Remembering Iowa’s Fallen
Mark Roorda (left) along with the Color Guard of the 3654th Maintenance Co. Army National Guard and Patriot Guard representative who all helped with the ceremony
Oskaloosa, Iowa – With the news that Iowa lost yet another of her own, Oskaloosans took the time to remember those who have given all in the global war on terror and that called Iowa their home.
The display itself draws you in as you go from face and name to face and name of the 76 Iowa soldiers who are honored. The traveling display had spent the whole legislative session on display in Des Moines at the capitol.
Oskaloosa Chamber Director Jon Sullivan stated that they put in a request and were then selected to have the display brought to Oskaloosa. “It’s just to honor the 76 Iowa soldiers who have been killed since 9/11”, Sullivan said.
When the ceremony started, Oskaloosa Mayor Dave Krutzfeldt welcomed the group to the ceremony and led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance, with the National Anthem sung by Andrea Dursky and accompanied by Beth Brostrom.
Chief Warrant Officer 4 Mark Roorda stepped forward to speak. “I’m not going to use a microphone, the military kind of taught me pretty good how to use my voice.”
“What is memorial?”, was the question posed by Roorda to those who had gathered. “Mr. Webster and his book said that memorials deserve remembrance. Anything to help preserve the memory of a person or a country.”
“It’s a remembrance of sacrifices made by those who have come before.” Roorda told the crowd gather in center court of Penn Central Mall.
“Former President Truman said once, ‘The debt to the heroic men and women in the service of our country can never be repaid’. So then how do we repay them? We repay them by honoring them; we repay them by remembering; by having a memorial; by never forgetting the sacrifices made by those who have come before.” Roorda told the crowd that this is why memorials, such as this one, are important.
The “Remembering Our Fallen” Traveling Display will be at Penn Central Mall through December 4th, 2011. This is a display well worth going to experience.
A special thanks to all persons involved in bringing this memorial to the people of Iowa.
