EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Dressed in the bright whites, deep blues and dense blacks of their service uniforms, Airmen, Marines, Sailors and Soldiers returned this year to honor and remember their fallen explosive ordnance disposal brethren May 2.
The annual memorial ceremony, in its 57th year, took place at Eglin’s Kauffman EOD Training Complex. Similar to last year, heavy rains threatened the start of the ceremony but cleared off leaving a cool quietness surrounding the Memorial that only added to the solemn weight of the remembrance ceremony.
The schoolhouse’s commandant, Navy Capt. Michael Dalrymple, welcomed guests who braved the weather and explained why they return to the memorial on the first Saturday of May each year. This specific Saturday is designated National EOD Day.
“Behind each and every one of the 345 names enshrined here is a story,” said Dalrymple. “It extends across our EOD history, and their sacrifice spans the globe killed both in support of the EOD mission in combat or the training that prepared them to face it.”
The captain also said those remembered came from all across the country and every walk of life, but each one had the same commonality of knowing the inherent dangers but chose the EOD path anyway.
“We cannot fully comprehend the depth of each loss, nor can we completely repay what has been given, but we can honor their legacy and promise to never forget their bravery, courage and sacrifice,” Dalrymple concluded.
Dalrymple then welcomed Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao as the guest speaker. During Cao's Naval career, he served as an EOD diving officer and graduated the school in 2001.
“There’s a saying in our community that an EOD member dies twice, “said Cao. “The first time when your heart stops beating and you take your last breath. The second time is when your name is no longer spoken. We return here every year to call out each name, so these brave EOD technicians never die a second time.”
Cao spoke to the hundreds EOD technicians, students and families gathered, not as the Navy Secretary, but as a forever-member of their community there to pay respects and to remember.
“We honor warriors who walked the long, lonely path toward danger so others could live. They didn’t do it for glory, fame, or medals. They did it because the mission demanded it—and because lives depended on it.”
After Cao’s address, each service presented a wreath in front of their specific memorial as each name contained on the wall is solemnly read aloud followed by “We remember.”
No new names were added to the Memorial’s Wall this year. The names of EOD servicemember names stands at 345.
Afterward, families and EOD technicians both past and present descended upon the Wall for pictures, to touch the engraved brass name or just remember a fallen hero.