Navy Seabees construct monument for own fallen

Photo By Sgt. Wesley Landrum | The memorial in honor of fallen Seabees was the idea of Senior Chief Petty Officer James Cochran, Navy Mobile Construction Battalion 14. It was unveiled during a ceremony at Camp Moreell, Kuwait, May 5.  

KUWAIT

05.23.2008

Story by Spc. Wesley Landrum 

50th Public Affairs Detachment

By Wesley Landrum
50th Public Affairs Detachment

KUWAIT - More than 150 Seabees from the different bases in Kuwait attended the ceremony.

Also in attendance was Capt. Ricky Richards, Camp Moreell's commanding officer and Rear Adm. Rich Cellon, 1st Construction Division commander. Cellon said the statue is a reminder that freedom is not free.

"It's no surprise to anybody here that since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Seabees have made significant contributions in the war-fight," Cellon said. "Camp Moreell is an appropriate place to unveil this memorial as every Seabee unit that comes into and out of this theater of operations passes through Camp Moreell and will get an opportunity to see the memorial and reflect upon it."

Petty Officer 2nd Class Aisha Hullett, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 74, said the ceremony was a great way to honor the fallen. She said the fallen sacrificed themselves for something they believed in, however, their deaths hit close to home too.

"When you know people or know people who know people, you realize how much you're affected by their passing," the personnel specialist from Montgomery, Ala., said.
The statue was the idea of Senior Chief Petty Officer James Cochran, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 14. Seven of the 14 fallen heroes were from his battalion. He said the earlier memorial did not do the fallen Seabees justice.

"There was a small wall of pictures that did not say anything – it just had their names and pictures on it," Cochran said. "We thought it needed something to remember them. It was deserving of more, I thought."

As each name of the fallen was called out, a bell rang twice for each Seabee. Even though the Seabees fell in Iraq, the memorial was held in Kuwait. The reason was because the small camp located next to the Army's life support Area – Kuwait camp is the starting and ending point for all Seabees in the theater. Hullett said this way all who come through Camp Moreell will know and remember the memories of the fallen.

"Every battalion that passes through won't forget the sacrifices made by these Seabees," she said.

Hullett said a ceremony like the one held for the fallen Seabees is important because it keeps the fallen's memories alive. More importantly, she added, it is a reminder that their friends lived.

"We're celebrating their lives. It's important, even after people have passed on, that we don't forget who they are, what they meant to us and the sacrifice they made," Hullett said. "When we wake up, we don't know what's going to happen or take place and moments like that should not be taken lightly. We must go on and celebrate their lives, celebrate their Families and remind ourselves of the reason we're here."

• Date Taken: 05.23.2008
• Date Posted: 05.23.2008 03:53
• Story ID: 19725
• Location: KW