Published: April 10, 2008 09:09 am         

NEW: Ceremony honors fallen soldier 'Matt' Maupin

Funeral tentatively planned April 27 in Cincinnati

PEORIA, Ill. — Hundreds gathered in a Peoria cemetery to remember an Ohio soldier whose remains were found in March in northwest Baghdad, nearly four years after he was missing and reportedly captured.

Staff Sgt. Keith Matthew "Matt" Maupin, who has grandparents, an uncle and other family and friends in Terre Haute, Ind., was part of the Bartonville, Illinois-based 724th Transportation Company.

Maupin was captured in 2004 after his fuel convoy was ambushed west of Baghdad.

Wednesday’s hour-long ceremony was led by retired Sgt. Major Jeffrey Johansen.

He told more than 300 people who attended the service that they shouldn’t let others diminish Maupin and those “who have given the ultimate sacrifice.”

A funeral is tentatively planned for April 27 in Cincinnati.