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YSU event honors students, employees who've died on active duty
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Mark White of the 910th Air Reserve Station Honor Guard carries the U.S. flag before the Reading of the Names ceremony at Youngstown State University on Wednesday.
By LEE MURRAY
TheNewsOutlet.org
YOUNGSTOWN
Fallen service members were remembered Wednesday at Youngstown State University’s 15th annual Reading of the Names.
The event remembers the 68 university attendees and employees who have died on active military duty.
After a brief introduction, the sounding of taps, and a rifle salute, the list of names was read. The list included information about each service member’s university affiliation and military branch. The majority of those remembered were students of what was then Youngstown College who died in World War II.
In prior years, the event has taken place in November. This year, YSU’s Office of Veterans Affairs brought the date closer to Memorial Day.
“Memorial Day stands for those who have fallen, so we thought it would be a good idea to move it up,” said Marine Sgt. Robert Eggleston, a current YSU student.
Eggleston returned from active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2011 to continue his education at YSU.
Among those remembered was Leslie Sabo, the only serviceman associated with YSU to have been awarded the Medal of Honor. He was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously by President Barack Obama two weeks ago for his bravery during the Vietnam War.
Sabo died saving his fellow soldiers. His wife, Rose Mary, was presented with the award at the White House.
Coordinator of Veterans Affairs James Olive, who presided over the event, said that the University only heard about Sabo’s award very recently.
“We heard he was from nearby Elwood City, and that’s when we started doing our research. We read some news articles and then we checked the records and established that he did attend,” said Olive. He added that it means a lot to the university to be associated with a man of Sabo’s character.
“It’s humbling, it’s inspiring,” said Olive. “War doesn’t build character; it reveals it.”
The NewsOutlet is a joint media venture by student and professional journalists and is a collaboration of Youngstown State University, WYSU radio and The Vindicator.