Camp Horno Memorial Crosses

1st Battalion 9th Marine Veterans tell their stories portrayed in these photographs:

This Memorial is dedicated to all 1st Battalion 9th Marine Brothers that have fallen in combat, to those who lost the battle to their demons, and to those brothers that died of natural causes.

On Saturday February 17 at 0600 in the morning, 35 men from 1/9 who came from Washington DC and other parts of the country to carry the 1/9 Walking Dead Memorial Cross up in the mountains to a hidden place where we find comfort. It was only fitting to honor our namesake Vietnam Warfighter's in The Walking Dead by having five of them and a Vietnam Gold Star son participate in the hike and ceremony at the crest of the mountain.

Our little band begin the hike by carrying the cross. Every man had a hand on the cross carrying it up the mountain, no easy task. We finished by having the five Vietnam veterans and the Vietnam Gold Star son carry the cross to the scared ground. There we told stories of heroes and courageous acts and then placed the dog tags of our fallen on a KA-Bar from the Korea War era below the center of the cross. As each “dog tag” was placed on the cross, their name was read aloud. They shall no be forgotten. 

Photo credit: Frank Sellin