24th Infantry Division Veterans’ honor fallen Soldiers

Photo By Staff Sgt. Ryan Tatum | Veterans from the 24th Infantry Division take a group photo to show strength and unity during the 24th ID Desert Storm memorial ceremony Feb. 27, 2017 at Fort Stewart, Georgia.  

48555, GA, UNITED STATES

02.28.2017

Story by Spc. Ryan Tatum 

1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division

Veterans from the 24th Infantry Division remember their fallen comrades and add two to the memorial by engraving their names during a ceremony February 27, 2017 at Fort Stewart, Georgia the additional names were engraved on a separate granite slab attached to the memorial wall.

Emotions were high before the ceremony amongst the 24th Infantry Division Veterans. Joy and happiness were the emotions most felt from the Veterans, but the memorial also brought sorrow, grief and healing to honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

James Busby, a Veteran from the 24th Infantry Division who deployed to Desert Storm as a specialist, discussed the ceremony and the special cause that honors all Veterans from the division.

"Today, this is the third annual 24th ID reunion, and the 26th anniversary of Operation Desert Storm is our general cause," said Busby. “This year our focus was on adding an additional two names [to the memorial wall]. Last year we discovered some veterans of the 24ID and they let us know that there were two names missing from our wall,"

As Busby paused to maintain composure, a tear fell as he spokeon why it is important for those two names to be honored.

"That is a big deal!" said Busby. "So for us, our mission for the next 12months was to make those names come here.” “They needed to be in granite. They needed to be with their brothers. They needed to be here for the rest of us to honor their sacrifice to this country and our freedom in what we do and their commitment to that," said Busby.

The names of the two fallen Soldiers, Capt. Jeffery Bnosky and Pfc. Shawnacee Noble from the 5th Engineer Battalion, ID were etched in the granite during the ceremony.

"Not having one of our brothers there…it's breaking our heart," said Busby.

2nd Lt. Stephon W. Jones, combat engineer and a Veteran from the 24th ID, talks about the two-fallen engineers that were honored in the ceremony.

"Capt. Jeffery Bnosky, combat engineer and honored fallen Soldier of the 24th Infantry Division, one of the officers in our [Delta] Company, and he was killed in action. Both him and his wife, just newlyweds, were both deployed at the same time in Operation Desert Storm," said Jones. "He was a very good officer. To know that he was remembered was honorable."

Jones also talked about his Soldier he had the honor to work with.

"Pfc. Shawnacee Noble, combat engineer and honored fallen Soldier of the 24th ID, was my Soldier who wasn't originally assigned to my unit but joined us in the field just before we departed to Iraq," said Jones. "He was a volunteer out of his reserve unit to come fight with us in Operation Desert Storm. Tremendous young man.”

Jones said Noble passed due to an illness.

”He made it all the way through 66 combat missions, 500 earth penetrating weapons (EPW) and numerous sapper missions all the way to the end,” said Jones. "We had already deployed back from combat in Saudi Arabia when he died of a rare virus."

Busby spoke on behalf of the 24th ID Veterans, thanking all personnel that made the ceremony possible.

"We need to thank a lot of people, and it's impossible to name them all," he said "Thanks to the 3rd Infantry Division Commander, Lt. Gen. James E. Rainey and his staff for helping support the 24th ID’s cause. We couldn't have even thought about doing this without the 3ID help."

• Date Taken: 02.28.2017
• Date Posted: 02.28.2017 17:34
• Story ID: 225246
• Location: 48555, GA, US