Sitka 43 Airmen remembered in memorial unveiling

  • Published
  • By David Bedard
  • Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (AFNS) --  Air Force officials along with actor Gary Sinise unveiled the Sitka 43 Memorial during a ceremony Sept. 16 here to honor four Airmen who died in an aircraft accident July 28.

Mr. Sinise unveiled a scale C-17 Globemaster III, the centerpiece of the memorial, in memory of Maj. Aaron Malone, Maj. Michael Freyholtz, Capt. Jeffrey Hill and Senior Master Sgt. Thomas Cicardo in front of family members and 517th Airlift Squadron and 249th Airlift Squadron Airmen. 

Before the unveiling, Lt. Col. Patrick Weeks, the 517th AS commander, detailed the significance of the memorial.

"The model that we're going to unveil today is a celebration of the guys that we lost back on 28 July at 6:23 in the evening," Colonel Weeks said. "We all knew them very well. They were friends of ours. They were fathers, they were brothers, they were husbands and they were fellow Airmen.

"This is a celebration for us and why?" he asked. "Because every time you and I are going to walk down these stairs and walk up these stairs, you're going to see this model."

Accompanying the C-17 in the stairwell is a C-12 Huron, another scale model of the small turboprop aircraft operated by the 517th AS.

Colonel Weeks said a plaque will be installed at the landing overlooking the two models, commemorating the four aviators in words.

At the conclusion of his remarks, Colonel Weeks had a request for all of those in attendance.

"Remember these guys for what they did yesterday, remember them today and remember them tomorrow," he said. "That's what I want for each and every one of you."