A cold wind blasted Warrior's Walk at Fort Stewart Thursday as the 3rd Infantry Division and the civilian community added seven more heroes to the 386 already honored at the memorial.
Two of those memorialized, Spc. Richard B. Burress, 26, of Naples, Fla., and Capt. Nathan R. Raudenbush, 25, of Royersford, Pa., suffered combat-related deaths.
The other five died from non-combat related causes in line with the division's policy of honoring specific non-combat victims on Warrior's Walk.
Buriss died Jan. 19 in Al Jabour, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team.
Raudenbush died Feb. 20 in Busayefi, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle was also hit by an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team.
Spc. Travis M. Virgadamo, 19, of Las Vegas, Nev., died Aug. 30 in Taji, Iraq, in a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team.
Pfc. Richard P. Langenbrunner, 19, of Fort Wayne, Ind., died April 17 in Rustamiyah, Iraq, of injuries suffered from a non-combat related incident. Langenbrunner was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning.
Pfc. Robert A. Liggett, 23, of Urbana, Ill., died May 29, in Rustamiyah, Iraq, from injuries suffered in a non-combat related incident. Liggett was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning.
Pvt. Reece D. Moreno, 19, of Prescott, Ariz., died Nov. 24, in Balad, Iraq, of injuries suffered in a non-combat related incident. Moreno was assigned to the 92nd Engineer Battalion, 3rd Sustainment Brigade.
Spc. Melvin L. Henley Jr., 26, of Jackson, Miss., died Nov. 21,at Camp Striker in Baghdad of injuries suffered from non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 603rd Aviation Support Battalion, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade.
Fort Stewart Garrison Commander Col. Todd Buchs said, "We will remember Travis, Richard, Robert, Reece, Melvin, Richard and Nathan forever and are grateful for their service. The love we feel for them will not fade into the night nor will it fade with time.
"The flags here remind us of the nation we serve and the generations of Americans who are indebted to these seven soldiers and their soldier-brothers and sisters whose names adorn these markers. So long as we have soldiers who make the ultimate sacrifice in this righteous fight, we will have a place for their trees here at Warrior's Walk.
Two of those memorialized, Spc. Richard B. Burress, 26, of Naples, Fla., and Capt. Nathan R. Raudenbush, 25, of Royersford, Pa., suffered combat-related deaths.
The other five died from non-combat related causes in line with the division's policy of honoring specific non-combat victims on Warrior's Walk.
Buriss died Jan. 19 in Al Jabour, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team.
Raudenbush died Feb. 20 in Busayefi, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle was also hit by an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team.
Spc. Travis M. Virgadamo, 19, of Las Vegas, Nev., died Aug. 30 in Taji, Iraq, in a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team.
Pfc. Richard P. Langenbrunner, 19, of Fort Wayne, Ind., died April 17 in Rustamiyah, Iraq, of injuries suffered from a non-combat related incident. Langenbrunner was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning.
Pfc. Robert A. Liggett, 23, of Urbana, Ill., died May 29, in Rustamiyah, Iraq, from injuries suffered in a non-combat related incident. Liggett was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning.
Pvt. Reece D. Moreno, 19, of Prescott, Ariz., died Nov. 24, in Balad, Iraq, of injuries suffered in a non-combat related incident. Moreno was assigned to the 92nd Engineer Battalion, 3rd Sustainment Brigade.
Spc. Melvin L. Henley Jr., 26, of Jackson, Miss., died Nov. 21,at Camp Striker in Baghdad of injuries suffered from non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 603rd Aviation Support Battalion, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade.
Fort Stewart Garrison Commander Col. Todd Buchs said, "We will remember Travis, Richard, Robert, Reece, Melvin, Richard and Nathan forever and are grateful for their service. The love we feel for them will not fade into the night nor will it fade with time.
"The flags here remind us of the nation we serve and the generations of Americans who are indebted to these seven soldiers and their soldier-brothers and sisters whose names adorn these markers. So long as we have soldiers who make the ultimate sacrifice in this righteous fight, we will have a place for their trees here at Warrior's Walk.