4th Infantry Div. Honors Fallen

Thousands Honor Loved Ones
At Iron Horse Memorial

By U.S. Army Sgt. Greg Heath / 4th Public Affairs Detachment

FORT HOOD, Texas, Sept. 9, 2004 — Soldiers of the 4th Infantry Division and hundreds of family members gathered Thursday for a memorial dedication ceremony on Fort Hood's Sadowski Field to honor and remember the division's 81 soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq while serving as part of Task Force Iron Horse.

The Task Force Iron Horse Memorial contains plaques bearing the names of the 75 men and six women Task Force Iron Horse soldiers who died during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The memorial also includes a bronze statue of a soldier mourning the loss of a fallen comrade, while a small Iraqi girl gently places her hand on his shoulder.

“This memorial was created to honor those who have given their lives to protect their nation, their family, and our way of life,” said division commander Maj. Gen. J.D. Thurman, to the thousands gathered around the memorial.

During the ceremony, Thurman paid tribute to those Iron Horse soldiers who lost their lives and the families who were left behind.

“The Soldiers we remember today fought to protect their families, just as surely as if they had stopped an attacker on their front porch at home, ” Thurman said. “They died for us; we can never repay the debt, we can never thank them or their families enough, we can only remember and thank them for their sacrifice in the face of danger.”

Thurman also spoke of the statue, which serves as the emotional centerpiece of the memorial, and the special meaning behind its creation. While in Iraq, the 4th Infantry Division Command Group commissioned a local artist in Tikrit to build the statue out of bronze that was taken from destroyed statues of Saddam Hussein.

“The statues were blown down, melted, and transformed into a symbol representing the price of freedom paid by our fallen comrades,” Thurman said. “Those we remember today provided the power to bring down a dictator, the fire to destroy the tyranny, and strength to remold a country.”

After the general’s remarks, the names of all 81 soldiers were read aloud, followed by a ceremonial firing of volleys and the playing of taps.


At the end of the ceremony, families and friends of the fallen soldiers made a slow procession past the memorial. As they viewed the memorial, many stopped to share their condolences and memories of their lost ones with each other.

“It’s sad to remember because they were friends of ours, they were like family because we were over there for so long,” said Spc. Celina Cisneros of the division's Company A, 4th Forward Support Battalion, who shared stories about the four friends she lost in Iraq. “I’m proud of everything they did. They’re like heroes to me.”

Ursala Pirtle, who lost her husband, Spc. James Pirtle, a month before their first child was born, took the time at the ceremony to speak to people about her husband’s enduring spirit and memory.

“I will tell our daughter about him, to let her know what an amazing, beautiful man he was,” she said. “I know what he did wasn’t in vain. I know he died for a purpose and good comes out of it, and that really helps us to live with the sorrow (of his loss).”

By U.S. Army Sgt. Greg Heath / 4th Public Affairs Detachment

Sorce: http://www.defendamerica.mil/

[USMC Chuter]

Semper Fi, RIP.

[USMCRET6391]

Every one of our services has men and women who are laying down their lives to protect this nation.....Semper Fi to all who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

[66MP1]

Well said, even though there are five branches of our military, all have lost members in this war and we as a nation should always remember each and every one of them. This is still the greatest nation in the world and it is because of our young men and women in the military.

GOD BLESS THE USA

[Grimmy]

Semper Fi and God Bless all, both fallen and not.

btw, the topic header scared the bejesus outa me..I thought this was gonna be a "news" report about some dishonorable action by the 4th. Glad as hell I read it wrong.

[USMCRET6391]

Originally Posted by Grimmy

Semper Fi and God Bless all, both fallen and not.

btw, the topic header scared the bejesus outa me..I thought this was gonna be a "news" report about some dishonorable action by the 4th. Glad as hell I read it wrong.

LOl I thought the same thing....opened thinking I might be reading about their "Colors" being dropped in the Euphrates or something.

[Grimmy]

Must be some of that "ohh shit!!" reaction Marines often develop eh?

Originally Posted by Grimmy

Semper Fi and God Bless all, both fallen and not.

btw, the topic header scared the bejesus outa me..I thought this was gonna be a "news" report about some dishonorable action by the 4th. Glad as hell I read it wrong.

Now why did the subject line scare the bejesus out of you ? and what makes you think that the most technological Military Unit--the 4th Infantry Division would ever do anything dishonorable.....

Proud to be a 4th Infantry Grunt....

[USMCRET6391]

Originally Posted by SSGMike.Ivy

Now why did the subject line scare the bejesus out of you ? and what makes you think that the most technological Military Unit--the 4th Infantry Division would ever do anything dishonorable.....

Proud to be a 4th Infantry Grunt....

LOL sometimes Marines dont speak english too good

[Grimmy]

SSGTMIKE:

It is exactly because the 4th is recognized as an outstanding unit that the headline did the bejesus thing to me.

Gotta keep in mind that we are constantly barraged by out of context idiocy from a MMotM that has no clue on functional reality.

When I read the header, read to me like some jerkoff MMotM guy was disparaging y'all in some way. 4th Div Honors (have) Fallen. or some such.

Now that I've read the story, the header makes sense tho lol.

btw USMCRET: it's "sumtimes Marines dont talk english too gud".