Four years ago, the world watched in horror at the scenes coming from Afghanistan. But no day will be remembered as worse than August 26, 2021, when the bombing at the Abbey Gate of Hamid Karzai International Airport took the lives of 13 American heroes.

To say that those 13 men and women represent the best of our nation would be a dramatic understatement. They stood up, raised their hands, and volunteered to put themselves in harm’s way in order to keep the vulnerable safe, protect our country, and to defend freedom and democracy. They served their nation with honor, and we will forever be indebted to them.

Today, our hearts are with the Gold Star families of these fallen heroes. May they take some small ounce of comfort in knowing that we will never forget their names or their sacrifices.