Family, friends and fellow soldiers dedicated a memorial to six National Guardsmen who lost their lives at war four years ago this week.
Six members of Bravo Company with the 109th Infantry will forever be remembered at the New Milford Readiness Center in Susquehanna County.
A memorial to the fallen heroes was dedicated Sunday as dozens of family and fellow soldiers watched.
"Ecstatic. This is something that a lot of us have been working for, this day. I can't put it into words how it makes me feel to see it all complete where all six of them can be represented in one place," said Bill Evans, father of Corporal William Evans.
"I'm proud. There's finally a resting place, a place for these guys, their buddies, their soldiers, who can come and pay their respects," said Cynthia Slebodnik, mother of Sergeant Eric Slebodnik.
Six statues with plaques honor the soldiers who were killed in combat in Iraq, all within 10 days, in September, 2005.
Specialist William Evans, Sergeant Eric Slebodnik, Private First Class Oliver Brown, Specialist Lee Wiegand and Staff Sergeants George Pugliese and Daniel Arnold.
For many the dedication four years later is bittersweet.
"Because it's also the anniversary. Tomorrow is the anniversary. My heart is going a mile a minute. It's going to be very hard," Cynthia Slebodnik added.
"This was their home base and now finally we like to say that they're home," said Douglas Evans of the New Milford Family Readiness Group.
The memorial was designed and voted on by soldiers at the New Milford Readiness Center, many of whom served overseas with their six commrades who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Six members of Bravo Company with the 109th Infantry will forever be remembered at the New Milford Readiness Center in Susquehanna County.
A memorial to the fallen heroes was dedicated Sunday as dozens of family and fellow soldiers watched.
"Ecstatic. This is something that a lot of us have been working for, this day. I can't put it into words how it makes me feel to see it all complete where all six of them can be represented in one place," said Bill Evans, father of Corporal William Evans.
"I'm proud. There's finally a resting place, a place for these guys, their buddies, their soldiers, who can come and pay their respects," said Cynthia Slebodnik, mother of Sergeant Eric Slebodnik.
Six statues with plaques honor the soldiers who were killed in combat in Iraq, all within 10 days, in September, 2005.
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For many the dedication four years later is bittersweet.
"Because it's also the anniversary. Tomorrow is the anniversary. My heart is going a mile a minute. It's going to be very hard," Cynthia Slebodnik added.
"This was their home base and now finally we like to say that they're home," said Douglas Evans of the New Milford Family Readiness Group.
The memorial was designed and voted on by soldiers at the New Milford Readiness Center, many of whom served overseas with their six commrades who made the ultimate sacrifice.
