Photo By Samuel King Jr. | Guests and family members gather to look at the memorial wall after the 53rd Annual...... read more read more
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EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Dressed in the bright whites, deep blues and dense blacks of their service uniforms, Airmen, Marines, Sailors and Soldiers returned this year to honor and remember their fallen explosive ordnance disposal brethren May 7.
The annual memorial ceremony, in its 53rd year, took place with military and community leadership, invited guests and the EOD community at the Kauffman EOD Training Complex here.
For the first time in many years, no new names were added to the Memorial Wall, however a new Remembrance Garden debuted as an expansion to the hallowed grounds. The new area has several benches surrounding a bomb-suited EOD warrior statue clutching an American flag. The garden leads to a tree-covered pathway that directs visitors to the Memorial Wall.
The schoolhouse’s commander, Navy Capt. Steven Beall, welcomed guests and explained why they return to the memorial on the first Saturday of May each year. This Saturday is designated National EOD Day.
“We pause today to honor the 343 men and women enshrined on the wall in front of us,” said Beall. “As we reflect on their selfless service, we pay tribute to them.”
Rear Adm. Joseph Diguardo, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command commander and EOD officer, spoke about tyranny and oppression in current and past conflicts and specifically about what means to remember.
“Take this weekend to genuinely and often reach out to each other with your stories about those on the wall and each other,” Diguardo said. “That’s how we remember, and we are blessed to do so.”
Each year, a wreath is placed in front of each branch of service's list of names before they are read aloud. Each list is completed with the phrase “We remember,” and the names simultaneously saluted by an enlisted and officer EOD member.
The ceremony concluded with an honor guard rifle volley and the playing of Taps. Afterward, families and EOD technicians both past and present descended upon the Wall for pictures, to touch the engraved brass name or just remember a fallen hero.
| Date Taken: | 05.10.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 05.10.2022 09:59 |
| Story ID: | 420335 |
| Location: | EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 145 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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