The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

State News

November 13, 2009

Thousands turn out to honor slain West Virginia soldier

MOUNDSVILLE — A fallen soldier is back home.

Twenty-five-year-old Spec. Julian Berisford of Benwood died Nov. 4 after an attack in Afghanistan.

His body was flown back to the Wheeling-Ohio County Airport on Thursday.

Thousands of people turned out, many standing along Route 2 from Wheeling to Moundsville with flags to honor the 2002 graduate of John Marshall High School.

Some were students who had left their classrooms.

Berisford is survived by a wife and an 11-month-old daughter. He’d been married less than three years.

Berisford joined the Army in February 2007 and became a specialist in the 509th Infantry.

He was deployed to Afghanistan in March, and he was serving his first tour of duty when he was killed.

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