Under gray skies and lingering rain clouds, hundreds of explosive ordnance disposal technicians, military leaders, families, and service members gathered at Eglin Air Force Base earlier this month to honor those who never came home.
The 57th Annual Explosive Ordnance Disposal Memorial Ceremony took place May 2 at the Kauffman EOD Training Complex, continuing a decades-long tradition of remembrance for fallen EOD technicians from across the U.S. military.
Dressed in the formal uniforms of their respective branches, Airmen, Sailors, Soldiers, and Marines stood side by side in solemn reflection as the names of 345 fallen EOD service members were remembered aloud.
The ceremony, held annually on the first Saturday in May, recognized as National EOD Day, serves as one of the military community’s most sacred traditions.
Navy Capt. Michael Dalrymple, commandant of the Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal, welcomed attendees and reflected on the meaning behind the memorial.
“Behind every one of the 345 names enshrined here is a story,” Dalrymple said. “It extends across our EOD history, and their sacrifice spans the globe.”
Dalrymple said those memorialized came from every walk of life and every corner of the country, but all shared a willingness to confront danger in service to others.
“We cannot fully comprehend the depth of each loss, nor can we completely repay what has been given, but we can honor their legacy and promise to never forget their bravery, courage, and sacrifice,” he said.
This year’s guest speaker was Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao, himself a former EOD diving officer who graduated from the schoolhouse in 2001.
Cao addressed the crowd not simply as the Navy’s top civilian leader, but as a fellow member of the EOD community.
“There’s a saying in our community that an EOD member dies twice,” Cao said. “The first time when your heart stops beating, and you take your last breath. The second time is when your name is no longer spoken.”
“We return here every year to call out each name, so these brave EOD technicians never die a second time.”
Cao praised the fallen technicians for willingly stepping toward danger so others could live.
“They didn’t do it for glory, fame, or medals,” he said. “They did it because the mission demanded it and because lives depended on it.”
Following the remarks, representatives from each military branch presented ceremonial wreaths before the names on the memorial wall were read aloud one by one, each followed by the words: “We remember.”
No new names were added to the memorial wall this year, leaving the total number of fallen EOD service members honored at 345.
After the ceremony concluded, families, veterans, students, and active-duty EOD technicians gathered around the memorial wall, some taking photographs, others touching engraved brass names, and many quietly remembering friends, loved ones, and fallen brothers-in-arms.
As the crowd slowly dispersed beneath clearing skies, the mission of the ceremony remained clear: ensuring the sacrifices of America’s EOD warriors are never forgotten.
Photo Credits to Eglin Air Force Base.
Pro Communi Bono
St. Francis De Sales, Ora Pro Nobis!
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