchorage, Alaska on Nov. 28 and received a dignified transfer to McAlester on Dec. 14 with many people lining Carl Albert Parkway to pay their respects as the procession passed through the city.
Terren Anderson, who officiated Tarron’s memorial service at Life Church in McAlester, said he watched the procession with pride and honor
“This past Tuesday, when the citizens of this great community lined the streets to welcome home one of our own fallen in the line of duty, I stood holding my American flag with such pride and honor,” Anderson said. “As I watched, my eyes filled with tears. The honor was real. The pain and sadness is real. The feeling of community longing to show care and to show love and show support is definitely real.”
Anderson said after he received word of Tarron’s passing, he flashed back to the first time he met Tarron 25 years ago when he was only 5 years old.
“Then a young 5-year-old redhead boy that was so full of life and so full of energy,” Anderson said. “A boy surrounded by family and friends, and he was loved so very much as you can see by the number of people here today.
“He was a special kid, and he became a special man, and he will always remain a special person to each and every one of us for so many different reasons.”
Tarron was a specialist in chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons with the 6th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska, the Army said.
He joined the Army in October 2016 and trained at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and Fort Bragg, North Carolina, before deploying to Afghanistan from September 2017 to March 2018 and to Kuwait from January to May 2020 while stationed at Fort Bragg, the Army said.
His awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal with “C” device, the Army Commendation Medal, two awards of the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Parachutist Badge and the Combat Action Badge.
Tarron was laid to rest at Choate Prairie Cemetery in Indianola with full military honors.
He is survived by his wife, Ryann, and two children, Calleigh and Clayton. He is also survived by his father Michael Tarron; his mother Angie Gardner Miller and stepfather J. Michael Miller; a step-father Jim Marcum. His father-in-law/mother-in-law Russell and Pam Uselton and mother-in-law Robyn Laughlin. Brothers Gunner Tarron, Reed Marcum and Jaxon Tarron; sister Sydney Tarron; and step-brother Mason Miller.
Tarron’s family said in lieu of flowers, for donations to be made to the Cohen Veterans Network or the Military Veteran Project #22ADAY.
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