Honoring the Heroes

This coming Monday is Memorial Day in the United States. The three-day weekend kicks off summer vacation season and revolves around beaches, barbecues, and baseball. More importantly, Memorial Day is a time to honor the men and women who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.

My human mommy and I started this day with a visit to two memorials that honor local heroes who lost their lives serving the citizens of our state. Our first stop was the Louisiana State Police Memorial.

Names of 26 fallen state police officers are on 12 pillars that flank the memorial fountain. The earliest hero was Officer Neill A. Yarborough, Sr., who died in 1925. He was only 32 years old and had worked as a state highway officer for just three months. The most recent hero, DPS Corporal John Kendall, died in 2011. He was 64 years old and had been a DPS officer for seven years and nine months. He had also served in Vietnam with the Marines and was a retired Louisiana State Police sergeant with almost 23 years of experience. To read more about each officer, please click here. Their stories will make you very, very thankful for the sacrifices made by these men and their families.

The Louisiana Fallen Firefighter’s Memorial is just a short walk from the State Police Memorial.

The Roll of Honor lists the names of all known Louisiana firefighters who have died in the line of duty. One hundred six names dating from 1859 to 2011 appear on the granite wall and the plaques beside it.

An eternal flame pays tribute to the traditional fire code 555–five rings of the fire bell three times, known as “The Last Call,” to indicate that a firefighter has been lost.

I hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend filled with tons of fun and sun. I also hope that you’ll take a moment to remember the brave men and women and their families who made the ultimate sacrifice and those who continue to serve each and every day.