Wall recognizes Nevada Guard members who served in Gulf wars

By SEAN WHALEY LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL CAPITAL BUREAU

10 years ago

Nevada Army Guard Sgts. 1st Class Massimo Irenze and his wife Luciana look at the new tribute wall with the names of about 2,700 Nevada National Guard Soldiers and Airmen deployed into combat zones since Sept. 11, 2001, following a Nevada National Guard Combat Veterans Remembrance Day ceremony at the Office of the Adjutant General in Carson City, Nev., on Friday, April 17, 2015. (Cathleen Allison/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

CARSON CITY — The names of the Nevada National Guard soldiers and airmen who have served in combat operations in the Gulf War, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom were unveiled Friday on 43 plaques stretching across an auditorium wall at the Office of the Adjutant General.

The idea for the wall came after Dave Anderson, Nevada’s State Command chief warrant officer, visited other states and saw similar tributes honoring those who have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan combat operations since 2001.

“At the end of the day, they deserve it,” said Anderson, a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, who has spearheaded the project for the Nevada National Guard since September. “They were in harm’s way and three of them didn’t come back. There’s been a lot of sacrifice since 2001 and the least we can do, as an organization, is to recognize that. It doesn’t immortalize these people, it recognizes them.”

The names of returning soldiers will be added to the wall.

Three Nevada Army National Guard soldiers died in combat deployment operations in Afghanistan since 2001 and their names are each noted on the wall with a small star: Chief Warrant Officer 3 John Flynn, Sgt. Patrick Stewart and Spc. Anthony Cometa.

Contact Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3900. Find him on Twitter: @seanw801.