Utah Marine laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery

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SALT LAKE CITY – A Utah Marine was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery Friday, with flags lowered to half staff in his honor.

Utahns are remembering Marine Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover.

Officials at the Utah State Capitol lowered the flags Friday morning.

Gov. Spencer Cox asked all state government buildings to also lower flags.

A viewing was held in Hoover’s honor at Arlington National Cemetery Thursday night.

Hoover served five tours of duty and earned multiple medals and awards for his service.

Many of his Marine counterparts saw Hoover as a father figure.

Family and friends held a local memorial Saturday at the Hillcrest High School field, where Hoover played football.

People who attended the service said they wanted to celebrate Hoover’s life.

They wanted to show how he worked tirelessly to help others even as many were scrambling to leave Afghanistan.

“To get as many women and children to safety, he wouldn’t eat, he wouldn’t sleep. He stayed up and told his lieutenant, ‘I have to get back out there,'” Nicole Wiess, Hoover’s fiancé, said at the service.

He had spent many long hours in Afghanistan, helping people get through to leave the country.

Marine Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover was laid to rest Friday in Arlington National Cemetery.

The burial of Marine Staff Sergeant Taylor Hoover, from Sandy, is happening now at @ArlingtonNatl. pic.twitter.com/7zDShYBnYL

— Alex Cabrero (@KSL_AlexCabrero) September 24, 2021