By Reid Forgrave
The Cincinnati Enquirer

UNION TWP. - Keith "Matthew'' Maupin's parents smiled, laughed and heartily waved American flags Friday afternoon as the special guests at a Memorial Day parade for veterans at their son's former elementary school.

Carolyn Maupin and Keith Maupin, parents of American prisoner of war Matt Maupin, lead the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance at Willowville Elementary School. (Glenn Hartong photo)

Pfc. Maupin, the 20-year-old soldier who was kidnapped April 9 by Iraqi insurgents, attended these same Memorial Day parades. The tradition at Willowville Elementary dates back 27 years.

Maupin's father, Keith, himself a veteran, wore a camouflage Army hat as he and his wife, Carolyn, led the patriotic parade of hundreds of students and scores of local veterans in the latest event in Clermont County's outpouring of support for American soldiers and veterans.

"When I see the yellow ribbons and all the candles in your windows, I feel another reminder of the troops fighting for our freedom," Carolyn Maupin told the crowd. "Remember: freedom is not free. God bless America."

For the first several weeks after their son's capture, the Maupins stayed out of the spotlight. On the advice of the military, they have steadfastly avoided speaking publicly about their son. But Friday they seemed at ease and among friends at the school, which is a block from where Matt Maupin grew up.

4th grader Elisabeth Hollinden holds a photo of American prisoner of war Matt Maupin as she sings with the Willowville Select Chorus. (Glenn Hartong photo)

As students sat cross-legged in the parking lot in front of a throng of local veterans, second-grader Cypress Hagar read a poem he wrote about being a soldier.

"When I grow up, I want to be a soldier," said 8-year-old Cypress.

"I will serve my country. I don't want my country hurt or my mom or dad to get hurt. I don't want my grandma or anybody else in my family to get hurt. If I die, I will die with pride. I love my country."

The school chorus sang patriotic tunes, and a teacher rang a bell in memory of soldiers who have given their lives. Then two teachers played "Taps".

Bob Arnold, a Navy electrician during the Korean War, sat in the front row next to his grandson, fourth-grader Jacob Arnold.

"Most of these guys who served get a lot of pride out of these veterans' events," said Arnold, 70 of Pierce Township. "I really get a charge out of seeing the American flag go up."

Behind him, a Union Township Fire Department ladder truck had hoisted a huge American flag adorned with yellow ribbons to the top of its ladder.

Timeline

• April 9: Pfc. Matt Maupin's convoy is attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire in Iraq, and Maupin is taken captive. The military declares him missing. He is the first American soldier to be taken captive since the end of major combat operations in May 2003.

• April 12: The military changes the status of Maupin and Sgt. Elmer C. Krause, 40, a Greensboro, N.C. native and also in the Army Reserves' 724th Transportation Company, to "duty status whereabouts unknown." Krause is later found dead.

• April 16: In a video broadcast around the world, Maupin is shown with five of his weapon-toting captors. They say they are holding the 20-year-old in accordance with Islamic law.

• May 2: Thomas Hamill, an American civilian contractor captured at the same time as Maupin, escapes his captors. Hamill had no information about Maupin, the military said.

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E-mail rforgrave@enquirer.com