One day after the aptly described “devastating news” that all three soldiers killed in a drone strike overseas were from Georgia, “people in Carroll County are making plans to honor one of their own.” Army reservist Sgt. William Jerome Rivers’ name will be added to the other names on the wall at the Carroll County Veterans Memorial Park.
“This particular portion of the park has the names of those Carroll County citizens who were killed in action,” said retired US Army Lt. Col. Barry Gardner. “Sgt. Rivers’ name will go right here.” See photo of the granite memorial wall at the Carroll County Veterans Memorial Park memorializing Carroll County citizens who were killed in action. Army reservist Sgt. William Jerome Rivers’ name will be added to the other names.
“Sgt. William Rivers, along with Specialist Kennedy Sanders from Waycross, and Specialist Breonna Moffett from Savannah were killed in a drone strike on a U.S. base in Jordan near the Syrian border on Sunday. All three were members of the 718th Engineering Company at Fort Moore.”
Background information discloses that Sgt. Rivers joined the Army Reserve in 2011 and served a 9-month tour in Iraq. Last year he joined the 718th engineering company.
A ceremony will be held in the park honoring Sgt. William Rivers. “We’ll have a ceremony and fully honor Sgt. Rivers for his service and sacrifice,” said Lt. Col. Gardner. Lt. Col. Gardner provided a perspective on deaths from war. “I’m 25-year active duty in the Army, myself. I served in Vietnam. A few of my friends were killed in action, and any time a service member dies in action it hits home for me.” Retired Army Lt. Col. Barry Gardner is the president of the Carroll County Veterans Memorial Park Association.
