Local military veterans remember that Thursday, September 11, is "Patriots Day," a day to recall the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center complex in New York City. This was the tragic event that led to the war in Afghanistan in which so many American military members suffered and died.
Lane Carson of Covington, president of the St. Tammany Veterans Foundation, Inc., recently stated that the "Remember Our Fallen Heroes" project helps St. Tammany citizens to remember their sacrifices.
"As we observe Patriot Day, September 11, and as an old Vietnam vet, I know how easy it is for the public to want to forget, move on and put some wars behind them," Carson said.
"But we must never forget and always remember our Fallen Heroes who stepped up since 9/11 when 19 terrorists hijacked four American airliners and crashed them into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City along with our Pentagon, which killed 2,977 of our people including our own Lou Williams of Mandeville, Louisiana."
Carson went on to explain that since 9/11, nearly 2 million United States military personnel have been involved in the past 20 years as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, Operation Inherent Resolve and Operation Freedom's Sentinel in Iraq, Afghanistan, and throughout the world.
Over 7,000 were killed in action of which 144 gave their lives from Louisiana like LCpI Justin D. MCLeese USMC from Covington. Over 50,000 were wounded like Cpl Matt Cole USMC also of Covington, who came home and worked for the LDVA processing disability claims for his fellow veterans and now heads up the LCpI Justin D. McLeese Marine Corps Detachment #1487.
Carson added that the 144 killed in action included a heavy reliance on the Louisiana National Guard who deployed more than 25,000 soldiers and airmen with approximately 35 Louisiana guardsmen killed in action which made up about 25 percent of those total "Killed in Action."
"As a result, the St. Tammany Veterans Foundation, Inc. (STVF) / Heroes Farewell wanted to honor all our Fallen Heroes who have sacrificed so much for us in the Global War on Terror. A couple of years ago, our organization, affiliated with the Heroes Farewell project, teamed up with FL+WB Architects, designers of the St. Tammany Veterans Memorial Plaza, at the St. Tammany Justice Center in Covington. and had the firm design a beautiful Fallen Heroes Memorial for placement at the new Southeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery off Interstate 12 near Slidell."
The Memorial is located at the SELA Veterans Cemetery which is adjacent to Louisiana National Guard Camp Villere off Airport Road and 1-12 in Slidell. It consists of an engraved brick path, surrounded by gardens and 2 benches all leading to a 4-foot pedestal supporting a 5-foot Fallen Soldier Battlefield Cross with plaques showing the faces and names of all the Fallen Heroes from Louisiana and an explanation about the "9/11 Attacks" and the Global War on Terror.
"It is very important that our young people know the history of "9/11" and never forget," Carson continued. "All six U.S. military branch insignias plus the U.S. and LANG flags and plaque mark the site for all to see and remember our fallen."
The memorial features The Fallen Soldiers Battlefield Cross, a symbolic replacement of a cross or memorial marker, on the battlefield or at the base camp for a soldier who has been killed. It is made up of the soldier's rifle stuck into the ground or into the soldier's boot with helmet on top and their military ID tags placed on the cross. The purpose is to show honor and respect for the dead on the battlefield.
"Just as we have memorialized and not forgotten our Fallen Heroes in the past who gave their lives for their country from WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and now Iraq and Afghanistan in the Global War on Terror, please remember Patriot Day, September I I, as an opportunity to honor their sacrifice and especially support the Fallen Heroes Memorial at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery in Slidell.
Carson is a combat wounded Vietnam Veteran, former Legislator and Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Veteran Affairs
For further information to help Fallen Heroes Memorial, interested persons can email lane.carson@att.net, phone 985-867-0747 or mail 321 N. Vermont St., Covington, LA 70433.
St. Tammany Veterans Memorial Plaza, Covington
