Approximately 500 people ventured to the EOD Memorial Wall this year, as six new names were added to the engraved lists that now contains 326 people.
The schoolhouse’s commander, Navy Capt. Charles Andrews, welcomed the EOD technicians, family, and community to the ceremony and explained why they were drawn back to memorial each year.
“The nation will always need individuals willing to fight for a cause greater than themselves,” he said. “Today we pay tribute to 326 EOD technicians who gave the ultimate sacrifice and we pay respect to their families.”
Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. John Richardson, the ceremony’s guest speaker, shared heartfelt sentiments to the families of fallen technicians in attendance. He recounted the heartbreaking stories behind each of the new Soldiers’ and Sailors’ names added this year.
He related the words of the EOD technicians’ ethos to each of the new fallen servicemembers to be memorialized and how they lived and died fulfilling that oath.
“No force has continually displayed the qualities of its ethos, courage, bravery, sacrifice, love of humanity and humility more than the men and women of the EOD community,” he said. “The names memorialized here welcome home of their brothers. They are the guardians of our sacred freedom.”
Each year, a wreath is placed in front of each branch of service’s list of names before they are read aloud. After each list is completed with the phrase “We remember,” and the names are saluted by an enlisted and officer EOD member.
The families of the EOD technicians added to the wall each year receive a folded flag that was flown over the memorial.
The names added this year to the Memorial Wall were:
Army Master Sgt. Biddle Izard Jr., Army Tech. Sgt. James Eberle, Senior Chief Petty Officer Scott Dayton, Chief Petty Officer Jason Finan, Ensign Charles Grice Sr., and Seaman Robert Burr.
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.
Article and photos by Samuel King Jr., Team Eglin Public Affairs
