SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- "Through such sacrifices our freedom was first won, and by the continued sacrifice of men and women just like these, our freedom is maintained," said Maj. Gen. Dutch Holland, 9th Air Force commander at the dedication ceremony of the 9th Air Force and Air Force Central Fallen Airman Memorial at Memorial Lake here June 2, 2010. "My solemn hope and charge to you is this: may we live worthy of their sacrifice."
The dedication ceremony opened with the singing of the National Anthem by Senior Airman Courtney Slater. Next, the colors were presented by Shaw's Honor Guard, followed by a prayer from Chaplain (Col.) Robert Cannon. Master Sgt. Dave Self, 20th Civil Engineer Squadron first sergeant, narrated the ceremony.
Chief Master Sgt. Scott Dearduff, 9th Air Force command chief, thanked all those who contributed to the Fallen Airman Memorial and showed his appreciation for these fallen warriors, "They went forward without hesitation and did not come home. Their families, (and) we as their comrades, deserve this place of honor."
After Chief Dearduff's thanks, the memorial was unveiled, followed by a warrior tribute, narrated by Senior Master Sgt. Chip Campbell, AFCENT communications supervisor of policy and review. During the warrior tribute, a formation of Airmen marched through in varied battle dress to represent the many roles Airmen play in combat. The first three Airmen set up the battlefield cross, and those who followed placed more than 80 dog tags from those who fell in war on the M-16.
Senior Airman Terrell Singleton, 20th Component Maintence Squadron equipment technician was one of the Airmen carrying dog tags.
"To me, the opportunity to bare the dog tag of my fallen brother has opened my eyes to a fate that we all must face," commented Airman Singleton about the warrior tribute. "Every time I pass this memorial I am humbled by their sacrifice and encouraged by their value."
Technical Sgt. Kevin Darrow, Air Education and Training Command 372nd Training Squadron Detachment 2 flight chief, was one of the Airmen who unveiled the memorial and played a role in the building of it.
"It is only right to recognize the fact that they were willing to sacrifice," said Sergeant Darrow.
The idea for this project began around the end of September and the beginning of October 2008, said Chief Dearduff. He recognized that Airmen would die in combat and the responsibility to remember those who sacrificed to ensure are never forgotten.
In 2007, Chief Dearduff was the command chief at Balad Air Base, Iraq and had finished a fallen Airman memorial for those who died there, he said. When he came to Shaw in 2008, one of the first things he noticed was that there was no memorial at Shaw to honor those who have fallen.
The importance of the memorial being here is because Shaw is the headquarters of the 9th Air Force and AFCENT, said Chief Master Sgt. Jeffery Antwine, 20th Operations Group superintendant. All who are deployed right now are under the 9th Air Force and AFCENT.
"The Fallen Airman Memorial will not just be dedicated to those who died during our current fight but will commemorate those who have fallen in several wars and conflicts dating back to World War II," pointed out Chief Antwine.
He explained how he became involved with the project, "I first heard about the memorial in 2008 when I was the command chief of the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing in Kuwait. Chief Dearduff sent an e-mail out to all of the AFCENT and 9th Air Force command chiefs. The e-mail spoke about the memorial and explained the need for monetary support. Our wing made a few donations and the following year (2009), I PCS'd (permanent change of station) to Shaw and continued to assist Chief Dearduff as required."
Since the project began, more and more people have become involved with it, said Sergeant Darrow. Various professional groups here are involved including the Rising 4, Shaw 5/6, the Top 3, the First Sergeants Association, Chief's Group, the Air Force Sergeants Association and the Company Grade Officers Council.
Together with Chief Dearduff, they have collaborated and put a plan in motion to get this done, said Chief Antwine.
"Keep in mind that this will be an on-going project as we continue to update it and make improvements," he added.
"The idea is that this will be a living monument, so it can be adjusted at any time as combat goes on and wars come and go," said Chief Dearduff.
The names for the memorial have been collected through different 9th Air Force members and the base historian, said Sergeant Darrow. This is a large project, since the original 9th Air Force was part of the Army Air Forces, before the Air Force was officially established as a separate branch.
"What we do is important," explained Sergeant Darrow. "We make a huge sacrifice with our lives, the time we spend away from our families, and it is important to recognize that. This project is close to my heart."
The project cost around $40,000 to $50,000, pointed out Chief Dearduff. All of the finances for this have come strictly through donations, not government money.
"The biggest contributions have come through deployed airmen," added Chief Dearduff.
"I hope that people will take the time to thank those who sacrificed and the memorial will give people peace of mind," said Sergeant Darrow. "The sacrifices that we go through mean something with something like this. Airpower came on the backs of soldiers that were willing to make a sacrifice to do it right. This memorial represents all those people."