September 6, 2018 - VFW Post 8904 and Auxiliary gathered at the Shelby County Veterans Memorial on Friday, August 31, 2018 to honor those who served in the Iraq War.
Larry Hume opened the ceremony and a prayer was offered by Cynthia Islas, Post Chaplain. Hume remarked on flags being at half-staff in honor of Vietnam Veteran Sen. John McCain who just recently passed August 25, 2018.
"The war in Iraq began March 20, 2003 and continued until August 31, 2010. It's been eight years since the end of hostilities and it is our duty as fellow veterans and citizens to insure this piece of history and sacrifices are never forgotten. And our gathering today is a small yet heart felt thank you for those Americans and Patriots," expressed Hume before introducing guest speaker Sergeant First Class Richard Lundie who served 25 years and 10 months in the military.
Richard Lundie speaks to those who attended the Iraq War Memorial Program
Lundie gave some details about the Iraq war and his experiences when September 11th occurred, "When 911 started I was stationed in Korea. We were going through an evaluation." He recalled being asked 'Did ya'll hear what happened in New York?' saying, " They've hit the twin towers. Next thing you know we've all got on our cellphones and everybody start calling home and find out what's going on."
"I had about 4 more months left in Korea. When I left Korea to come back to the states, I said well I guess I'll get ready to start on the next rotation. And then the unit I left in Korea, two months later they went to Iraq. I said dad-gum I missed it. That's alright, I said I know I'll catch one of them because the general said everybody going to be involved in the fight." Lundie continued to explain two other times he missed deployments with units he had just left. He then called all of his family members and said, "Ya'll must be doing some serious praying because there wasn't no way I should have missed those rotations. There was no way I should have missed those rotations."
Lundie finished talking about friends of his in the military who did deploy to Iraq and didn't make it back, "You think about the things, the time that you had with them... you remember them."
He spoke about the family of those deployed, "A lot of people didn't make it back, you know, and all you think about is the love ones; the mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers that had sons or daughters who went over there and lost their life. And it wasn't just them, you had civilian contractors too." Lundie finished with a prayer for the fallen who have served our country giving the ultimate sacrifice and for their families.
Sandy Risinger accepts a certificate of recognition to Andrew Broussard, US Air Force, for his service in the Southwest Asian Theater. The certificate was presented by the Shelby County Memorial Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8904 and the Auxiliary and says - 'You took Freedom to a distant land and Gave Hope to a World Oppressed. We will never forget your service and sacrifice.'
Hume gave thanks to Lundie and then introduced another veteran, "One year ago when we were here today a young Iraq veteran named Shane Fenley came and joined us. And since that time, one year ago, he has joined our post and become very active, and he now serves as a trustee and our judge advocate." Fenley was then asked, in honor of all those who served in Iraq, to lay the memorial wreath.
Shane Fenley hangs the Iraq memorial wreath.
Hume remarked. "And today we gather to remember our fallen comrades and those who served in the Iraq war, many served more than one tour in Iraq and also Afghanistan, and we've said many many times that sacrifice is meaningless without remembrance. Now core members of the VFW post and auxiliary that are hear this morning will never forget or let the general public which is mostly uninterested forget. And now in honor of the 4,486 fallen Iraq veterans and our own Specialist Larry E. Polley, Jr., I will now sound taps."
US Army Specialist Larry E Polley, Jr.
U.S. Army Specialist Larry E. Polley Jr. died in Iraq in January of 2004. Larry graduated from Center High School in 2001 and was 20 years old when he was killed in action. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 20th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; killed while conducting a surveillance sweep for improvised explosive devices Jan. 17, when his Bradley Fighting Vehicle struck such a device and overturned north of Taji, Iraq.
