26 Georgia soldiers lost their lives serving in conflict overseas in the past year. They and other military fallen were honored in the annual Memorial Day ceremony at the state Capitol Thursday.

The ceremony included dozens of Georgia military personnel in the Capitol’s North Wing. They were joined by other officials, and family members of the fallen.

Governor Sonny Perdue spoke to them:

“You’ve got a particular face to remember, you’ve got a particular laugh and life and familiar voice. And more than anyone, you know what this really means.”

Samuel West, a Sergeant First Class with the Army National Guard, says it was moving to hear the 26 names of the Georgia-fallen read during the ceremony. West is also a member of the Honor Guard:

“Some of the soldiers that were fallen, I had done their ceremony. So it was very heartwarming to hear their names, but sad also because they gave the ultimate sacrifice for this country.”

West says he will be heading-out to Iraq for another tour of duty later this year.

The commander of Georgia’s National Guard acknowledged eight members of the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team that died serving in Afghanistan in the past year.

Tags: Georgia, Georgia National Guard, military, Governor Sonny Perdue, state Capitol, ceremony, Memorial Day