Names of over 6000 US servicemen killed in Iraq and Afghanistan read aloud at somber memorial - Polidicks

[quote]ST. LOUIS (KTVI-FOX2now.com)— One by one, volunteers began reading the more than 6000 names of U.S. service members killed in action in Afghanistan and Iraq Friday night. The first name was read at 9:11pm, and they continued into the night as rain began to fall on the Soldiers’ Memorial. Several family members of those lost were on hand, each reading the name of a fallen loved one. Among them, Aginette Morgan, who’s son, Milton Gist, Jr. died in 2007, when a roadside bomb exploded in Iraq. He was home just days before his death for the very last time. “He had just turned 27. He was home for his birthday and left for his birthday and I got a call on the 30th, “ she told us. “The chaplains came to my job. I was at work when it happened, and I was a nervous wreck. “ Some 6-thousand mothers have similar stories. Every one of their lost sons and daughters’ names was to be read Friday night into Saturday morning. Despite a cold rain that began falling less than an hour into the ceremony, they went on. Dozens attended the night time ceremony, and many more are expected Saturday morning for the Welcome Home to Heroes parade. It’s scheduled to begin at noon, and will travel up Market Street from Broadway to Union Station. [/quote] [B]Video in source:[/B] [url]http://www.fox2now.com/news/ktvi-remembering-the-fallen-from-the-war-in-iraq-20120127,0,1361236.story[/url] I was here for the launch of this, earlier this evening. There were perhaps a hundred people for the start of the ceremony, most of them family members of lost soldiers. There will be many more in the morning, once people start turning up for the much more jubilant parade, but the mood tonight was somber as hell. For nearly an hour before the reading started, families of the fallen soldiers kneeled in front of the small memorial plaque and cried, shared their stories, left flowers, or lit candles. I stayed for about an hour and a half after the reading began, and after every name that bell chimed out. That bell will be ringing out about once every five seconds for more than twelve hours from now, while they work through the 6,400 names on the list. The parade will launch at noon, and with over 1,000 veterans marching in the parade itself, alongside nearly ninety floats and an assortment of military and first-responder vehicles, the turnout should be massive.

[quote]Dozens attended the night time ceremony, and many more are expected Saturday morning [B]for the Welcome Home to Heroes parade[/B][/quote] ugh, that's a bit horrible

6000...wow. A huge salute for their bravery and sacrifice.

[QUOTE=Contag;34426117]ugh, that's a bit horrible[/QUOTE] Why?

Will it be like the 9/11 anniversary? Family members reading out their lost ones?

[QUOTE=Big Dumb American;34426188]Why?[/QUOTE] *mourn those did not return* *the next day, celebrate those that did* It's a bit of rubbing salt in the wound. Of course, you could also be thankful for those lucky enough that did survive.

I don't think I'm patient enough to listen to over 6000 names, but I would still do it out of respect for them.

[QUOTE=shian;34426239]Will it be like the 9/11 anniversary? Family members reading out their lost ones?[/QUOTE] Pretty similar, yeah. It's a very quiet, somber ceremony. There was no fanfare, the first reader simply approached the microphone and said, "I will now begin reading the names of the fallen. I ask that you please observe silence for the duration," and launched. Over six thousand names. You don't really get an idea of how huge that is until you hear them start being read. Since we started organizing this event, I've heard so many stories like the one quoted in the article. So many hundreds of moms and dads and brothers posting on the Facebook page about who they lost, and how much they appreciate what we're doing. It's been a very emotional week as things come to a head! Tomorrow should be cathartic. [editline]28th January 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=Contag;34426329]*mourn those did not return* *the next day, celebrate those that did* It's a bit of rubbing salt in the wound. Of course, you could also be thankful for those lucky enough that did survive.[/QUOTE] I see where you're coming from, but it had to be this way. The mood isn't like that, anyway. It's somber, but the families are so grateful for it. Mike LeBlanc, the guy who organized this reading, is a Vietnam veteran, and he's been bawling all week about this. He's not the only one, either. We've got several dozen Vietnam vets on the Facebook page, all of them saying how much it means to them to see these soldiers getting what they never did. Besides, the parade itself, while more jubilant in nature, is both for the returning soldiers, and those who didn't. Every local family who went up to the podium to read the name of a loved one tonight has their own float tomorrow. [QUOTE=Lol-Nade;34426347]I don't think I'm patient enough to listen to over 6000 names, but I would still do it out of respect for them.[/QUOTE] Very few people will stay for the entire duration. Even the readers are swapping out once an hour. It's simply too cold to spend much longer out there. We've got leads on big tents and heaters coming out early in the morning, though.

[QUOTE=Big Dumb American;34426348]Very few people will stay for the entire duration. Even the readers are swapping out once an hour. It's simply too cold to spend much longer out there. We've got leads on big tents and heaters coming out early in the morning, though.[/QUOTE] Geez, that's what I would call dedication. I bet it makes families happy knowing that someone's taking the time to read the names of their sons/daughters, though.