Courtesy Photo | Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond (right), commanding general of 4th Infantry Division and...... read more read more
By Staff Sgt. Brock Jones
Multi-National Division-Baghdad Public Affairs Office
CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq – A quiet reverence hung over the Division Chapel Feb. 3 as the 4th Infantry Division and Multi-National Division – Baghdad end-of-tour memorial plaque was dedicated and unveiled in memory of the Soldiers who gave their lives during the division's 15-month deployment to Baghdad.
The names of 94 Soldiers – engraved in gold letters on small, black plates – line the wooden plaque as a reminder of the cost in lives that war requires of those willing to do their duty, even when it means paying the ultimate sacrifice.
"These men and women did not fight for glory but to fulfill a duty," said Lt. Col. James Carter, a native of Monroeville, Ala., who serves as division chaplain, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B, and was the master of ceremonies during the memorial. "They did not yearn to be heroes; they yearned to see mom and dad again. They yearned to hold their sweethearts.
"They yearned to see their sons and daughters grow up. They enjoyed the daily miracle of freedom that is ours in America but yet they gave up those comforts – they gave up that lifestyle – to come here to pay the ultimate sacrifice, to serve and to sacrifice for our nation, to defend our freedoms and to provide something here – a sense of hope, a sense of purpose – for the people of Iraq."
These Soldiers' deaths and the lives they led before their final sacrifice provide direction and inspiration for service members who continue serving without their colleagues and friends.
"You can't see anything right here but there are 94 souls here with us," said Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond, a native of Hattiesburg, Miss., commanding general of 4th Inf. Div., MND-B. "I can hear them, and here's what they're telling us: Love more; love better. That's all: Love more; love better. They can never be replaced, but we as individuals, men and women of character and moral courage, we can bring them back to life always with us by loving more and loving just a little bit better."
Carter talked briefly about understanding the deaths of these faithful Soldiers and then offered a prayer dedicating the plaque in the name of God to their memory, pleading that it help remind those who see it of the sacrifices behind the names.
"Tonight, we raise this memorial plaque to stand as a reminder of their courage and sacrifice. May it stand as a lasting and living symbol, Lord, truly a living symbol of their love for us and devotion for their country. May it stand for everyone to see the commitment and sacrifice beyond the call of duty," he said in the prayer.
After the prayer of dedication, Hammond and Carter removed the black drape covering the plaque, the gold names glinting in the chapel's light.
At the end of the ceremony, all in attendance were invited to come forward and render honors to the fallen, symbolized by a helmet perched on the butt of a rifle, boots and identification tags, and then to pass by the memorial plaque as they exited the chapel. As the congregation took turns offering tribute to the fallen, they did so in best way each of them could – some Soldiers touched names on the plaque, others bowed their heads in prayer or remembrance, and still others passed by with little more than a nod or a pained glance as they walked past the memorial and out the door.
"We've done so many of these [memorials]. You think it gets easier, but it doesn't. Each one I go to there's a sadness in my heart," said Master Sgt. Billy Arnold, a native of Turlock, Calif., who serves as non-commissioned officer in charge, division chaplain's office, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B. "Some things you get used to but this is one thing you cannot get used to – going to a memorial ceremony or even a funeral. Each one is still difficult no matter what."
The memorial ceremony comes days before the official transfer of authority marking the end of the 4th Inf. Div.'s 15-month tour to Baghdad and the beginning of another deployment for 1st Cavalry Division, which will take over responsibility for Baghdad and the surrounding province.
One can only hope when a similar memorial dedication ceremony occurs within a year that 1st Cav. Div. and MND-B will have even fewer names to remember in golden engravings.
| Date Taken: | 02.05.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 02.05.2009 04:08 |
| Story ID: | 29664 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 314 |
| Downloads: | 290 |
This work, Multi-National Division-Baghdad Soldiers gather to remember, dedicate memorial to fallen, by MSG Brock Jones, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT