Wall of Honor Ceremony

1st Battalion 22nd Infantry

Ceremony at 4th Division Wall of Honor

May 23, 2007

The Wall of Honor

On May 23, 2007, the 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized)
re-dedicated its Wall of Honor at Fort Hood, Texas,
with a ceremony which added bronze plaques
in memory of the Soldiers Killed In Action
during the Division's second deployment to Iraq.

COMMUNITY EFFORTS ENABLE 4TH INF. DIV. TO HONOR ITS FALLEN WARRIORS

Sgt. Michael Molinaro
4th Inf. Div. PAO

FORT HOOD, Texas – On a small patch of hallowed ground next to the 4th Infantry Division headquarters
sits a symbol that serves as a powerful reminder of the commitment to country by those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

During a stirring ceremony Wednesday at Cameron Field, 4th Inf. Div. Soldiers, along with Family members,
friends and comrades of those whose names now grace the memorial’s Wall of Honor,
joined together to rededicate the monument.

“Words alone cannot express the combined emotions we all feel today:
A sense of loss, a sense of patriotic pride, a sense of humility and respect, a sense of honor,”
said Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond, the division’s commanding general.
“Many of us are honored to know and serve with such great Americans.”

The 4th Inf. Div.’s Operation Iraqi Freedom Memorial Monument became part of the division’s lore
September 2, 2004, following the division’s return from Iraq earlier that year, to pay honor to 83 Ivy Division Soldiers,
and a Department of the Army civilian employee, who lost their lives in Iraq.

Upon the division’s return from OIF 05-07, the memorial was expanded to make room
for 235 additional fallen warrior plaques to honor 232 Soldiers and three Marines,
the men and women who did not return home with their fellow comrades
after serving under the Multi-National Division – Baghdad banner, which was spearheaded by the 4th Inf. Div.

photo by Bob Babcock

All Soldiers and Marines are equally honored at the memorial as they are treated with the same respect and dignity
as others in uniform who fell in our country’s past conflicts. An integral part of the addition to the memorial
is the construction of a bench just a few feet away from the wall that enables friends and Family members
to sit and have a place to ponder and reflect about the memory of their heroes.

“Nothing can replace your loss, but know in your soul – your sons and daughters left this earth pursuing freedom
and protecting others,” said Hammond.

During the deployment, Col. Richard Francey, the commander of the 41st Fires Brigade,
who served as the division’s rear detachment commander during OIF 05-07,
was in frequent contact with Lt. Gen. James D. Thurman, the division’s previous commanding general.
Even as the two discussed the day-to-day operations, the memorial project remained a high priority for them.
Francey began to “get a little bit of energy started” with the designs, which were drawn up as early as the fall of 2005,
submitted to Thurman, and then passed along to the post engineers here at Fort Hood for approval.

Once the design was approved and blueprints were drawn up, the fundraising project began.
Numerous individuals and businesses from the community threw their hat into the ring
to make sure the memorial was funded and built with the same dedication
as those whose names would unfortunately be gracing the wall.

The fundraising drive was spearheaded by the 4th Inf. Div. Association, said Lt. Col. Peter Bacon,
deputy commander, 41st Fires Brigade, who served as the division’s rear detachment deputy commander.
The memorial become a reality as a result of the generous contributions from throughout the Killeen community –
from businesses and individuals alike.

The “Shine Team” of Bill and Jean Shine made the rounds, and the good neighbors and their contacts
contributed approximately one-third of the funds themselves, said Bacon.
Chris Sauceda, the president of the 4th Inf. Div. Association, took the lead in publicizing the funding
of the memorial to civic organizations. He designed a web site dedicated to the memorial,
which afforded supporters the opportunity to contribute money toward the project.

The 4th Inf. Div. gift shop advertised the fundraising project and accepted contributions at the shop.
Last, but definitely not least, a number of commanders and units from the Ivy Division
made substantial donations in their endeavors to honor their fallen comrades.

Scott Cospers, a local contractor from Killeen who served as the contractor for the original memorial,
was approached to build the addition, added Bacon. He accepted the job – and donated the labor and materials
to drive down the cost of the project. Additionally, he reached out to his contractor friends in Killeen
and the surrounding communities, who in turn followed his lead and donated further materials and labor.

“It’s a compilation of all of these that brought this memorial to fruition,” said Francey.

The site was designed for little or no monument maintenance, said Bacon.
It is built with stonework and bronze work that can age naturally outside, and the grass around the memorial
will be maintained by the division’s Soldiers. Money left over was specifically earmarked to replace any flaws in the plaques,
such as wrong birth or death dates. The new plaques, however, underwent a stringent review before being purchased.

Although the 4th Inf. Div. headquarters is scheduled to move to Fort Carson, Colo., after its deployment to Iraq later this year,
the memorial will continue to honor the fallen comrades long after the division departs.

“This memorial is a permanent fixture on the Fort Hood installation,” explained Bacon.
“It was paid for by funds from this community – and it will remain with this community.”

A cold reality of being a member of a military Family, whether through marriage, as a child of a Soldier,
or being in the same unit, is that Soldiers inevitably face the possibility of dying in battle
to ensure the nation’s security and constitution. While some may grieve over the loss of a loved one easier than others,
each person does it in his or her own way.

“Closure is not something that sits on a calendar,” said Francey.
“This dedication to American heroes should help families – and the division – continue down the path to closure.”

After the ceremony, Family members and friends spent solemn time alone to walk along the wall
and grace their warriors’ plaques. Some of them laughed – and some cried –
as they reminisced about the fallen and their spirits that still live on.

“This dedication will always be a place of honor to pay our respects to those who have gone before us,”
Hammond said. “But as we move forward from today, let’s remember these men and women fought and died
for us to live in freedom. They wanted their children and our children to grow and live in safety, not in fear.

“So, as we honor their memories today, let their legacy of hope live through all of us.
Let’s follow the example they set for us. Let’s earn what they have given us.”

The 4th Division Honor Guard and Band
await the start of the ceremony

photo by Bob Babcock

1st Battalion 22nd Infantry Soldiers plaques seen in this photo:
2LT Johnny Craver, B Company
SGT Brandon Asbury, E Company 4th SB (Attached to 1-22 Infantry)
2LT Christopher Loudon, C Company

1st Battalion 22nd Infantry Soldier plaque seen in this photo:
PFC Sean Tharp, B Company

photo by Bob Babcock

1st Battalion 22nd Infantry Soldier plaque seen in this photo:
SPC Ronald Gebur, B Company

photo by bob Babcock

1st Battalion 22nd Infantry Soldier plaque seen in this photo:
CPL Bobby West, B Company

photo by Bob Babcock

1st Battalion 22nd Infantry Soldiers plaques seen in this photo:
CPL Russell Culbertson, C Company
CPL Joseph Dumas, C Company
CPL David Unger, C Company

photo by Bob Babcock

1st Battalion 22nd Infantry Soldiers plaques seen in this photo:
SGT Jennifer Hartman, E Company 4th SB (Attached to 1-22 Infantry)
SGT Aaron Smith, C Battery 4-27th FA (Attached to 1-22 Infantry)
CPL Marcus Cain, E Company 4th SB (Attached to 1-22 Infantry)

photo by Bob Babcock

Photo by Bob Babcock

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