Monument honors MSNG pilots killed in Apache crash
Chief Warrant Officers Bryan Zemek and Derek Abbott remembered for their love of family, patriotism and strong faith
BOONEVILLE, MISS. (WCBI) – A crowd gathered just yards away from the newest monument on the North side of Prentiss County. Courthouse
During a brief ceremony, Chief Warrant Officers Bryan Zemek and Derek Abbott were remembered as soldiers who loved their families and their country.
They were on a training flight when their AH-64 Apache helicopter crashed in a wooded area near Booneville.
J W Jackson is a Vietnam veteran and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. About a year ago, he felt moved to do something to honor the men’s memory.
“My wife and I were going on vacation, passed the crash site, and I said, when we get home, I will start to see if we can get money for them,” Jackson said.
The granite marker joins other monuments to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country through the years.
For the widows of Abbott and Zemek, the monument is a lasting reminder of the appreciation a grateful county and state have for their soldiers.
“Sitting over there praying and watching how they, Prentiss County has embodied the heart of our husbands, and what it means to be a soldier, it is just amazing, it is life giving, and to hear them say a soldier never dies until their name is mentioned last, that is power,” said Brandi Abbott, widow of CW 4 Derek Abbott.
“The blessing that God has put in both of our lives through this event, I have discovered a family I didn’t realize I had. The Flight Facility guys are more of a family, I can’t express gratitude I have for them, our church families, Brandi and I knew of each other before, but she is my best friend, I couldn’t imagine going through this without her,” said Robyn Zemek, widow of CW 4 Bryan Zemek.
District 18 State Representative Jerry Turner says the memorial to the two soldiers will help ensure their service and sacrifice are never forgotten.
“As the song says, the land of the free and home of the brave. We can’t be the land of the free without the brave, that is what keeps it free,” Rep. Turner said.
Abbott and Zemek served at the Mississippi National Guard Army Aviation Support Facility two in Tupelo.
