Fort Drum Veterans Day has wartime meaning

Fort Drum Veterans Day has wartime meaning
By William Kates - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Nov 8, 2007 20:19:52 EST

FORT DRUM, N.Y. — Standing in the morning chill, watching Fort Drum’s Veterans Day memorial service had a much deeper meaning this year for 1st Lt. Courtney Carnegie. Among the 28 fallen 10th Mountain Division soldiers remembered Thursday was one of his men, killed by a mine in Afghanistan.

“Back in high school, I didn’t pay much attention to Veterans Day. You understand what it’s about, though, when it involves people you know,” said Carnegie, a 23-year-old officer from Washington, D.C., who returned to Fort Drum in May after serving 14 months in Afghanistan.

Cpl. Jeremiah Cole, 26, of Hiawatha, Kan., was killed Aug. 16, 2006, when his vehicle hit a land mine. On Thursday, Carnegie wore a bracelet bearing Cole’s name.

“I’m going to keep alive the memory of the corporal’s sacrifice, of all the sacrifices made by American soldiers,” Carnegie said.

About 500 soldiers and civilian guests attended the brief ceremony Thursday in Memorial Park, across the street from Hays Hall, the post’s headquarters.

Fort Drum Deputy Commander Brig. Gen. Michael Harrison said that while the day was to honor all Americans who served the nation, the ceremony included the dedication of a special plaque marking the deployment of nearly 8,000 10th Mountain Division soldiers to Afghanistan in 2006 and 2007. The plaque listed the 28 soldiers killed during that time, including Jeremiah Cole.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/11/ap_fortdrumvetsday_070811/

Rest in peace.