Dunedin fallen soldier Zack Shannon returns home on Monday.
Spc. Zack Shannon, 21, is one of five soldiers who died when their helicopter went down during a night vision operation in Kandahar, Afghanistan on March 11.
Supporters are invited to line Pinehurst Road on Monday to honor Zack's service and sacrifice as he drives past Dunedin High School one last time between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., Monday, March 25. A horse-drawn military caisson carries him to his final resting place at Dunedin Cemetery on Wednesday.
Dunedin High is closed Monday, but the parking lot will be open, city officials said Thursday.
Zack's remains are scheduled to touch down at MacDill Air Force Base at 10:30 a.m., officials report.
His American flag-draped casket will be met with a full military reception and carried in a roughly 30-mile parade route into Dunedin.
Hillsborough County Sheriffs escort Zack the entire route from MacDill Air Force Base into Dunedin. From the Courtney Campbell Causeway, he will be carried onto McMullen Booth Road, west onto State Road 580, north onto Pinehurst Road so he can be honored as he passes Dunedin High, east onto Michigan Boulevard, north onto County Road 1, east onto Curlew Road and ending at Curlew Hills Memory Gardens.
The family returned from meeting Zack's remains upon their arrival on U.S. soil at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to get plans underway for his burial and memorial services late March 14.
Zack, the youngest of four military brothers, spent four years in the Navy JROTC program at Dunedin High in preparation for his brief Army career as a UH-60 Blackhawk mechanic.
A public Celebration of Life for Zack Shannon is planned between noon and 6 p.m. on Sunday, March 24, at VFW Post 2550. It is open to friends and family for capacity limits.
His funeral on Wednesday is a private ceremony.
Previous Coverage:
- 'Celebration of Life' Set for Dunedin Soldier Zack Shannon
- Soldier's Family Speaks: Shannon Willing to Go in Another's Place
Editor's Note (added Friday, March 22 at 1:40 p.m.): To show proper respect for a fallen U.S. service member during a diginfied escort, drivers should turn on their headlights, pull over, get out of the car and stand at attention placing hand over heart in silence. Uniformed U.S. service members who are wearing cover (their hat) should salute.
Sign up for the free Dunedin Patch email newsletter to stay connected to your community.
