A western Massachusetts soldier who died last month off the coast of Japan will be buried Wednesday.
Air Force Staff Sergeant Jake Galliher died when the Osprey aircraft he was flying in crashed. He was 24 years old and grew up in Pittsfield.
His body arrived at Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee last Friday, greeted by emergency responders from the Berkshires, as well as U.S. Rep. Richard Neal and Gov. Maura Healey.
Healey said it was important to remember the sacrifices members of the military and their families make, especially during the holidays.
"It's a time of year of a lot of reflection, a lot of celebration. It's a time of year where families typically will gather together and to me it just drives home the fact that there families here in Massachusetts, including the Galliher family, who will have an empty seat around the table," Healey said.
Galliher had a wife and two young children.
A wake is scheduled for 2-6 p.m. Tuesday and funeral at 11 a.m. Wednesday — both at St. Agnes Catholic Community in Dalton. A private burial will follow.
“Our hearts are filled with love and loss as we honor our beloved Jacob today and tomorrow," Galliher's family said in a statement. "The way he has been honored since his tragic loss means so much to his family and we know will help his young children better understand the lasting impact their Dad had on everyone he met. We will love and honor Jacob, always.”
