Deadly explosion at Nevada’s Hawthorne Army Depot…March 2013!
“We send our prayers and condolences to the families of Marines involved in this tragic incident,” said the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force commander, Maj. Gen. Raymond C. Fox. “We mourn their loss, and it is with heavy hearts we remember their courage and sacrifice.” “Since World War II, when the facility became the staging area for ammunition, bombs and rockets for the war, Hawthorne has held an important place in U.S. military history. The Nevada Division of Environmental Protection said the depot employed more than 5,500 people at its peak. Nevada was chosen for the location because of its remoteness in the wake of a crippling explosion at the government’s main depot in New Jersey in the 1920s.” Quoted from a Fox News report published on March 19, 2013
“In the small town that calls itself “America’s Patriotic Home” near the depot, a massive flag in a park across from the local war memorial waved at half-staff.” Huffington Post March 19, 2013
*****
On our way to Las Vegas on Interstate 95, Judy and I stopped for a break and visited the local memorial where the Marines who were killed in the referenced explosion are remembered and honored. Every day across America in communities large and small there are military installations where men and women train to be the best and to secure vital resources. There are also 1st responders in the same communities who protect us each and every day. In both cases the lives of our heroes are at risk, sometimes in accidents or in responding to an emergency incident or crisis.
On this Memorial Day, we remember the fallen who risked their lives in conflicts and wars abroad and also those who serve America to protect us on the home front. It was an honor to visit the Hawthorne, Nevada Veterans Memorial yesterday and take a moment to be reminded of so very many who have given their lives in service to America..
Steve Sparks, Author, My Journey of Healing in Life After Trauma and Reconciliation: A Son’s Story…
Please support my mission of helping families who suffer from PTSD and moral injury…order my books, My Journey of Healing in Life After Trauma, Part 1… (Kindle $2.99), and Reconciliation: A Son’s Story. Click and order paperback or download Kindle version. Buy my book at Barnes & Noble as well… Thank you! Steve Sparks, Author
