Friends, comrades and Family Members of five 10th Mountain Division (LI) Soldiers gathered under overcast skies July 28 in Memorial Park to honor the memory of their departed warriors who died in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
"Abraham Lincoln once told our country, 'Any nation that does not honor its heroes, will not long endure,'" said Lt. Col. Robert Urquhart, rear detachment commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 10th Mountain Division (LI), and guest speaker during the Mountain Remembrance ceremony. "That is our purpose today, to honor American heroes."
The five fallen Soldiers were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Kenneth R. White, a tactical operations officer, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Bradley J. Gaudet, a pilot in command, both with 1st Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade; Cpl. Preston J. Dennis, an infantryman, and Pfc. John C. Johnson, an ammunition bearer and grenadier, both with 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team; and Pfc. Brian J. Backus, a combat medic with 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team.
Other fallen 10th Mountain Division (LI) warriors recognized during the ceremony were Staff Sgt. Michael J. Garcia, Sgt. Christopher P. Soderlund, Spc. Richard C. Emmons III and Spc. Nicholas P. Bernier, who were assigned to 4th Brigade Combat Team. These four Soldiers were honored during a ceremony at their home station in Fort Polk, La.
After the invocation, a chaplain who served alongside White in Afghanistan paid tribute to the fallen aviator, calling him not only one of the "proudest and most skilled" OH-58 Kiowa pilots, but also a mentor and "father figure" who deeply cared about others.
"(White) was truly the best that America and the United States Army had to offer," said Capt. Seung-il Suh, 1-10 Aviation chaplain.
"Ken's passion for his job and care for his fellow Soldiers were exceeded only by his love for his Family," Suh said. "He dearly loved his wife, Sarah, and his three children, Alita, Natalie and Seth."
The chaplain then recalled a conversation during their deployment together that gave him a glimpse into White's genuine feelings for his Family.
"I remember seeing his face just light up as he was talking about you guys," he said. "Actually, it was not just talking " it was boasting about you.
"I will never forget Ken's heroism and sacrifice," he concluded. "I forever will miss his kind and enduring presence. Climb to Glory. Fly to Glory. Strike at Night."
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Adam Rickert, 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, said he first met Gaudet at flight school in Fort Rucker, Ala.
Whether playing a prank, sitting at a poker table or performing a tough flight maneuver, Gaudet was a driven individual known for playing hard and working hard, Rickert said.
"Brad was always looking for the next challenge," he said.
One challenge Gaudet overcame this spring while in Afghanistan was returning to his wife, Ginny, just in time for the birth of their second daughter, Addyson.
"When Brad went on R&R;leave, he was boasting that he was so excited to have a baby," Rickert said. "He attributed his success as an Army aviator and officer to his supporting and loving Family. They were what drove him to meet the challenges of each new day.
"He had a spring in his step that was contagious," he continued. "He had the ability to lighten up our day with his excitement and his stories.
"Brad was a great example of a father and a husband whom we should all strive to emulate," Rickert said in closing. "Brad was a great friend. I'm a better man for knowing him. (He) will be missed, but he will be with us by the impressions he has left upon us. He will never be forgotten."
First Sgt. Jason Stamers, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, then walked to the lectern and paid tribute to both Dennis and Johnson.
Of Dennis, the first sergeant said even though the young infantryman had the option of staying home with his wife, Heather, he chose to deploy.
"To some, this decision may be a surprise," Stamers said. "But for Cpl. Dennis, it was a no-brainer to deploy on time with his squad and team " to make sure they maintained cohesiveness and camaraderie from Fort Drum to the uncertainties of war in Afghanistan."
Stamers also called Dennis an "outstanding leader" with an excellent work ethic.
"(He) always chose the hard right instead of the easy wrong," he noted.
In honoring Johnson, Stamers first recalled how the private's name seemed to always be the first one offered up by his platoon sergeant.
"I actually had to tell the platoon sergeant that Johnson needed a break, because he was on way too many (details)," Stamers said. "He was chosen not because he was a bad Soldier, but because of his work ethic and his ability to motivate the other younger Soldiers to complete the task given to them."
With difficulty, Stamers then recalled May 27.
"I needed a driver for a routine trip to the (forward operating base), and of course Johnson's name was given for this task. This was his last task, and like other tasks given to him previously, he performed it flawlessly.
"It was an honor to know, and to be with, him during the final moments of his life," he said.
Master Sgt. Chad Vangorder, 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, was the last tribute speaker to walk up and stand before the crowd.
"Pfc. Brian Backus was a true hero in every sense of the word," Vangorder said. "As a combat medic, it was Backus' call to duty to treat others wounded in the line of fire while enduring the violence of actions surrounding him on a regular basis."
In a letter read by Vangorder, Lt. Col. Gregory Anderson, 2-87 Infantry commander, also honored Backus as a medic who could "heal other Soldiers' emotional and spiritual pain by his infectious friendliness and loyalty to others."
"His smile and bright blue eyes," Vangorder read, "his jokes, his energy and enthusiasm for life, were in some ways better medicine for us than what came out of his aid bag."
After the tributes, the ceremony's guest speaker acknowledged Gold Star Families in attendance and paid tribute to the five fallen Soldiers on behalf of the division's leaders.
"Today we honor our fallen Soldiers, professional warriors, superior leaders, sons, fathers, husbands, friends " American heroes," Urquhart said. "We reflect on their courage and commitment. In our hearts, we know that it is our solemn obligation to these fallen Soldiers to honor them and their Families for their sacrifices.
"It is important for us to come together at a time like this, to reflect on their accomplishments, to remember their acts of selfless service to our nation, our way of life, and the contributions to our unit and mission in Afghanistan," he said. "Their service to our country will never be forgotten.
"They are the epitome of selfless Americans who served not for reward, but for the love of their country and its way of life," Urquhart continued. "Although we mourn their loss, it is in fact to honor them that we will continue to defeat our nation’s enemies.
"We must continue the fight; freedom must prevail," he concluded. "To each of you here today, you have my personal commitment that as long as I breathe the air of this earth, I will tell our heroes' stories."
Attendees were asked to stand in the still and muggy air as the ceremony concluded with the playing of taps, a moment of silence and the benediction.
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