As the procession bearing the body of Lance Corporal Ivan Wilson moved through Clearlake on Thursday, law enforcement, military members and veterans offered a respectful salute. Photo by Harold LaBonte.

CLEARLAKE – About 100 local residents, accompanied by dozens of law enforcement officers and veterans, gathered at Austin Park Thursday afternoon to witness the solemn return home of a young Marine who died in Afghanistan last month.

Lance Corporal Ivan Wilson, who died at the age of 22 on July 21 in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan, made his final trip home on Thursday, carried through Clearlake in a motorcade.

Wilson's death in Afghanistan made him the first member of the military from Lake County to die in the current conflict in the Middle East.

The Marine's body was flown from Dover, Delaware to Sacramento, and then brought home with the motorcade escort.

The California Highway Patrol led the motorcade as it passed through the county and the city. The motorcade included fellow Marines and family members, with a small motorcycle escort of Patriot Guard Riders. Immediately following the private vehicles in the motorcade were close to 100 more motorcycles.

Dozens of police, rescue, fire and sheriff's personnel, as well as area veterans groups, members of the Clearlake City Council and seven uniformed Marines were among those who welcomed Wilson home.

Officials had placed two ladder fire engines on either side of the roadway – one from Lakeport Fire Protection District and one from Lake County Fire Protection District – with an American flag draped between them, a color guard standing close by. Nearly two dozen police and fire vehicles lined both sides of Olympic Drive near the Clearlake Police Station, the vehicles' emergency lights turned on.

As the hearse carrying the young Marine's flag-draped casket passed, fellow members of the military, past and present, as well as the many officers and deputies from different agencies offered Wilson a salute.

Once the motorcade passed a special tribute area for the public at Austin Park, it made its way to Lower Lake to Jones and Lewis Funeral Home.

The U.S. flag at Clearlake City Hall and at Austin Park flew at half-staff on Thursday, with Mayor Curt Giambruno asking for a moment of silence at the beginning of that night's City Council meeting.

On Friday, a daylong closed-casket visitation for Wilson will be held at Jones and Lewis Funeral Home, 16140 Main St. in downtown Lower Lake, from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Wilson's funeral will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday at Queen of Peace Catholic Church, 14435 Uhl Ave., in Clearlake. He will be interred at the Lower Lake Cemetery.

Elizabeth Larson contributed to this report.

E-mail Harold LaBonte at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Fellow Marines were on hand to honor Wilson during his final homecoming. Photo by Harold LaBonte.

Patriot Guard Riders escorted the motorcade, which traveled from Sacramento to Lower Lake. Photo by Harold LaBonte.

Lakeport Fire and Lake County Fire Protection Districts had ladder trucks bearing the American flag over the roadway. Photo by Harold LaBonte.

Flags in the city, such as this one at Austin Park, were at half-staff on Thursday. Photo by Harold LaBonte.

Discuss this article on the forums. (0 posts)

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (10)

Subscribe to this comment's feed