Meaning of Memorial Day hits home for deployed Airmen

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Mareshah Haynes
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) --  Airmen from Balad Air Base, Iraq, gathered to observe Memorial Day, May 26.

The ceremony had personal significance for many Airmen in attendance. The 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing suffered the loss of three of its brothers-in-arms during the first half of 2008 -- Tech. Sgt. Anthony Capra, Staff Sgt. Travis Griffin and Staff Sgt. Christopher Frost. This reality made the meaning of this Memorial Day more poignant for Airmen assigned to the wing.

"Memorial Day here at Balad is not a holiday; it's a day like any of the other 180 I'll spend here," said Senior Master Sgt. William Eaton, 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron explosive ordnance disposal flight superintendent, who is deployed from Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. "However, on this day, I and many others, will visit the [Airman's Memorial] in front of the wing headquarters building and pay silent tribute to friends and comrades whose names are etched on the memorial. It brings into sharp focus the price that has been paid for our continued freedoms. We remember."

The Airman's Memorial bears the names and Air Force specialty code badges of the 44 Airmen assigned to the wing who sacrificed their lives in the name of freedom since 2003. Near it flies the U.S. flag and Iraqi flags. All are illuminated at night.

The ceremony opened with a prayer led by Chaplain (Maj.) Harold Owens, 332nd AEW Chaplain's Office, followed by the national anthem, sung a cappella by Airman 1st Class Mary Tanner, 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron.

The height of the ceremony was the reading of the Roll of Honor -- the list of names of all the Airmen on the memorial and the dates they died.

The Balad Honor Guard rendered honors to fallen Airmen from the 332nd AEW, along with servicemembers from all of the branches of military services from past and present generations. In accordance with military codes, the honor guard rendered a 21-gun salute, a bugler played Taps and then the U.S. flag was lowered to half-staff until noon.

The Airmen in formation, representing the wing's four groups located at Balad, were dismissed in silence to take time to pay their personal respects.

"As our nation remembers the sacrifices of brave men and women in uniform like Travis [Griffin], the professionals of the 732nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron have added motivation to win this war and bring stability and security to this country," said Chief Master Sgt. Daniel Trahan, 732nd ESFS superintendent, who is deployed from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. "It was how he [Sergeant Griffin] approached every mission; his determination rests in each and every defender."


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