3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division pays tribute to their own

By Laura M. Levering (Northwest Guardian)February 3, 2011

3rd Bde. 2
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The military strives to ensure that nobody - military nor civilian - forgets the sacrifices made on and off the battlefield. On Jan. 26, hundreds of 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division Soldiers, friends, families and strangers alike gathered around the Arrowhead Memorial at brigade headquarters to remember and pay tribute to their own.

The names of eight Soldiers who died during the brigade's deployment to Iraq from June 2009 to August 2010 were added to the Arrowhead Brigade Memorial, a 6-foot bronze statue of a Soldier in full battle gear standing atop a granite base inscribed with the names of 104 fallen Soldiers. To some, they were names representing the heavy cost of freedom. For others, they meant more than words could express.

Command Sgt. Maj. Samuel Murphy, 3-2 Inf. Bde., told those attending the rededication ceremony that he regularly passes by the memorial and has seen a wide range of items left behind - letters written by widows keeping their loved ones up to date on the latest in their children's lives, collages of photographs, flowers - all indicators that the fallen have been far from forgotten.

"Some mornings there will be a full beer sitting beside an empty one," Murphy said. "I am sure that there are many nights that other members of this great unit have sat down and had a conversation while drinking a beer with their friend whose name is etched into the stone."

Guest speaker, Command Sgt. Maj. Joseph Dallas of 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, emphasized the importance of the names on the monument represented brave Americans who fought for others' freedom while some of those very people did nothing but sit back and criticize.

"Anyone could talk about what needs to be done, but most won't do anything about it," Dallas said. "To stick it out and endure the hardships during combat when so many in our society look for a reason to quit says a lot about that person's heart and volumes about the support from their families."

Dallas recounted the critical and dangerous 3-2 Inf. operations that led to the eight new names. The brigade's mission was to train Iraqi forces to stand up and be strong enough to fight on their own. It was during a time when not only were Iraqis holding elections, but the U.S. was planning to withdraw forces just months afterward.

"This brigade represented America's resolve to turn Iraq around and permanently break the insurgency," Dallas said. "There was no second chance to get this right."

The Iraqi National Elections happened almost flawlessly, and were viewed worldwide as a success, putting Iraq on the path of self governance. Dallas added that Soldiers weren't the only ones who sacrificed. While they worked with Iraqis around the clock, though separated by thousands of miles, their families took care of the home front.

"They simultaneously care for children, hold a job, serve as the family taxi driver, maid, cook, landscaper, accountant and on and on," he said. "They also live everyday in fear of the knock on the door or the phone call in the middle of night."

Mallory Yauch said she remembered the knock all too well. Mallory's husband, Cpl. William Yauch, was killed when his unit was attacked with a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device June 11, 2010. Accompanied by William's parents, Mallory attended the memorial rededication in hopes of gaining closure.

Surrounded by several of Yount's friends, the ceremony instilled an even greater sense of pride in Mallory for what her husband did on a daily basis.

"I didn't really realize, while he was out there, what all he was doing," she said. "I also didn't realize how many people looked up to him and how many people wanted to see him on a daily basis - and just loved him as a friend."

William's parents, Kurt and Debbie, said they were deeply touched by the service and plan to stay in contact with some of their son's friends.

"All the people he talked about, we can now relate to," Debbie said. "It makes us feel closer in a way."

Laura M. Levering: laura.may.levering@us.army.mil