thedrifter
10-16-08, 07:17 AM
Iraq War Deaths Honored
Last Edited: Wednesday, 15 Oct 2008, 5:06 PM EDT
Created: Wednesday, 15 Oct 2008, 4:35 PM EDT
CLEVELAND -- Service men and women from Northeast Ohio who were killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom, are being remembered in a special way; a gift of art for those who gave the gift of themselves.
Families of the fallen were presented with hand drawn sketches of their loved ones Wednesday in a ceremony at the Cuyahoga County Veteran's Service Commission. The artist is a Navy veteran from Mount Vernon, Ohio, Bryan Yankulov.
Since American troops invaded Iraq in 2003, 189 soldiers, marines and airmen from Ohio have been killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan and Yankulov has drawn portraits of 99 of them. "It's my intention that your brother will never be forgotten," Yankulov told the sisters of Joseph Garmback who was killed in 2004 in a mortar attack.
"It means something because people are still remembering him, even though it was four years ago. And that's what we like to hear and see," said Garmback's sister , Arlene Csuri.
Portraits were unveiled for Garmback, Brad Squires, Augi Schroeder, Jeffrey Boskovitch, Michael Kashkoush, Thomas Keeling, Michael Finke and Robert Dowdy.
Yankulov says he first gets the families' permission and they provide photographs from which the portraits are made.
Copies will be displayed at the Commission Office in Cleveland. The artist says his goal is to get copies publically displayed in home counties of all the fallen heroes.
Ellie
Last Edited: Wednesday, 15 Oct 2008, 5:06 PM EDT
Created: Wednesday, 15 Oct 2008, 4:35 PM EDT
CLEVELAND -- Service men and women from Northeast Ohio who were killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom, are being remembered in a special way; a gift of art for those who gave the gift of themselves.
Families of the fallen were presented with hand drawn sketches of their loved ones Wednesday in a ceremony at the Cuyahoga County Veteran's Service Commission. The artist is a Navy veteran from Mount Vernon, Ohio, Bryan Yankulov.
Since American troops invaded Iraq in 2003, 189 soldiers, marines and airmen from Ohio have been killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan and Yankulov has drawn portraits of 99 of them. "It's my intention that your brother will never be forgotten," Yankulov told the sisters of Joseph Garmback who was killed in 2004 in a mortar attack.
"It means something because people are still remembering him, even though it was four years ago. And that's what we like to hear and see," said Garmback's sister , Arlene Csuri.
Portraits were unveiled for Garmback, Brad Squires, Augi Schroeder, Jeffrey Boskovitch, Michael Kashkoush, Thomas Keeling, Michael Finke and Robert Dowdy.
Yankulov says he first gets the families' permission and they provide photographs from which the portraits are made.
Copies will be displayed at the Commission Office in Cleveland. The artist says his goal is to get copies publically displayed in home counties of all the fallen heroes.
Ellie