Fallen Marine To Be Honored at Central Regional Today

It was nearly a year ago that the Central Regional Alumni Association honored the four young graduates men killed in foreign wars over the decades.

Today they will honor one more.

Christopher M. Monahan, 25, Class of 2005, was killed last Nov. 26 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, when the truck he was riding in struck an explosive device. He left behind a wife, three children and a large extended family.

His death came almost a month to the day when the CRAA held its first Fallen Heroes ceremony on Oct. 27, two days before Superstorm Sandy hit.

The idea of a war memorial for Central's fallen had been on the back burner for some time. But when Army Sgt. John A. Lyons, Class of 2003, was killed in late October 2011 in Afghanistan, CRAA member Nancy decided it was time to push for a memorial.

Seibert swung into action. She designed the memorial - a semi-circle of wall block with a black granite monument in the middle, near the original front entrance to the high school next to the flag pole.

The CRAA raised funds to pay for the memorial. Much of the work was donated.

The other Central Regional graduates who died in combat include:

• George Phillip Berg, Class of 1965. The U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer was killed in a helicopter crash on a rescue mission in Laos on Feb. 18, 1971. His remains were never recovered.

• U.S. Marine Private First Class William Walter Hester, Class of 1967. He was only 19 when he was killed on July 1, 1968, while defending his battalion under assault.

• U.S. Marine Private First Class Robert Edward Church, Class of 1967. He was 21 when he was killed on May 16, 1968, while defending his platoon.