Around 8:10 yesterday (Saturday) morning several Deputies from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s office along with a Trooper from the Georgia State Patrol as well as several motorcycles, escorted the family of fallen soldier Sgt. William Allmon from their home in the Pennville community through downtown Summerville on their way to the Russell Regional Airfield in Rome to receive the body of the soldier who was killed April 12^th in an attack in Iraq.  According to official military sources, the soldier died last Saturday in Baghdad of wounds received when his vehicle encountered improvised explosive device. Sgt. Allmon was assigned to the 1st battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, and 3rd Infantry Division, of Ft. Stewart and served as a combat engineer…Allmon had been in Iraq, this 2nd time since May of 2007 and was scheduled to return home this summer.  His wife Jennifer, a 3-year-old son Damien, a stepson Jason, all of Chattooga County, survives him.

The escort from Chattooga County went past veterans and persons from the community who wished to show their support that had gathered in front of the Chattooga County Courthouse on Commerce Street.  Around 10:15 the body of Sgt. Allmon left the Rome Airport on its way to a Floyd County Mortuary.  There were cars lined up and down Highway 27 in the Armuchee area showing their support for the family of the soldier.  Rome City Police, Floyd County Police, Chattooga County Deputies, Georgia State Patrolmen, a Rome Fire Truck and an ambulance and over 20 motorcycles, many with American Flags, led the procession from the airport.