SALEM, Va. –
Sailors from Navy Reserve Center Greensboro, NC, provided support to a bridge dedication ceremony honoring fallen Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 1st Class James P. Buriak in Salem, Va., July 8.
Buriak, a City of Salem native, was one of five Sailors killed after an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 8 crashed approximately 60 nautical miles off the coast of San Diego Aug. 31, 2021.
Family, friends and community leaders joined together with Sailors from NRC Greensboro to pay tribute to Buriak’s commitment to both his community and his country.
“Jimmy was so humble, and he didn’t have a selfish bone in his body,” said Megan Buriak of her husband, who joined the Navy in 2017 as a rescue swimmer. “I think he would be honored having his memory live on forever.”
During the ceremony, the bridge located on Route 760 over the Roanoke River was dedicated and officially named the AWS1 James P. Buriak Memorial Bridge.
Four members of the staff assigned to Navy Reserve Center Greensboro provided ceremonial support and came away from the occasion with a renewed dedication to selfless service, an example set by AWS1 Buriak.
“I felt a deep sense of honor at the bridge dedication for AWS1,” said Chief Logistics Specialist Jeffrey Heath, assigned to NRC Greensboro. “There is a certain risk we all take in the military, but to sign up for being a rescue swimmer is right at the top of accepting risk on behalf of others.”
Family members said the day had been a long time coming.
“This is something our family has tried so hard to continue to do over the last 3 years,” said Megan Buriak.
Members of NRC Greensboro, which provides customer service and enhance mobilization readiness training for Mid-Atlantic Region Navy Reserve Force, took great inspiration from the community’s dedication to the memory of one of their own.
“The fact that his community recognizes his service and had this memorial is heartwarming,” added Heath, “and fills me with deep sense of pride.”