School honors its fallen soldiers

BOISE – Six former Borah High School students who died while serving in Vietnam or Iraq have been honored with a monument at the school.

Families of the men surrounded the 8-foot stainless steel and granite monument in an unveiling ceremony Friday.

“Our family has fought for freedom since the Civil War … Now, today, is Chad’s real graduation from Borah,” said Mary Carson, whose son left Borah before graduation in 1967 to join the military.

Many relatives of the soldiers live in the Boise area, but some, like Carson of Seattle, traveled hundreds of miles for the dedication.

More than 1,000 people, mostly Borah High School students, filled the courtyard next to the school gym. The Borah Choir sang, the marching band played and Marines and U.S. Army soldiers stood at attention before saluting the monument. Later, two Apache helicopters flew overhead in tribute.

The monument bears the names of the six fallen men carved in black granite on the sides and a plaque saying “The Heart of a Lion Duty Honor Country.”

“It had to be done,” said Boise Airport Police Chief Mike Johnson, a Borah graduate, who has been working on the monument since October.

“I think this was a really neat event, especially for the students of Borah, to open their eyes to the sacrifice these men made for freedom … I think it hits them right in their heart,” said Janella Ludwig, 24.