Four local heroes added to Virginia’s Wall of Honor

WSLS News Staff
Published: May 22, 2008

Virginia honors the 170 sons and daughters who sacrificed their lives fighting for freedom in the Global War on Terror.  That includes the bombing of the USS Cole, as well as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell, Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, and hundreds of family members remembered the men and women at a special ceremony this afternoon.

Added to the wall today, the names of four southwest Virginia heroes, who made the ultimate sacrifice since Memorial Day 2007.

They are:

Staff Sgt. Jesse Clowers Jr. - Roanoke (Killed on 8/12/07 in Afghanistan)

Sgt. Tracy Birkman - New Castle (Killed on 2/2/08 in Iraq)

Staff Sgt. Jesse Ault - Dublin (Killed in Iraq on 4/9/08)

1st Sgt. Luke Mercardante - VMI (Killed in Afghanistan 4/15/08)

This is the one year anniversary of the Wall of Honor.  An honor guard, and two flyovers highlighted the event.  One flyover by F-18s, flown by the Oceana Naval Air Station Tomcatters, and the other by UH-60L Blackhawk helicopters, flown by the 2nd Battalion 224th Aviation Regiment (Assault), Virginia Army National Guard, according to the Attorney General’s office.  Also, the Langley Air Force Base Honor Guard performed a 21-gun salute.

Pictures below by Donald Linkous, Media General

The wall began with 141 names last year.  The state added 29 more for today’s remembrance.

McDonnell’s office released these remarks from the ceremony:

Speaking about today’s ceremony Attorney General McDonnell noted, “Last year we dedicated the Virginia Wall of Honor, a permanent memorial to the brave Virginians lost in the Global War on Terrorism. Sadly, one year later, we return to add new names and faces to the Wall, and to remember that as we go about our daily lives the great opportunities and freedoms we have as Americans are being daily preserved by the men and women who choose to wear the uniform and defend our nation. I am both amazed and saddened by the sacrifice of these Virginia Heroes, and I hope that all Virginians will stop this Memorial Day Weekend to thank a veteran, and remember all those who we have lost, and all those who serve today.”

McDonnell continued remarking, “I hope that Virginians will come to Richmond and see the Wall of Honor. When you look at the faces of our brave warriors, you look into the soul of Virginia. You understand why this is the greatest nation on earth. And you resolve anew to never forget those who stood to fight, so that we may live in peace.”

McDonnell also quoted the prophetic and poignant words of George Washington, who said, “The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional as to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation.”

More information from the Attorney General’s office below:

The Virginia Wall of Honor is located in the Main Street lobby of the Office of the Attorney General in Richmond. It is open to the public from 9:00 a.m-5PM weekdays. Each block frame is 3 feet x 5’3 feet, containing 12 individual profiles. Each individual profile is 7 inches by 14 inches, and each photo is 5 inches by 7 inches. Accompanying the wall is a large framed Virginia State flag, flown in Iraq by Corporal Jonathan Bowling of Martinsville.

Picture below from Virginia Attorney General’s Office:

The flag was donated by Jonathan’s father, Virginia State Police Master Trooper Darrell Bowling of Martinsville. Corporal Bowling served with the United States Marine Corps Reserve, 4th Combat Engineer Battalion, 4th Marine Division. He was killed in an enemy ambush in Al-anbar Province, Iraq on January 26, 2005. It was a chance meeting between Trooper Bowling and Attorney General McDonnell in the summer of 2006 on the roadside in Patrick County, as Trooper Bowling worked a traffic accident, which led to the idea for the creation of the Wall of Honor. Trooper Bowling told the Attorney General about his son, Jonathan, and about the Virginia state flag of Jonathan’s, which meant so much to him and his platoon. Trooper Bowling was committed to finding a place for it where it would represent not only the service of his son, but the service of all of Virginia’s sons and daughters who have answered the call to serve in the Global War on Terrorism.