05/26/2025
MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY at the future Veteran's Memorial location in McKinney Park, Woodruff, SC.
Memorial Day is a day to remember and honor those who have died while serving in the U.S. military. It's a time for reflection and gratitude for their service and sacrifice as well as the loss held by their families, friends, and the community. Despite the solemn nature of the day, I want to express hope for a brighter future and emphasize the importance of remembering the fallen while also looking towards the future with optimism. We can never forget the past. What we do today must honor those in our past. Never Forget…
During GWOT, South Carolina has had service members killed in action, active, reserve, and guardsmen. While the specific number is difficult to pinpoint, it is confirmed that South Carolina Service Men and Women like the following were lost during those conflicts (Not a complete list). They say that a man dies twice. Once when he dies and once when his name is remembered and said for the last time. Please join me in a moment of silence while I read all the names of our South Carolina neighbors we lost in the last 20 years of combat in the Global War on Terror. So that their memories never die…
NAME/SC Town LOCATION DATE
USMC CPT Mcollum, Irmo Pakistan 2002
USAF SSgt Hicks, Jefferson Ghazni, AF 2003
SCARNG PVT Adams, Aiken Fallujah, Iraq 2003
SCARNG MSG Thigpen, Sr., N AGS. Kuwait 2004
Army SSG Olaes, Wahalla Shkin, AF 2004
SCARNG SSG Lemon, N Chs Balad, Iraq 2004
SCARNG CW4 Leach, Rock Hill. Mosul, Iraq 2004
SCARNG 1LT Shields, Campobello Mosul, Iraq 2004
SCARNG SGT High, Spartanburg. Ghazni, AF 2005
SCARNG SPC Stout, Travelers Rest Ghazni, AF 2005
Army MAJ Murphy, Mt Pleasant. Ghanzi, AF 2005
USAR SGT Heselton, Easley Orgun-E, AF 2005
Army SGT Lehmiller, Anderson. Baylough, AF 2005
SCARNG SGT Philpot, Latta Kandahar, AF 2007
SCARNG SSG Bullard, Marion Kandahar, AF 2007
Army CPL Blaney, Fort Mill Curry, AF 2007
SCARNG SGT Hill, Welford Khowst, AF 2008
SCARNG SGT Leimbach, Taylors Bala Baluk, AF 2008
Army CPT Cliff, Mt Pleasant Yakhchal, AF 2008
Army PFC Watson, Walterboro. Salerno, AF 2009
Army SPC Wheeler, Columbia Logar, AF 2009
USMC LCPL Fowlkes, Gaffney Helmand, AF 2009
Army SPC Void, Orangeburg Kandahar, AF 2009
USMC LCPL Taylor, Jacksonville. Garmsir, AF 2009
Army PFC Whitsitt, Taylors Logar, AF 2010
ArmyPFC Jefferson, Columbia Kandahar, AF 2010
Army SFC Jarrell, Brunson Kandahar, AF 2010
SCARNG SSG Harley, Aiken Paktika, AF 2010
SCARNG SGT Rabon, Lexington. Paktika, AF 2010
USAF Sr Airman Bubacz, Dalzell. Nuristan, AF 2010
USMC LCPL Crouse, Woodruff. Helmand, AF 2010
USAF Sr Airman Alden, Iva Afghanistan 2011
Army PFC Johnson, Lexington. Afghanistan 2011
Army SGT Burgess, Anderson Maimana, AF 2011
Army PVT Pressley, N CHS Zabul, AF 2011
Amy SFC Boatwright, Lodge Uruzgan, AF 2011
USMC Gunny SGT Pate, Mullins. Helmand, AF 2011
Army SSG Dudley, Tega Cay Helmand, AF 2011
ACorps/Eng Coker, Mt Pleasant. Kabul, AF 2011
Army SFC McCain, Florence Kanadahar, AF 2011
Army PFC Whitmire, Easley Paktia, AF 2011
SCARNG SGT Meador, Lex Khowst, AF 2012
SCARNG 1LT Rawl, Lexington Khowst, AF 2012
SCARNG SFC Thomas, TR Khowst, AF 2012
Army PFC Ross, Lyman Afghanistan 2012
USAF MAJ Gray, Charleston Kunar, AF 2012
Army SGT Hicks, Greer Paktika, AF 2012
Civ Cont/Army MAJ Ret Baker, Cayce Kapisa, AF 2013
Army CWO Reagan, Summerville. Afghanistan 2013
USAF CPT Steel, Shaw AFB Bagram, AF 2013
Army PFC Austin, Easley Afghanistan 2013
Army SPC Alt, Beach Island Bagram, AF 2013
Army CPT Chaffin, W Columbia. Kanadahar, AF 2014
SCARNG 1LT Bowman, Spartanb Bagram, AF 2020
SCARNG SPC Haven, Aiken Kuwait 2023
NEVER FORGET………….!!!!!!
WOODRUFF SPECIFIC:
USMC: CPL William H. Crouse IV, age 22 of Woodruff, SC. Died on Dec 21, 2010, in Helmand Province, Afghanistan while conducting combat operations. He was a member of 1st BN, 10th Marine Reg, 2nd marine Div at Camp Lejeune, NC. Marine Lance Corporal William H. Crouse and his bomb-sniffing dog, Cane were killed December 21, 2010, while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He and his unit were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Lance Cpl. Crouse was assigned to 1st Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He was twenty-two years old and into the first six weeks of his first tour of duty. “Billy” was a Woodruff, South Carolina resident who grew up in Fort Wayne and Angola, Indiana before moving to South Carolina while in high school. Billy joined the U.S. Marine Corps. in 2007 following graduation. As a military dog handler, the bond between service members and canine service members is one of strong trust and care. It was the Marines’ fifth bomb-sniffing dog to be killed in combat. Billy’s remains returned the day before Christmas 2010. He was the 161st Marine killed in Afghanistan in 2010 and the First Woodruff Service Member to be killed in action since Vietnam.
Many others from the Woodruff, SC area died while in service to our nation while in non-combat rolls. A couple of those are: Army SPC Dustin Ray Simmons, Enoree SC, Germany-2010 and MSG Jonathan Heath Richards, Woodruff SC, Ft Meade MD-2024.
We need to remember these names always as they are our neighbors and fellow South Carolinians. Some hitting very close to home.
We would like to thank the members of our Memorial Committee for all the hard work on this project, for the Woodruff Times for covering the event and to Cross Anchor Chiro for the donations for today’s events. Thank you all and never Forget. God Bless America...........!🇺🇸
