by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
As of Jan. 11, according to “Military Times,” 5,859 American soldiers, sailors and airmen have been killed in action in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
“Faces of the Fallen,” a project of The Washington Post, reports that Florida was the home state for 280 of those service personnel, ranking the state third behind California (607) and Texas (517).
As a way to remember Florida’s men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice, the “Florida Fallen Hero Quilt Project” was begun in 2005. With the motto “Without a witness, they will disappear,” the quilts are on exhibit through 5 p.m. Friday in the rotunda at City Hall and the public is invited to view the collection of quilts and memorials.
Harrison Conyers, manager of the City’s Military Affairs, Veterans and Disabled Services Division, said that several Downtown sites were considered for the exhibit. “It made the most sense to bring the quilts to City Hall,” he said.
The quilts are being exhibited in several cities throughout the state and one day might become part of a permanent memorial in Tallahassee, said Dave Seamans, president of Florida Fallen Heroes.
Part of the display is a poster explaining that volunteers are needed to sew and donate individual blocks that will eventually be assembled into more quilts to add to the current collection of eight.
“I’m sure we’ll add a ninth based on last year’s casualties,” said Seamans.
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