By Todd Hatton
Madisonville, KY – Madisonville residents are preparing for the funeral a Hopkins County soldier who died in combat in Iraq.
The Madisonville Messenger reports more than 1,000 miniature American flags had been picked up to display along the route of the funeral procession for Sgt. Williams Patrick Rudd on Wednesday.
Yesterday, Governor Steve Beshear ordered flags at all state buildings to be lowered to half-staff in honor of Rudd.
The 27-year-old Army Ranger died October 5th after soldiers came under small-arms fire in Mosul, Iraq.
Rudd belonged to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Regiment of Fort Benning, Georgia
Visitation began yesterday afternoon at First Baptist Church in Madisonville, where Rudd's funeral will be conducted this morning.