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Ossining Remembers Graduate Who Died In Beirut Bombing

OSSINING, N.Y. -- Ossining remembered one of its fallen heroes Monday.

Craig Wyche's family remembers him on the 34th anniversary of the terrorist attack in Beirut.

Craig Wyche's family remembers him on the 34th anniversary of the terrorist attack in Beirut.

Photo Credit: Contributed

Craig Wyche, who graduated Ossining High School in 1982, was one of 241 people killed in the 1983 terrorist attack at the Beirut International Airport. He was serving as a lance corporal in the US military.

On Oct. 23, the 34th anniversary of the bombing, members of his family, veterans, and students gathered on the front lawn to commemorate Wyche.

Wyche's brother, Glenn, his daughter Kijafa and cousin Shayla were also at the ceremony.

Glenn said his brother was a bright and gifted athlete who could have done anything he wanted in life.

"He's in my heart," Wyche said. “As soon as we forget something like this, these things come back to haunt us in other ways. We should always remember those who fought for this country and gave their lives for this country, all the servicemen.”

Members of the Marine Corps League-Westchester County Detachment; American Legion Post 506; and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1041 participated in the memorial service. They laid a wreath in front of a maple tree that was planted in his honor many years ago and a plaque in the ground. Patrick Wheeler, a social studies teacher and a graduate, played “Taps.”

“May light perpetually shine upon him,” Edmund Cook, chaplain of Post 506, said during the ceremony. “May the good work of seeking justice for the oppressed and peace for all mankind be rewarded with success, that his sacrifice shall not have been in vain.”

Craig Wyche was fiercely proud of being accepted into the Marines, said Michael  O’Connor, chairman of the Central Committee of Organized War Veterans in the town of Ossining. 

“We just want everybody to remember the sacrifices of the men and women that have chosen to put on that uniform and enter into harm’s way to protect our way of life, our republic and to protect what this country stands for,” O’Connor said.

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