Soldier is laid to rest with his honor redeemed-Kenneth Wayne Barnes:

They prepared to bury 18 year old Kenneth Wayne Barnes of Amherst Township today--for the secont time in nine years.

For most of those years -- his parents and others believe -- young Barnes lay in Hillcrest Memorial Park on Highway 1 in Augusta, GA --the innocent victim of an ignominious and grisly lie.

Cememtery records identified his Augusta grave -- or what was believed to be his grave -- as that of John H Owens, one time mechanic in Augusta's Marin Marietta Stone Quarry.

But today they were to bury Barnes -- under his real name -- in Amherst Township's Ridge Hill Memorial Park, about two miles southwest of the Evanston Lane trailer home of his grieving parents, Norman and Lillian Barnes. A detachment of 16 soldiers from the 194th Armored Brigade at Fort Knox, KY, was to accompany Barnes' government issued gray casket from William p Hempel's white brick funeral home to the cemetery.

Staff Sgt James R Person was to bark out commands, signalling a seven member firing squad to fire three consecutive volleys in tribute to a former comrade in a arms.

Taps, to be sounded by Tch 4 David L Lester, would echo over Barnes' grave near the white pine tree and the big artifical lake.

And Lt. Maes E Gierlak would present the flag from Barnes' casket to his anguished parents.

The honor of Barnes -- a soldier considered a deserter for all those years he lay in an impostor's grave -- would finally be redeemed.

John H Owens--the quarry mechanic whose body was believed to be buried in the cemetery on Highway 1 -- is now being held in the Richmond county Jail on 4th St in downtown Augusta.

So is his wife Nellie Pearl

Yesterday Owens and his wife, accused of murder of any unknown person, pleased guilty to lesser charges.

Owens, who pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and theft by deception, was sentenced to 30 years in prison and fined $10,000. Mrs Owens drew a 10 year prison term for one count of theft by deception.

The theft charges involved the payment of more than $100,000 by the firm that insured Owens Life.

On Tuesday, Sgt. Robert McMahon who was stationed at Fort Gordon at the same time as Barnes, is scheduled to be taken from the jail to the nine story Augusta Municipal building.

There in a second floor courtroom, he will stand trial before Superior Court Judge Franklin Pierce for the murder of an unknown person.

Unknown--because it cant be proven legally and medically that the body in the Augusta grave is that of young Barnes.

The U.S. Army believes that the body is Barnes.

Lt E.J. Wilhelm, the second ranking officer in the Criminal Identification Divison of the Richard County Sheriff's Office, who investigated the case, is convince it is.

And Barnes' parents are satisfied it is their son.

But the precise demands of the lasw don't allow for speculation, conjecture or near certainty.

That's why Sam Sibley, district attorney of the Augusta Judicial Circuit will simply refer to the alleged victimas 'unknown.'

* * * * * *

Young Barnes became acquainted with the Owens couple and McMahon while he was stationed at Ft. Gordon, GA.

And then, on Nov. 10, 1972, Barnes vanished.

The next day a fire ravaged body was found at the quarry in the burned out 1956 Cadillac belonging to Owen.

And on the following day--Nov 13-- the body of what everbody believed to Owens remains wre taken out to HIghway 1 and buried.

Apparently the body was buried (in the same condition) as it was taken from the care, according to Lt Wilhelm

After making appropriate funeral arrangements, Owens' widow reportedly collected the $104,000 for which her husband's life was insured.

The Army wrote off the missing Barnes as a deserter.

And everbody forgot about the missing soldier.

Everbody except his tortured parents who were convinced that their son was the unjustly disgraced victim of foul play. But no one wanted to listen.

Memories were jogged and interest about the young soldier's fate, were roused last March.

Thats when the disgruntled daughter in law of the Owens family went to law officers and told them they would find JOhn Henry Ownens and his wife Nellie alive and well in Deland, Fl.

Deland police areested the Owens couple on March 16.

Seven days later McMahon--now attached to any Army post in Phoenix--was arrested.

On March 24 the casket in Owens spurious grave was exhumed and taken to the Augusta Crime Labortory where Dr J Byron Dawson, a medical examiner of the Georgia Crime Laboratory conducted an autopsy.

Dr Dawson recovered two 22 caliber lead bullets from the chest of the bodu and noted four moloars remaining in the upper jaw.

There was not much more that could be examined, according to Richmond County Coroner Marvin Woodward.

There was no way in the wold we could identify that body at any time. Woodward said, explaining that it wa destroyed beyond recognition in the fire.

Except or the four molars, the remaining teeth, including the sockets had been bured away Woodward said.

Coroner Woodward is not sure aobut whose remains were in the Augusta grave.

I'm not convinced it is Barnes and I'm not convinced it isn't., is the way he put it.

But the U.S. Army and Lt. Wilhelm and above all Barnes' anguished parents believe it is the young soldier.

Thats why family, friends and other mourners were to gather before the flag draped bir at Hemple's white brick funeral parlor.

Finding comfort--as Bugler Person sounded taps--in knowing that a soldier's honor was at long last redeemed.

06 Nov 1981 , Augusta, GA