News from
The Adjutant General's Department

CONTACT:
Sharon Watson
Director, Public Affairs Office
Work: (785) 274-1192
Cell: (785) 806-4063
http://www.Kansas.gov/ksadjutantgeneral

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   May 22, 2009
No. 09-051

ADDITIONAL KANSAS NATIONAL GUARD INVOLVEMENT IN MEMORIAL DAY EVENTS

The 1st Battalion, 108th Aviation, Kansas Army National Guard, Salina, will be providing a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter flyover at the Chautauqua Hills Blues Festival in Sedan, Kan., on Sunday, May 24.  The flyover will take place at 4:40 p.m. and will consist of two helicopters.

The 1st Battalion, 108th Aviation Regiment deployed in September 2006 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Their mission was battlefield circulation of troops and supplies, combat air assault, and the daily air movement of VIP's and dignitaries.  They returned home in September 2007.  The battalion has also deployed to Bosnia in support of SFOR 13 and to Panama in support of Operation New Horizons.  The 1st Battalion, 108th Aviation is an air assault helicopter unit, headquartered in Topeka with subordinate companies in Salina.
In Holton at 12 p.m. on Monday, May 25 there will be a Memorial Day service in honor of Master Sgt. Bernard Lee “Bernie” Deghand.  Deghand was a member of the Kansas National Guard and was killed in action in Afghanistan on Sept. 15, 2006.  Lunch will be served at VFW Post 1367, 926 W 6th Street following the ceremony.

VFW Post 2993 Jones-Histed Post will be sponsoring a Memorial Day ceremony on Monday, May 25 at 10 a.m. at the Oak Lawn Memorial Gardens, 13901 Blackbob Road, Olathe.  The Kansas National Guard Military Honor Guard Team will be providing the firing detail and a bugler to play “Taps.”  The public is invited to attend.

A ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, May 25 at the Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Bluff City (1/2 mile south, ¼ mile east on SE 60th Road).  This year marks the 126th consecutive year a ceremony has been held at this location.  The Kansas National Guard Military Honor Guard Team will be providing the firing detail for this ceremony.  The public is invited to attend.

The 190th Air Refueling Wing, Kansas Air National Guard, will also be providing flyovers at numerous Memorial Day ceremonies across the state.  Some of the cities that they will fly over include Wilson, Dorrance, Russell, Victoria, Hays, Ellis, Wakeeney, Collyer, Quinter, Park, Grainfield, Grinnell, Oakley, Winona, Wallace, Sharon Springs, Scott City, Syracuse, Lakin, Deerfield, Holcomb, Garden City, Fort Dodge, Greensburg, Pratt, Kingman, Wichita and Winfield.

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