Late Marine Lance Cpl. Aaron Seal of Elkhart and his family were recognized at the Zimmer Biomet Veterans Resource Group’s annual Memorial Day wreath laying ceremony on Thursday, May 22, at the Zimmer Biomet Center Lake Pavilion. At the event, ZB VRG Chair Dale Campbell, left, gave Seal’s father, David Dunn, right, a plaque.

Text and Photos
By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Marine Lance Cpl. Aaron Seal “gave the ultimate sacrifice” for America, said Jim Waldrop.

Waldrop, a member of the Zimmer Biomet Veterans Resource Group, spoke at the group’s annual Memorial Day wreath laying ceremony on Thursday, May 22, at the Zimmer Biomet Center Lake Pavilion.

Each year, the organization places a wreath in honor of fallen service members and honors a Gold Star family.

Seal, of Elkhart, passed away on Oct. 1, 2006, while serving in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. His father, David Dunn, and other members of his family were present at Thursday’s ceremony.

Waldrop shared that Seal graduated from Elkhart Memorial High School and joined the Marines in 2003.

“He was the type of friend that everybody wanted,” said Waldrop.

He shared that Seal had bought a drink for his friend’s birthday before he went to Iraq and the friend said he wouldn’t drink it until Seal came back.

“So every year on Oct. 1, friends and family meet at his grave and have a toast,” said Waldrop, adding some of Seal’s fellow Marines joined the group there in 2016.

Members of the Warsaw Community High School JROTC presented the colors at the ceremony.

“According to family and friends, he touched a lot of lives in the short 23 years that he was here with us,” said Waldrop.

ZB VRG Chair David Campbell presented Dunn with a plaque in memory of his son.

Dunn spoke briefly.

“It’s kind of a bittersweet moment, I think,” he said. “I just want to thank everyone for taking time out of their day to spend with us and honor my son.”

Also speaking at the event was Col. Ali Besik of the Army Reserve 310th Expeditionary Sustainment Command.

He called Memorial Day “a day of national recognition to honor the military men and women who died in service to our country during peacetime and war.”

Besik recognized Seal’s family and gave a brief history of the U.S. military, which is marking its 250th anniversary this year.

“On Memorial Day, as we think about those who first served our country, and those who still serve today, we remember that as Americans, they gave their lives for the fortunes and freedoms we enjoy,” he said. “We remember the service of all veterans throughout the history of our great nation who have defended our Constitution and our country from foreign and domestic enemies.”