EOD Marines honor fallen comrades with memorial wall

Photo By Heather Johnson | Marines with Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, completed a memorial wall Feb. 25, to honor fellow Marines from the company who were killed while serving in the line of duty.  

OKINAWA, JAPAN

03.04.2011

Story by Lance Cpl. Heather Johnson 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

OKINAWA, Japan - Marines with Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, put the finishing touches on a memorial wall to honor members of the unit who lost their lives in combat five years ago.

The idea for the wall, which stands in the company’s office in Building 2446 here, began in 2006 when EOD Marines were killed in the line of duty. The Marines put the idea to action six months ago and completed the memorial Feb. 25.

“The wall is a memorial for Marines of this company who were killed in combat action or in the line of duty as an EOD technician,” said Master Gunnery Sgt. Michael C. Sharp, staff non-commissioned officer-in-charge for EOD Company. “As of now, there are five technicians being remembered.”

The memorial was created to remind Marines of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice serving their country, according to Sharp. It is a statement to the Marines of the unit that their work is important and the Marines who worked alongside those who were killed will never forget them, he said.

The wall consists of five display boxes containing the Marines’ biographies, awards, identification tags and photos.

“This field has always been about … very tight relationships with other [EOD] technicians,” said Sharp. “When we had Marines killed in the line of duty, the Marines here wanted to have something simple, respectful and dignified to remember their friends.”

This is the only EOD wall memorial on island, however it is not the only one in the Corps.

“There are several other EOD memorials,” commented Sharp. “This one is specifically for the Marines of this unit. Other units have memorials that remember every EOD technician killed in the line of duty.”

One such EOD memorial is located at Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal in Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. which identifies each EOD technician from every service who have been killed while in combat, said Sgt. Joseph S. Fiermonte, an EOD technician and assistant team leader with EOD Company.

“Every time I walk by the wall I am reminded of our EOD [technicians] currently operating in theater,” said Fiermonte. “To me, the wall honors those who have given all to protect personnel or property, which is our primary mission as EOD technicians.”

According to Fiermonte and Sharp, the Marines in the unit feel very strongly about what and who the wall represents.

“I think the wall is a very respectful memorial to the Marines we sent to combat zones. They gave all and we are not able to give back to them – but not to remember them and their sacrifice would be disgraceful,” said Sharp. “I believe the wall is a statement that the EOD community is small and the members of that community will always do our best to represent and honor our brothers and sisters in the field.”

• Date Taken: 03.04.2011
• Date Posted: 03.04.2011 02:28
• Story ID: 66453
• Location: OKINAWA, JP