Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Kimberly Hill | A mural depicting three women in flight suits hangs on the wall at Mather Armory,...... read more read more
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SACRAMENTO, Calif.— Three paintings adorn a crowded wall filled with awards, certificates, and framed photographs on the drill floor of an Army National Guard armory at Mather airfield.
At first glance, the paintings seem out of place against the camo greens, wooden plaques and the yellowing paper of past awards and certificates.
Their colors instead, are muted, and the brush strokes are soft. The paintings depict individual women on an abstract background, their hands reaching up toward something unseen. The juxtaposition of these paintings amidst the traditional military accolades draw the casual observer's eye to a plaque centered at the bottom of the three.
After 30 years, the paintings may have aged with the passing of time, but the words encased in glass immortalize the selfless sacrifice and service of three Soldiers, cementing their place on the wall.
This mural was created in memory of the three Guard women who lost their lives during Desert Storm on 13 May 1991, in LA TAZ, Honduras.
The figures “reaching for the light” represent:
SSG Linda Simonds
CPT Sashai Dawn
1LT Vicki Boyd
During this period of time, their unit the 126th Medical Company, Air Ambulance was attached to the 1st Support Bn from Fort Bliss, Texas."
Sgt. Maj. Doris Drennan (Ret)
In the middle of the night, thousands of miles away from home, the three Soldiers received a mission to medevac an ill active duty Soldier. Dawn, an aviation officer, piloted the Bell UH-1H while Boyd served as co-pilot. They were joined by Simonds, a medic.
On May 13, 1991, they successfully picked up the injured Soldier. Tragically, on their way to take him for medical treatment, the helicopter crashed against a mountain, killing the three Cal Guard members. The sick Soldier survived and was later airlifted by another helicopter to safety.
Dawn, Simonds, and Boyd were all deployed with the 126th Medical Company, Air Ambulance (now known as C Company, 1-126th Aviation Regiment, General Support Aviation Battalion) in 1991 to Fort Sam Houston in support of Operation Desert Storm. They were filling in for an active duty company that deployed to the middle east. They were reassigned to Soto Cano Air Base, near Comayagua, Honduras in April of that year.
The cause of the crash was found to be an accident, due to night time flying conditions in difficult terrain.
During their memorial service in Sacramento, Col. Jerry H. Coad, the chief of chaplains for the California National Guard at the time, noted that Boyd, Simonds, and Dawn would be the only Cal Guard service members to pass during operations in Desert Storm.
“In our minds, these are direct casualties from the conflict in the Persian Gulf,” said Coad, eulogizing at their memorial service.
All three Soldiers were Sacramento natives, and an estimated 400 people attended the memorial, including the California Governor, Pete Wilson. Each was eulogized by a friend, and three pairs of flight helmets and boots were placed among flowers and candles that decorated the alter.
"They were our best," Wilson said. "They were magnificent Soldiers."
https://www.nationalguard.mil/Resources/Archives/The-On-Guard/FileId/63089/
| Date Taken: | 05.26.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 05.26.2022 12:10 |
| Story ID: | 421605 |
| Location: | SACRAMENTO, CA, US |
| Hometown: | SACRAMENTO, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 151 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Behind the mural, by SFC Kimberly Hill, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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