Why Remembering the Fallen Is a Duty, Not a Choice
By Aaron Flahaut, President & Founder
It is important for a nation to honor those who have served and given their lives for our country. Honoring those who have, as we put it in the military, “made the ultimate sacrifice” demonstrates that we as a people respect what individuals have given up for their nation, and the ideals of republic and democracy for which we stand.
I learned last year, while working at Ellsworth Air Force Base, that in 1971, six Security Police members from the base died in a helicopter crash outside of Wall, South Dakota, while on duty. They had been carrying out their duty when their lives were cut short. For over five decades the sacrifices of Sergeant Bernard Blake, Sergeant David Cloe, Sergeant Glen Wilson, Sergeant Terry Wright, Airman First Class Larry Hughes, and Airman Johnny Brock received no national recognition beyond the memory of their families and local community.
This past May, these young men finally received national recognition. At the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial (NLEOM) in Washington, D.C., their names were engraved and read aloud, joining the thousands of others who gave their lives in service to this nation. For their families, it was a moment long overdue.
I had the honor of working to see these men inducted, with the help and guidance of the Eagle Chapter of the Air Force Security Forces Association (AFSFA), who seek out ready and willing project managers to start and carry forward the process of ensuring these members are recognized. It required a lot of digging into historical records, and I was required to track down surviving family members. When I started in January of 2024, it had been 53 years since the crash, so tracking down information was not easy.
I found old articles online, and even found mention of the crash in an old book. I had been given phone numbers of potential surviving family members; many of those phone numbers were dead ends. It took a year to track down and contact 4 of the 6 members’ families (this required a lot of digging on various websites for emails and phone numbers). Some photos needed to be procured from sites like, FindaGrave, because I could not get ahold of family to provide the photographs.
Emotionally, some of the hardest (and most rewarding) moments came from speaking with the family members. For many, it seemed they were reliving the moment. I spoke to siblings, widows, and some of the members even left behind children when they passed. Some wondered., “why now?” while also saying “it’s about time.” I could not answer why it had not happened up to this point, though I know in recent years the AFSFA Eagle Chapter has been a champion of ensuring Security Forces/Police receive the recognition at the NLEOM had not happened sooner (though they received recognition regionally in South Dakota in the 70s), but that I was working to ensure the recognition happened now.
Every man and woman who wears a uniform, whether military, law enforcement, or first responder, understands that service carries risk. They rise each day knowing that their oath may require the ultimate sacrifice. What is less understood is that when their sacrifice goes unrecognized, the weight is borne by their families and communities alone.
Something I learned when trying to dig up information for these members is this: history is fragile. Names slip from memory, stories fade, and lessons are lost. It is easy for these things to fade as the decades pass, and it becomes more difficult for communities to dig up the memories. The bonds of citizenship weaken when sacrifice is forgotten. Civic service is necessary for the survival of a democracy, and those who give their lives in service, must be honored at every level.
The decades it took for these six men to be added to the national memorial is not an isolated story. Across the country, there are countless others whose lives were given in the line of duty but who remain unrecognized. A great deal of respect should be given to the AFSFA Eagle Chapter because they recognize that. Each loss represents a fracture in our collective memory.
Remembering is more than nostalgia. It is an act of national security, a way of reinforcing the shared values that hold us together. A country that honors its fallen is a country that strengthens the resolve of those still serving. It signals to future generations that sacrifice will not be met with silence.
My involvement in helping these six men find their rightful place at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial was a privilege. It was also a reminder of the work that must be done to ensure no sacrifice is forgotten.
As I researched their stories, spoke with families, and worked with officials and the Air Force Security Forces Association Eagle Chapter to secure their induction, I came to see that memory is not automatic, but rather, it is built by people willing to take responsibility for keeping it alive. In a culture that moves quickly from one news cycle to the next, deliberate acts of remembrance are essential.
Their names are now where they belong, etched in stone among their peers. But there are more stories like theirs waiting to be told, and more families waiting for recognition. The responsibility of remembrance does not rest only with government officials, military institutions, or law enforcement agencies. It rests with all of us.
Attend local Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies, even if you do not have a direct connection to those being honored. Support historical societies, veterans’ organizations, and memorial foundations that work tirelessly to preserve stories of service. When you hear about a forgotten hero in your community, speak up and advocate for their recognition. Most importantly, teach the next generation that those who served were real people with families, dreams, and courage.
The six men who died in 1971 now have their place in the nation’s memory. But their story is a reminder of how easily sacrifice can be overlooked… and how powerful it is when we choose to remember. Honoring the fallen is not optional. It is a duty of citizenship, a covenant between those who serve and the nation they protect. When we remember them, we strengthen the living, we inspire the future, and we affirm the values that make us who we are.
As long as we continue to say their names, they are not gone. And as long as we continue to honor their sacrifice, our country remains whole. I want to also mention and honor the work of Dustin Silc, my former supervisor, who worked to get three members inducted into the NLEOM the year before; without his guidance and mentorship I would not have been able to get as far as I did with this endeavor.
If ever you are in Washington, D.C., go to the NLEOM. You will find the names of many who have sacrificed doing their duty. Go to Panel 19, West, Top, Line 1 if you wish to see and honor the names and lives of Bernard N. Blake, Johnny R. Brock, David A. Cloe, Larry D. Hughes, Glen G. Wilson, and Terry L. Wright.