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Jennerstown Salutes: Track to honor OVN fallen heroes during May 27 show

Tadd Haislop

(Photo: Nate Smallwood/NASCAR)

The NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series show at Pennsylvania's Jennerstown Speedway on Saturday, May 27 will be special. Yes, the NASCAR Home Track located southeast of Pittsburgh will host an exiting night of action featuring Late Models, Modifieds, Pro Stocks, Street Stocks, Chargers and Fast 4s, but a couple days ahead of Memorial Day, it will also honor fallen soldiers. Having teamed up with Operation Vet NOW (OVN) and its Fallen Heroes project, Jennerstown will host its Armed Forces Night, also known as Jennerstown Salutes. Before the racing begins Saturday evening, the track will hold its Jennerstown Salutes OVN Tribute starting at 5:50 p.m. local time. Gold Star families will be welcomed and recognized, and the ceremonies will include the playing of "God Bless America," "Amazing Grace," a 21-Gun Salute, Taps, the national anthem, an honor guard march and a POW/MIA ceremony. Tickets are available at the Jennerstown Speedway gates. For those who can't make the show in person, FloRacing will provide live coverage of the racing action. Below are the fallen soldiers who will be honored at Jennerstown on Saturday.

Michael Anthony Hook - Army

Hook was soldier from western Pennsylvania who had ties to New Jersey. He was among 14 U.S. soldiers killed when a Black Hawk helicopter crashed during a nighttime mission in northern Iraq.

Larry Parks Jr. - Army

Parks was a Pennsylvania soldier known for his dedication as a volunteer firefighter. He died of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Parks was a Tank Gunner. He was awarded the Purple Heart.

Christopher Allen Golby - Army

Golby was killed while on board a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter when it crashed during a Medevac mission.

Aaron James Rusin - Army

Rusin died of injuries sustained when his military vehicle came under fire from enemy forces.

Brian Paul Hause - Air Force

Hause was 29 when he passed away due to a non combat-related medical issue at Balad Air Base.

Randy Donald McCaulley - Army

McCaulley was killed when his dismounted patrol came under enemy small arms fire during combat operations.

Brandon Edwin Adams - Army

Adams died at Walter Reed Army Medical Center of injuries sustained Feb. 16 in Fallujah, Iraq, when a grenade exploded as he was clearing a house.

Curtis John Forshey - Army

Forshey's death was of a non-combat related illness after being medevacked out of Kuwait on March 22. He suffered a brain aneurysm caused by his leukemia treatment.

Shelby James Feniello - Marine Corps

Feniello died while conducting combat operations against enemy forces when their vehicle ran over an IED. The men were rushing to the aid of Marines involved in a gun battle with insurgents.

Andrew William Brown - Army

Brown died of injuries sustained on Oct. 1, 2004 when his patrol vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device.

Eric Raymond Hull - Army

Hull was killed when a military vehicle he was riding in hit an improvised explosive device. He was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

Nils George Thompson - Army

Thompson was shot by a sniper while in the hatch of an armored vehicle on patrol at an Iraqi police station in northern Iraq. He was award the Purple Heart.

Landon Scott Giles - Army

Giles was killed when an improvised explosive device detonated while he was on patrol. He was awarded the Purple Heart.

Clint Richard Matthews - Army

Matthews died from injuries sustained two days before when his Bradley Fighting Vehicle went over a 60-foot embankment and flipped over in Baji, Iraq. He was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

Ronald Eric Baum - Marine Corps

Baum was in the turret of a Humvee when it was hit by a rocket, killed by hostile fire. Baum was posthumously honored with the Navy Marine Corps Commendation for his actions during the attack.

Robert Boyd Jenkins - Navy

Jenkins was killed by hostile fire. He was a member of the Navy Reserves Sea Bee unit.

Daniel Russell Lightner Jr. - Army

Lightner was killed at age 28 when an Improvised Explosive Device detonated near his Humvee during combat operations. Lightner was also a Pennsylvania State Trooper. He was awarded the Purple Heart.

Scott Sather - Air Force

Sather died following an injury sustained while engaging hostile forces. His death marked the first combat casualty for the U.S. Air Force during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. He was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

Raymond R. Buchan - Army

Buchan died of wounds sustained from enemy small-arms fire during his second tour in Iraq. He was awarded the Purple Heart.