Photo By Sgt. Justice McDonald | A Gold Star family member kneels to honor Sgt 1st Class Jeremiah Johnson during the...... read more read more
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Fort Bragg, N.C. – Soldiers across the Fort Bragg Special Operations community convened at the new headquarters of 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) on November 7th to pay tribute to the unit’s fallen Soldiers in a rededication ceremony of the Group’s Memorial Walk. In an intimate ceremony just before Veterans Day, hundreds of Soldiers, civilians, and Gold Star families gathered in front of the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) headquarters, marking the beginning of a new era in remembrance of the fallen.
The Memorial Walk traces its history back to 2010 when a 17-year-old Boy Scout, aspiring to earn the Scouts’ highest rank, helped raise $40,000 to lay 28 stones in honor of Soldiers from 3rd Special Force Group (Airborne) who paid the ultimate sacrifice to their nation during the War of Terror. Jacob Netzel was inspired by his father, a member of 3rd Special Force Group (Airborne), to honor the fallen Soldiers of his father’s unit in what became permanent reminder of the cost of freedom.
Since it’s 2010 creation, Soldiers of 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) have borne the responsibility of adding 33 more stones to site, honoring 61 heroes who never made it home. Today, the granite stones, decorated with small mementos from their brothers in arms, bear their names of the brave and the weight carried by those who honor their legacy.
“Today’s rededication is not just a ceremony, it is our pledge that these names, these lives, and these sacrifices will never be forgotten” expressed Col. Shane Jones, Deputy Commanding Officer of 3rd Special Force Group (Airborne) during the somber ceremony. “They came from different places and backgrounds, but all were bound by the same oath, the same mission, and the same unbreakable bond.”
With the support of the Jedburgh Foundation, a nonprofit organization of veterans united by shared spirit and purpose, member of the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) meticulously removed the memorial stones from the Group’s previous headquarters, marking the beginning of the memorial’s transition. Over five weeks, the stones were removed, cleaned, refurbished, and laid in the memorial’s new home.
Marked with lights, modest landscaping, and an American flag that stands tall over the memorial, 61 stones lie in silence, honoring the men who defended the American values with their life. Through service and sacrifice, members of the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) continue to honor their legacy, ensuring their lives are never forgotten.
| Date Taken: | 11.10.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.14.2025 14:46 |
| Story ID: | 551128 |
| Location: | FORT LIBERTY, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 15 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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