Governor Richardson Plans Christmas Day Veterans Event
Thursday, December 22, 2005
SANTA FE - Governor
Bill Richardson will honor New Mexico's
veterans in a ceremony on Sunday, Christmas Day
at the Bataan Memorial on the capitol grounds
at 10:00 a.m. The ceremony is a
memorial flag raising and tribute to those New
Mexico Servicemen and women serving away from
their families and loved ones during this
holiday season and to all New Mexico
veterans. "I want every New
Mexican to take a moment on Christmas day to
honor all those who have served, all who are on
active duty now and all who have fallen
fighting for our freedom around the world,"
Governor Richardson said. "I also want us to
remember their families here in New Mexico who
are spending the holidays without a loved
one." Governor
Richardson's Christmas Day Events 10:00-10:30 a.m. -
Veterans Ceremony, Bataan Memorial Monument,
Santa Fe 11:45-12:15 p.m. -
Christmas Lunch at Holy Faith Church for the
Homeless, Ashbaugh Park, Cerrillos Road, Santa
Fe 12:30-1:00 p.m. -
Salvation Army Annual Christmas Dinner and Gift
Distribution for Children, Salvation Army
Offices, 525 W. Alameda, Santa
Fe NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS' SERVICES HOLIDAY TRIBUTE TO
VETERANS DECEMBER 25, 2005 AGENDA 10:00 AM Presentation of
Colors Vietnam Veterans of New Mexico
Color Guard 10:05 AM Pledge of
Allegiance VFW State Commander George
Martinez 10:10 AM Invocation Sardo Sanchez, Commander
American Legion Post 72 10:15 AM Secretary John Garcia
- Welcome Governor Bill Richardson -
Comments NM National Guard
Representative - Comments 10:20 AM Candle Lighting
Ceremony Representing Five Branches of
Service * Reading of 20 U.S. Soldiers
killed in Iraq and and Afghanistan. Read by NM
National Guard Members Killed in Iraq: _Marine Lance Cpl. Chad Robert
Hildebrandt of Springer, 22, a 2003 graduate of
Maxwell High School, killed Oct. 17 in Rutba,
Iraq, after being shot in the head during his
second tour in Iraq. -Private First Class, Lori
Piestewa, 22, killed when her convoy was
ambushed on March 23, 2003 near
Nasiriya. _Private First Class, Mario
Reyes, 19, of Las Cruces, one of four soldiers
killed when a car exploded near their
dismounted patrol in Bagdad on November 7,
2005 _New Mexico National Guard Sgt.
Marshal A. Westbrook, 43, of Farmington, a
member of the Albuquerque-based 126th Military
Police Company, killed Oct. 1 in Baghdad after being struck
in the head by shrapnel from an explosive
device. _Army Cpl. Lyle Cambridge of
Shiprock, a 2000 graduate of Aztec High School,
killed July 5 in Baghdad when an improvised
explosive device detonated near the vehicle in
which he was riding. He was assigned to the 3rd
Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment based at
Fort Carson, Colo. _Air Force Special Forces 1st
Lt. Jeremy Fresques, 26, a 1997 graduate of
Farmington High School, killed May 30 when an
Iraqi single-engine plane crashed near Jalula,
about 80 miles northeast of
Baghdad. _Reserve Marine Lance Cpl.
Jonathan Grant, 23, of Pojoaque, killed May 11
when the amphibious assault vehicle he was in
was hit by an explosive device. _Army Staff Sergeant Joseph
Rodriguez, 25, Las Cruces, killed Jan. 28 when
an improvised explosive struck his vehicle in
south Baghdad. _Marine Lance Cpl. Christopher
S. Adlesperger, 20, Albuquerque, a rifleman
killed Dec. 9, 2004, during fighting in the
Anbar province. _Army Spc. Jeremy E.
Christensen, 27, Albuquerque, killed Nov. 27,
2004, when a homemade bomb was detonated near
his patrol vehicle in Ad Duilayah,
Iraq. _Army Spc. Christopher A.
Merville, 26, Albuquerque, killed Oct. 12,
2004, when his unit came under fire during
combat operations in Baghdad. _Marine Sgt. Moses D. Rocha,
33, Roswell, shot Aug. 5, 2004, during fighting
in Najaf on his second tour of
duty. _Army Sgt. Tommy L. Gray, 34,
Roswell, a tank mechanic killed Aug. 3, 2004,
when he was caught between two vehicles in his
motor pool in Taji. _Marine Lance Cpl. Aaron
Austin, 21, Lovington, killed April 26, 2004,
in Fallujah during his second tour in
Iraq. _Marine Lance Cpl. Christopher
Ramos, 26, Albuquerque, killed April 5, 2004,
from hostile fire in Anbar province during his
second tour of duty. _Army Spc. James "Heath"
Pirtle, 27, La Mesa, a graduate of Carlsbad
High School, killed Oct. 4, 2003, when the
Bradley fighting vehicle he was in was hit by a
rocket-propelled grenade in
Assadah. ___ Killed in
Afghanistan: _Air Force Maj. Steven
Plumhoff, 33, stationed with Kirtland Air Force
Base's 58th Special Operations Wing, killed
Nov. 23, 2003, when his MH-53J Pave Low
helicopter crashed near Bagram,
Afghanistan. _Air Force 1st Lt. Tamara Long
Archuleta, 23, of Belen, co-pilot of an HH-60G
Pave Hawk helicopter, killed when the
helicopter crashed in Afghanistan on a mercy
mission on March 23, 2003. _Army Sgt. 1st Class
Christopher James Speer, 28, of Albuquerque,
died Aug. 7, 2002, after being wounded in an
ambush on July 27 in the east of
Afghanistan. _Senior Airman Jason
Cunningham, 26, a Carlsbad native who also
lived in Farmington and Gallup, killed March 4,
2002, while rescuing wounded troops in Marzak,
Afghanistan.
