Iraq-Afghanistan memorial stops in Lewes

A traveling memorial honoring fallen service members from the global war on terror stopped in Lewes Oct. 17-20.

The Iraq/Afghanistan National Memorial was on display at the Cape May-Lewes Ferry terminal grounds. The memorial comprised 34 tribute towers with photos of 5,000 service members who gave their lives in the global war on terror between Sept. 11, 2001 and Aug. 30, 2021.

“The weekend is all about remembering our fallen,” said Murt Foos of American Legion Post 17 in Lewes and Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation chair, American Legion Auxiliary Department of Delaware, in remarks at the opening ceremony Oct. 17.

An Air Force C-17 from Dover Air Force Base made a fly-by at the event.

Sam Patti, 92, wanted a front-row seat for the fly-by. His grandson, Maj. Mark Anderson, was the pilot.

“[It was] fantastic,” Patti said.

Patti is an Air Force veteran who used to fly the B-36 bomber in the 1950s.

Four Gold Star mothers were introduced at the ceremony. Each remembered their sons who were killed in the war.

Joni Resilard’s son, Capt. Jahmar Resilard, was killed when his Marine Corps F/A-18 crashed during a training flight.

“His time on this Earth was very short. Of course, he is very missed and loved,” Resilard said, while holding up her son’s picture.

The Iraq/Afghanistan National Memorial was created by Patriotic Productions, a nonprofit organization dedicated honoring fallen veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan.

For more information, go to patrioticproductions.org.