Remembering the Swannanoa Valley’s fallen heroes
Community honors the Owen 10 in Memorial Day ceremony
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
May 23, 2025
A Memorial Day ceremony, May 22, honored a group young Swannanoa Valley natives who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of their country, as the school’s JROTC Training Corps solemnly remembered the Owen 10.
The annual gathering, which was attended by local veterans, school officials, friends and family of the servicemen who were killed in action during the Vietnam War, preserves the legacies of J. Bruce Harris, H. Coleman Wright, Jr., Ronald L. Hurst, Billy G. Stewart, John W. Hansard III, J. Onley Weaver, Donald W. Wright, Wesley E. Melton, Bruce C. Elkins and Wendell L. Brown.
Attendees were greeted by opening remarks by Warhorse Battalion Commander McKenzie Lewis, who delivered the address in front of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial erected in front of the school in 1992. The horseshoe-shaped half wall surrounds a granite marker honoring those from the Swannanoa Valley who have served and memorializing those who were lost The interior of the wall contains the names, ages and ranks of each of the Owen 10, as well as the branches in which they served.
JROTC Cadet Bear Dasher read from Bible verse, John 15:13 to begin the ceremony.
“A greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friend,” he said. “That is exactly what these soldiers have done for each other, and everyone.”
A presentation of colors by the JROTC Color Guard was followed by the playing of the Star Spangled Banner by the Owen band. Lewis offered a history of the Memorial Day holiday, which will be observed, Monday, May 26, before naming each of the fallen Vietnam Veterans who attended Owen or its predecessors, Black Mountain and Swannanoa High Schools.
“The Owen 10 will forever be our heroes,” Lewis said, as Owen principal Dawn Rookey and Cadet First Lieutenant Hailey Carambot placed a wreath on the memorial. The ceremony closed with a rendition of Taps.
Following the gathering, Warhorse Battalion cadets welcomed attendees to view a public unveiling of The Warhorse Warrior Wall, which recognizes all Owen alumni who have served. The memorial, established near the JROTC classroom, contains the names of the Owen 10, while 10 additional names are to be added each year.
Designed by Buncombe County Sheriff’s Deputy SRO Matt Owenby, the wall now contains 20 names, and serves as an inspiration for current cadets, according to Lewis.
“I walk by this wall everyday and it is a constant reminder of the names of people who gave me the freedom I have today,” she said. “One day, I hope to do something worthy of having my name up there.”
Each name, including notable community figures like retired Black Mountain Police Chief Steven Padgett, former football standout and coach Jason LeMay and the father of beloved school staff Jack and Leonard Slaughter, represents a larger story.
“There is a star next to each of the Owen 10, indicating they died in combat. We hope to never add another star to this wall,” Lewis said. “The names of Carroll Hipps and Marshall Blankenship are centered below the Owen 10, because they hold up the memory of their brothers. These are the two people who made that memorial out front possible. They never forgot, and because of them we have this powerful memorial today.”
Remembering those who made “the greatest sacrifice” is as important now as ever, according to Owen sophomore and JROTC Cadet Sergeant First Class Scout Schermerhorn.
“When you think about what these men did, it is a true representation of greater love,” she said. “They laid down their lives for not only their brothers, but for people they never met and for generations that followed them.”
Participating in the Memorial Day ceremony was an opportunity to carry on their legacy, Schermerhorn added.
“I’m proud to be a part of telling the next generation about these men and how we are able to enjoy the freedoms we do today,” she said. “Freedom really isn’t free, and that’s important for everyone to remember.”
Following in the path of former Owen students who later served their country is an honor for Lewis, who plans to enlist in the U.S. Coast Guard.
“I’ve been in JROTC since I’ve been in high school,” she said. “I saw the impact this program makes across the school, and I’ve wanted to serve for a long time. I like helping people, so I want to join the Coast Guard and save lives.”
Leading the Owen 10 ceremony was one of the highlights of her high school career, according to Lewis.
“I personally went to the Vietnam Memorial Wall and rubbed each of their names and brought them back. I did a presentation about them for my junior project,” she said. “These men mean a lot to me, even though I didn’t know them. I’ve been excited to do this ceremony all year, because I love it; it’s just such a precious tradition.”
Photos of the the 2025 Owen 10 Memorial Remembrance Ceremony and The Warhorse Warrior Wall can be viewed in the gallery to the top of the page.