American Legion Post 16 in Shelton to host Fallen Heroes Memorial in May

SHELTON - Sutter-Terlizzi American Legion Post 16 is making preparations to host The VAU Fallen Heroes Memorial here in The Valley in memory of America’s Global War on Terrorism Casualties. Over the next few months, the post will be organizing teams of volunteers, holding fundraisers and transforming the area around their pavilion into what will be treated as sacred ground for three days in May.

Post 16, with financial assistance from the Valley Community Foundation, is bringing the Fallen Heroes Memorial to Shelton as a way to honor and remember the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines whose names are on the Memorial, as well as the loved ones, and comrades in arms that they left behind.

On Memorial Day 2018, Veterans & Athletes United (VAU) completed the traveling Global War on Terror (GWOT) Memorial Flag. It is VAU's way of honoring close to 7000 GWOT fallen heroes and gold star families. The hope is to raise awareness of the sacrifice paid by our nation's heroes that keep this country free and flying under one flag.

This 28-foot wide by 6-foot tall American flag symbolizes the shape of the flag when draped on a fallen service members casket. It is formed of approximately 7000 dog tags of all those who have fallen in the War on Terror. There are 50 gold stars honoring all gold star families
nationwide. Displayed in front of the flag is a battle field cross sculpted from mahogany wood by veteran artist Alicia Dietz.

Tags are in alphabetical order ranging from 11SEPT 2001 to 31Dec 2019; thereafter the tags are in chronological order of the date Killed in Action (KIA). Sadly, as the war continues, they will continue to fill in the blank tags at the end of the flag.

For their memorial flag VAU used the DOD Global War on Terror DMDC Casualty List for all the names of the GWOT fallen heroes. 

For more information on the Fallen Heroes Memorial please visit https://www.vetsau.com/memorial

The Fallen Heroes Memorial will arrive in Shelton on May 12. It will be assembled at Sutter-Terlizzi American Legion Post 16 in Shelton on May 13 and depart on May 16, 2022. 

The memorial will be available for viewing from 11 a.m. Friday, May 13 until sunset on Sunday, May 15. 

The opening ceremony will be Friday at 6 p.m. and will include a reading of the Valley Global War on Terrorism Casualties' names followed by a rifle salute and taps. 

The closing ceremonies will be at 5 p.m. on Sunday and include the reading of all Connecticut Global War on Terrorism Casualties followed by a rifle salute and taps.

Programs will be conducted at the memorial during the day and counselors from the VetCenter will be available for those who wish to talk; however, security will be on site 24/7 to allow those who prefer to visit in the evening a quiet time to reflect. 

Visitors are urged to carpool if possible. 

This is shared from Post 16's Facebook page.