John Calamos holds his grandson, Lance Barr, 1. His stepson, Army Sgt. Dustin Perrott, was honored. View More Images from this story Visit the Photo Place

Wall in Richmond honors sacrifice

Richmond wall honors those killed in war on terror

By Chelyen Davis

Date published: 5/23/2008

RICHMOND

He pointed out the badge on Perrott's beret, the patch on his uniform's shoulder, the braids and insignias and bars across Perrott's chest, all of which told McDonnell that Perrott was a member of an elite, well-trained squad.

The words beside Perrott's picture told other parts of the story: that he was from the Fredericksburg area, and that he was killed in Afghanistan in June 2007.

Perrott is one of 170 soldiers pictured on the "Wall of Honor" in the lobby of the Attorney General's office in Richmond. The wall honors Virginia soldiers killed in the war on terror. Perrott and 28 other soldiers who were killed in the past year, including two others from the Fredericksburg area, joined that wall yesterday, with the second annual ceremony to honor them.

McDonnell began the wall last year, after being inspired by a state trooper whose son had been killed and who wanted McDonnell to find a place to display the state flag his son flew over his barracks.

McDonnell, whose own daughter served a tour in Iraq, thought the state needed a place to pay tribute to soldiers who were from Virginia or who were stationed in Virginia, so their families wouldn't feel they'd been forgotten.

"We just did such a poor job after the Vietnam War honoring the 57,000 men and women who died there," he said.

Displaying the pictures, as well as the names, makes it especially personal, McDonnell said.

"I walk by this a couple of times a week, and to me it's still very moving. Because of the faces," he said. "A name is one thing, but when you see the face you look in the eyes and think about all the lives that person might have touched,"

Perrott, in his picture, stands before a concrete wall, wearing his uniform and beret. He was 23 when he died, married, a graduate of Chancellor High School. He was a paratrooper with the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division out of Fort Bragg, N.C.

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Date published: 5/23/2008