Soldier Aaron Toppen's body returns home Saturday

MOKENA, Ill. -- Hundreds of people are expected to pay their respects to Aaron Toppen as the soldier's body is escorted from Midway Airport to his hometown of Mokena, Ill.

Toppen was killed during friendly fire in Afghanistan this month.

A military escort will meet the soldier's body at Chicago's Midway International Airport on Saturday at noon. Yellow ribbons were tied to trees along the route, which runs through several southland communities. The procession schedule was released on Friday: From Midway Airport, it will follow Cicero south to 159th Street and then go west to Harlem. At Harlem, the route travels south to 191st Street then west to Wolf Road to Vandenberg Funeral Home, located at 19604 Wolf Road, in Mokena.

Visitation will be held Monday and the funeral is Tuesday at 10 a.m. at Parkview Christian Church the in Orland Park.

Toppen, 19, was one of five American soldiers killed June 9 by friendly fire while on a patrol.

The 2013 Lincoln-Way East High School graduate had his rank upgraded posthumously to private first class. He had previously been awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon and the NATO Medal.