Huntington soldier's body returns home

HUNTINGTON, Ind. (WANE) - Friends, family and community members lined the streets of Huntington Wednesday morning for Private First Class Chad Clement's "last ride home."

Clements, 26, died while serving in Afghanistan on August 30. 

Clements was killed along with four other soldiers, when their convoy was hit by an improvised explosive advice in the Arghandab River Valley.

Clements had just begun his first deployment with the U.S. Army on August 5. He was based at Fort Carson, CO. He was assigned to the 4th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.

Betty Beady last spoke to her grandson on Saturday, his finals words reminded his grandmother that he will always love her, "We were always close," Beady said. "To me, he was my world."

Clements graduated from Huntington North High School in 2002. He decided to enlist in the Army in the spring of 2009 for financial reasons according to Beady.

Clements' body was scheduled to arrive at the Fort Wayne Air National Guard base Wednesday morning around 9:45 a.m.  His body would be escorted by State Police and Patriot Guard Riders through the streets of Huntington, driving by Clements' home near Memorial Park before arriving at a local funeral home.

Funeral arrangements are expected to be released on Thursday.