The four fallen Warriors of 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery shared a love of country and dedication to their fellow "First Round" Soldiers that knew no bounds, and on May 5, those warriors' loved ones shared tears and memories.

Families and friends of 5-3 FA, 17th Fires Brigade, came together during a memorial dedication outside the battalion headquarters honoring Staff Sgt. Conrad Mora, Sgt. Daniel Lim, Spc. Joseph Bauer and Spc. Andrew Hand. The four were killed July 24 in southern Afghanistan when their route clearance vehicle was struck by an IED.

Lieutenant Colonel James Kaine, 5-3 FA commander, said it was fitting that the Soldiers' memorial be enshrined on the "First Round" bell - a battalion symbol that the fallen Soldiers heard chime nine times prior to physical training each morning before they deployed. Each chime represents a campaign the battalion has fought in.

"From this day forward, the 10th chime of the bell, in honor of the battalion's 10th and latest campaign participation in Afghanistan, will remind us of the noble service and the ultimate sacrifice made by the four heroes that we honor today, and the service and the sacrifice of their families, which we can never repay, but only honor and keep alive with the collective memory of this distinguished unit," Kaine said.

Mora, Lim, Bauer and Hand deployed to Afghanistan with 5-3 FA in November 2009. They worked long days doing what they were trained and called to do: clear thousands of miles of IED-ridden roads, knowing their fellow Soldiers and the Afghan people depended on them. They risked - and ultimately sacrificed - their own lives, but saved countless others in the process.

"They undertook their counter-IED mission understanding that it was one of the most dangerous lines of work in all of the military, and yet they patrolled the roads of Afghanistan day in and day out with a pride and an unshakable determination to see this vital mission through to completion," Kaine said.

One by one, individual plaques bearing each Soldier's name and photo were unveiled for those in attendance to reflect upon.

While it seemed natural for such an event to trigger painful emotions, 1st Sgt. Jimmy Zertuche, 5-3 FA, said the memorial was not intended to reopen any wounds.

"I think this is a good part of the grieving process for not only the families, but for the Soldiers as well," Zertuche said.

For at least one family, a mix of smiles and tears surrrounded them as people shared stories about their loved one. Lim's parents and sister, Esther, traveled from California to attend the ceremony. Esther, 16, said the event brought her one step closer to understanding her brother's legacy.

"We hadn't seen him for longer than maybe two weeks at a time since he (enlisted), so it's like we get an ... understanding what his life was like when we weren't with him," Esther said.

Lim's mother, Soon, spoke through tears to his fellow Soldiers.

"He always said that freedom had to be earned, and if it weren't for all the sacrifices, we wouldn't have this life," Lim's mother said. "I'm so proud of him, and I'm so proud of all those Soldiers."

The battalion also has a pictorial memorial inside the 5-3 FA headquarters building, which along with the memorial outside, will travel with it this summer when the unit relocates to Lewis North.