Soldiers killed in Iran will be honored at Memorial Day wreath-laying ceremony
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The United States Exercise Tiger Foundation will honor six U.S. Army soldiers from Iowa who died during the Iran conflict in March at a Memorial Day wreath-laying ceremony Monday morning in Columbia.
"No matter what anybody may think of what we're doing or why we're doing it. We honor the sacrifice the men and women who are somebodies fathers, sons, daughters who are lost. Those six from Iowa are the closest that we know of today, and so we're honoring them and the others as well," Walter Domanski, a USETF public affairs deputy director, said.
The Iran conflict started at the end of February, and negotiations to end the conflict have been ongoing.
The wreath ceremony will also honor Columbia's own Sterling Wyatt, who was killed in Afghanistan, Domanski said.
Wyatt's mom, Sherry Wyatt, brought back the Gold Star Memorial Parade last year after a six year hiatus, according to the parade website.
"When a family loses a family member while in service to our country, the family becomes a Gold Star family. Thus, the reason for changing the name of the parade to the Gold Star Memorial Day Parade is to recognize the sacrifice of our loved ones’ deaths and to remember, honor and recognize them for their service to our great country," Sherry Wyatt wrote.
The day will start with the Memorial Day wreath-laying ceremony at 9 a.m. at the Boone County Courthouse. The ceremony is expected to last about 40 minutes, with local veterans' organizations presenting wreaths and music from the Columbia Community Band, the Boone County Fire Protection District Pipes and Drums, and the American Legion Post 202 Honor Guard will do the military fire arms salute.
The parade will follow that ceremony, starting around 10 a.m., and it will step off on East Broadway Street, with VIP seating in between North Eighth and Ninth Streets.
Parade map courtesy of the CoMo Gold Star Parade.
The Gold Star Wreath Laying Ceremony will follow the parade and is estimated to start around 11:15 a.m. back at the Boone County Courthouse. This ceremony will be for gold star families.
The title "Gold Star" is reserved for families of military members who died in the line of duty. It is meant to honor the service member's ultimate sacrifice while acknowledging their family's loss, grief and continued healing.
A flag ceremony and the 21 gun salute will follow.
