183 ‘Fallen Heroes’ Honored at Capitol

The fallen soldiers were memorialized not only at the ceremony on the Capitol grounds but also at the Wall of Honor in the lobby of the Pocahontas Building, 900 E. Main St., where the attorney general’s offices are located.

The wall was set up in May 2007. This year, 14 names were added to the display.

Mims presided over the third annual Wall of Honor Ceremony, which had been started by his predecessor, Bob McDonnell, now the Republican candidate for governor.

Gen. Martin Dempsey, the commanding general of the U.S. Army Training Doctrine and Command at Fort Monroe, said the soldiers who gave their lives for their country showed valor and bravery.

“Those are the kind of young men and women that are represented on that wall – heroes every one,” Dempsey said. “And their family members who are with us here today – equally heroic.”

Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling addressed the slain soldiers’ families, thanking them for the price that they had paid.

“We thank you, and we wish God’s blessings upon each of you,” Bolling said. “Thank you for sharing this day of sadness and of pride with us here in Virginia.”

The father of a fallen soldier urged the crowd to remember the members of the armed forces who have died fighting for liberty and freedom. George Lutz of Chesapeake spoke with tears in his eyes about his son, Army Cpl. George “Tony” Lutz II, who was killed by a sniper in Iraq in 2005 at age 25.

“Everything reminds me of him,” Lutz said. “It’s overwhelming sometimes. But as parents, we never forget. And I wonder sometimes if anyone else really cares.”

He said he sees “Support Our Troops” signs everywhere, but he realizes that his son will never get that support.

“I prayed for him, I supported him, but he didn’t come home,” Lutz said. “Don’t, please, let their sacrifice ever have been in vain … Please don’t let them ever be forgotten.”

Lutz said people can remember their loved ones with Web sites, gardens, bracelets, quilts and even tattoos. He is advocating a special way to memorialize fallen soldiers – with a national “Honor and Remember” flag.

After his son’s death, Lutz designed the flag and started a national movement to establish it as the country’s official symbol of remembrance for all members of the U.S. military who have died in service to the United States. Congress is considering a bill to adopt the Honor and Remember flag.

The flag, unveiled last Memorial Day, features blue and gold stars set on a red field. The blue signifies military service; the gold means the soldier wasn’t coming home. A folded flag underneath the stars represents a life lost, and the flames above are a reminder that the memory of the fallen soldier will live on.

Lutz wants the flag to be given to the families of fallen soldiers so they can display it in remembrance of their loved ones.

“We will always honor the sacrifice and remember each individual by name. This flag is meant to be flown nationally, daily, continuously,” he said.

“Not only do we want to fly this flag as a national symbol, but we want to be sure that each single sacrifice, every life, is remembered by name in particular.”

Lutz gave an Honor and Remember flag to the parents of Army Cpl. Jared W. Kubasak, a 25-year-old Rocky Mount man who was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq in 2005.

“We recognize the enormity of your loss and respectfully say thank you,” Lutz said.

Then representatives of various branches of the armed forces read the names of the 183 Virginians who have died in the war on terrorism. The Langley Air Force base Honor Guard followed with a 21-gun salute.

As “Taps” began to play, the crowd fell solemn and silent. Three Black Hawk helicopters broke the quiet as they flew over the Capitol.

After the ceremony, many of the attendees walked to the Pocahontas Building to view the Wall of Honor. Some left behind flowers and messages to the children, parents and spouses of the soldiers who gave their lives in service to the United States.

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For more about the “Honor and Remember” flag:

Visit www.honorandremember.org. The Web site includes an online petition calling on Congress to adopt the flag as a national emblem.

To see the Virginia Wall of Honor:

Visit the Pocahontas Building, 900 E. Main St. The wall, located in the lobby, honors the 183 Virginians who have died fighting terrorism since the attack on the USS Cole in October 2000. The “fallen heroes” represent the U.S. Army, the National Guard, the Marine Corps, the Navy, the Air Force, the Coast Guard and the Central Intelligence Agency.

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