Moody Community Pay Respect To Fallen Warrior
(December 11, 2009) |
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| 12/7/2009 - MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (AFNS) -- Members of
Moody Air Force Base came together Dec. 3 to pay their
respects to a fallen Army Soldier during a fallen warrior
ceremony as he was transferred from the base to Harrington
Funeral Home located in Valdosta, Ga.
Army Staff Sgt. Briand Williams, originally from Sparks,
Ga., which is located 23 miles north of Moody AFB, died Nov.
22 in Iraq from wounds sustained when insurgents attacked
his unit using small-arms fire. |
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| Fred Williams Jr. and his wife watch as their son, Army Staff Sgt. Briand Williams, a fallen Soldier, is unloaded from an aircraft Dec. 3, 2009, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. Sergeant Williams served in the Army since 2002 and was killed in action in Iraq Nov. 22, 2009. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Heavy Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Benning, Ga. U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Schelli Jones |
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He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery
Regiment, 3rd Brigade Heavy Combat Team, 3rd Infantry
Division at Fort Benning, Ga.
"When I got the notification that my son died, I thought it
was a dream," said Fred Williams Jr., father of Sergeant
Williams. "I still think it's a dream, but I know that he
died serving his country."
The fallen Soldier, who recently was promoted to the rank of
staff sergeant, enlisted in the Army in June 2002 and was a
combat veteran with a total of three deployments under his
belt.
"Briand loved being in the Army and planned to make a career
out of it," Mr. Williams said. "He was a good son and loving
father. I feel lost knowing that he is no longer with us."
Mr. Williams, along with his wife, was joined by Col.
William DeMaso, the 23rd Wing vice commander, as they waited
for Fort Benning's honor guard members to provide the
dignified transfer of the casket from the plane to the
hearse.
"Sadly Sergeant Williams' life was cut short by a sniper as
he dismounted his vehicle near an Army forward operating
base in Iraq, and his return to the United States is yet
another reminder of the grim sacrifices we make in service
to our great nation," Colonel DeMaso said.
After the dignified transfer on the base flightline, members
of Moody AFB lined the streets side-by-side to render a
salute as a procession of vehicles escorted the remains of
Sergeants Williams to the funeral home.
The Patriot Guard Riders, a motorcycle group dedicated to
paying their respect to fallen servicemembers, escorted the
fallen Soldier to the funeral home in Valdosta.
"We are here to escort and stand in honor for veterans of
all wars," said Willie Black, a Patriot Guard Riders member.
"Our group holds the utmost respect for our servicemembers
and we just want to show support to the fallen heroes who
have paid the ultimate sacrifice defending this country."
On Dec. 5, the Adel Police Department escorted Sergeant
Williams to Holy Community Church in Adel, Ga., for his
final funeral service. He was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in
Adel, Ga. | |
By USAF Sr. Airman Frances Locquiao
455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
Copyright 2009
Reprinted from
Air Force News Service
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