CAMDENTON - The lake-area soldier who died of a toxin reportedly contracted while in Iraq will be buried with full military honors next to his grandfather Wednesday.
Cindi Neusche said her son Joshua "Josh" Neusche, 20, will be laid to rest in the Buffalo Prairie Cemetery in Montreal following a 2 p.m. service at the Camdenton High School.
Visitation will be Tuesday from 4-8 p.m. at Hedges Funeral Home in Camdenton with the family being present from 6-8 p.m.
Family members say that while their biggest concern has been bringing their son home, they are still not convinced Josh died of complications brought on by pneumonia.
Josh Neusche died July 12 while being transported from a Landstuhl, Germany, hospital for dialysis at a Hamburg, Germany, hospital.
Doctors told the family that Josh, a heavy equipment operator, had been exposed to a toxin in Baghdad. They said it not only attacked his muscle system but also caused his liver and kidneys to fail.
Cindi Neusche said as many as 30-40 other soldiers were rushed to the hospital for treatment of similar symptoms when Josh was first admitted to Landstuhl.
Congressman Ike Skelton's office confirmed he had personally contacted chief officials at the Department of the Army last week in search of answers.
Cindi Neusche and husband Mark say they have a host of questions surrounding the mysterious illness that took their son.
"When we had to wear rubber gloves and suit up just to touch Josh or be in the same room with him we knew something wasn't right; that is not pneumonia," Mark Neusche told the Lake Sun. "If it took our boy in a matter of days how many other of these young soldiers are going to die of it or already have it that we don't know about. We want answers and Josh deserves that we get them."
source: http://www.lakesunleader.com/archives/index.inn?loc=detail&doc=/2003/July/21-717-news5.txt 1aug03
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