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Returning Marine honors grandfather

United States Marine Corps Sgt. James Martinez, son of Alfonso and Margaret Martinez of Andreas, places a red flower on top of the grave of his grandfather Erlin W. Wertman, a World War II veteran, at the Zion's Grove Cemetery in West Penn, New Ringgold, only hours after returning home from a seven-month combat tour in Afghanistan. Sgt. Martinez also served a lengthy tour in Iraq in 2003. Shortly after arriving home, Sgt. Martinez, a member of both the Andreas VFW Post 5069 and Schuylkill Carbon Marine Corps League Detachment 626, volunteered his time to be a part of their color guard firing detail during the memorial service held at the Zion's Grove cemetery.

ANDREW LEIBENGUTH/SPECIAL TO THE TIMES NEWS