President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday unveiled a memorial wall honoring eight senior military officers who lost their lives in a helicopter crash in January, including former chief of the general staff Shen Yi-ming (沈一鳴).
The wall is located in a plaza named the “0102 Memorial Zone” outside the Ministry of National Defense in Taipei’s Zhongshan District (中山) and features engravings of photographs and the life stories of the officers.
Shen and seven members of his entourage died on Jan. 2 when the UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter they were riding in crashed in mountains in New Taipei City en route to a pre-Lunar New Year visit to troops stationed at Dongaoling Base (東澳嶺) in Yilan County.
Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
Five other passengers survived.
Tsai once again expressed her sorrow and offered condolences to the officers’ families, thanking the men for their contributions to the nation.
“The eight officers were important pillars of our nation’s security. Their departure was a great loss to the country and to the armed forces,” she said.
She urged the men and women in the military to carry on the legacies of the dead and to strive for a stronger armed forces, as well as fulfilling the mission of protecting the nation and democracy.
“Lastly, I want to tell the eight officers who died while carrying out their duties: We will remember your sacrifices,” she said.
Tsai laid flowers in front of the wall and gave commendation plaques to the families of the deceased, including Shen’s mother, who was in a wheelchair.
Prior to the unveiling, Tsai led a spring memorial service in honor of national martyrs at the National Revolutionary Martyrs’ Shrine, which is about 1km from the ministry.
The services, held annually on March 29 and on Sept. 3, pay tribute to those who have laid down their lives for the Republic of China.
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