Posted on Dec 6, 2015
Did hear about the National Guard dedicating a memorial to fallen soldiers?
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http://www.stripes.com/news/us/national-guard-dedicates-memorial-to-fallen-soldiers-1.382332
Did hear about the National Guard dedicating a memorial to fallen soldiers?
The memorial features a helmet, boots and rifle forming a “soldiers cross” or Battle Cross. A plaque identifies it as the Harley-Rabon-Dillon Memorial, and reads: “Dedicated in honor of these men and all American Warriors who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.”
U.S. Army Sgt. Raymond Henry vividly remembers the blast from an enemy improvised explosive device that picked him up and tossed him from behind his .50 caliber machine gun, clear of his gun turret, during a patrol in Afghanistan, on Oct. 1, 2010.
As forceful as the blast was, though, it wasn’t the toughest blow dealt to him that day.
The same explosion took the lives of two comrades – Staff Sgt. Willie Harley, of Aiken, and U.S. Army Sgt. Luther “Will” Rabon, of Lexington.
Henry said that he could still feel the blast as he wiped tears from his eyes Saturday morning while speaking of Harley, who he called his friend and mentor, and as his unit – the 1221st Route Clearance Engineering Company of the South Carolina Army National Guard – dedicated a Fallen Soldier Memorial at the Graniteville Armory to the memories of Harley, Rabon and former unit member and U.S. Marine Cpl. Matthew Dillon, who died in Iraq in 2006.
Did hear about the National Guard dedicating a memorial to fallen soldiers?
The memorial features a helmet, boots and rifle forming a “soldiers cross” or Battle Cross. A plaque identifies it as the Harley-Rabon-Dillon Memorial, and reads: “Dedicated in honor of these men and all American Warriors who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.”
U.S. Army Sgt. Raymond Henry vividly remembers the blast from an enemy improvised explosive device that picked him up and tossed him from behind his .50 caliber machine gun, clear of his gun turret, during a patrol in Afghanistan, on Oct. 1, 2010.
As forceful as the blast was, though, it wasn’t the toughest blow dealt to him that day.
The same explosion took the lives of two comrades – Staff Sgt. Willie Harley, of Aiken, and U.S. Army Sgt. Luther “Will” Rabon, of Lexington.
Henry said that he could still feel the blast as he wiped tears from his eyes Saturday morning while speaking of Harley, who he called his friend and mentor, and as his unit – the 1221st Route Clearance Engineering Company of the South Carolina Army National Guard – dedicated a Fallen Soldier Memorial at the Graniteville Armory to the memories of Harley, Rabon and former unit member and U.S. Marine Cpl. Matthew Dillon, who died in Iraq in 2006.
Memorial
Honor
Fallen Soldiers
Edited 7 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 22
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COL Mikel J. Burroughs I did not hear about the National Guard dedicating a memorial to fallen soldiers from Afghanistan [OEF] and Iraq [OIF]. I think that there are a vast number of memorials to fallen soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines in this nation - many from the Civil War, with some from WWI and most from WWII and others for those killed in Vietnam and Korea.
I am thankful that there are many areas of this nation which still honor our war dead and hopefully there are many areas which actually honor our veterans from all wars.
I am thankful that there are many areas of this nation which still honor our war dead and hopefully there are many areas which actually honor our veterans from all wars.
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SGT Joe Downs
In Hamblen County, Tennessee, (Home to TWO Medal of Honor awardees) there is a brick obelisk surrounded by benches and the US Colors and all the other Service Colors on separate standards. These memorial bricks HONOR those from the Revolutionary War through OIF/OEF/Enduring Freedom. Plenty of WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Cold War, Desert Storm, Iraq, Afghanistan and beyond. Purchase is either fifty or one-hundred dollars dependent on size of brick requested. Not a lot of unengraved bricks left as of now. Tennessee has always "Volunteered" when history needed, and WE ALWAYS WILL. Eight miles away in the Mossy Creek Historical District in adjoining Jefferson County, Tennessee is another Veterans Brick Memorial Walkway, co-located to the Pavillion with the names of many Veterans of all wars/conflicts. We also have Veteran Memorial gardens co-located in the local Memorial Gardens/Cemetaries with grave spaces FREE to all Honorably Discharged Veterans. I can't speak of other States and Territories; (Other than Arlington) but here is Eastern Tennessee WE NEVER FORGET and WE ALWAYS HONOR the sacrifices. "Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it". This We'll Defend, Semper Fi, Semper Paratus, Fly High and Anchors Away to all my Brethren. Su Casa, Me Casa to all who find the way to my door.................. WELCOME HOME, Brother!
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COL Mikel J. Burroughs - Mikel; Strangers will only know what friends remember and memorialize.
Good for those soldiers.
Good for those soldiers.
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Awesome! There shouldn't be any responses from the religious idiots since it doesn't look like a cross, and it IS NOT a religious memorial... (keeping my fingers crossed) It would seem the planners for this memorial actually did their homework. I think this one will be there for a while!
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