At a special Memorial Day observance, the monument at the Lincoln County Courthouse, which memorializes those Lincoln Countians who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, was unveiled to include the name of Sgt. James O. Kinlow who was killed last year in the line of duty in Iraq. Pictured are: (l-r) Larry Collins, county commissioner; Bob Pollard, American Legion state commander; Maj. Gen. David Poythress, Georgia's adjutant general; Kendra Kinlow, Sgt. Kinlow's niece; Chelsea Kinlow, the fallen soldier's daughter; Carrie and Alchester Kinlow, Sgt. Kinlow's parents; Daphanie Kinlow and Chauncey Kinlow, his wife and son; and his sister, Sophie Kinlow. Before leaving for Iraq last year, Sgt. James Kinlow told his family, "'I'm doing this so that maybe my children won't have to one day.' Like all of today's military men and women, James Kinlow took up a weapon and put himself in harm's way to protect his family and country," stated Maj. Gen. David Poythress, adjutant general for the Georgia Department of Defense."

Maj. Gen. Poythress was the keynote speaker at the Memorial Day service held at the Lincoln County Courthouse on Monday, May 29.

Sgt. James O. Kinlow's family views the war memorial in front of the Lincoln County Courthouse which was recently inscribed with the late soldier's name. During the Memorial Day service, Carrie Kinlow, the sergeant's mother, was presented with a Gold Star Banner, and a tree, planted on the courthouse lawn by the Pine Needle Garden Club, was dedicated to the memory of Sgt. Kinlow. The event was sponsored by American Legion Post 194, Lincoln County Government, and the City of Lincolnton.

A native of Lincoln County, Sgt. Kinlow was killed on July 24, 2005, when a roadside bomb exploded near a Humvee that was part of a convoy conducting a regular patrol on Route Aeros near Baghdad. The sergeant was the driver of the vehicle.

Addressing a crowd of about 200 standing on the courthouse lawn, Maj. Gen. Poythress said, "I hope the young people are here to learn about true heroes. Many of our heroes get a lot of notoriety for the wrong reasons.

"True heroes are the best of us - they represent all we hold dear, such as freedom and the sanctity of the human spirit. Today we pay tribute to a real hero, Sgt. James Kinlow, who chose to go to war and take up arms against a real enemy."

Poythress further noted that the vast majority of the men and women in uniform today are there voluntarily and like Sgt. Kinlow, they are the real heroes.

Following Poythress' address, the Kinlow Family unveiled the war memorial, located in the courthouse plaza, on which Sgt. Kinlow's name had been freshly engraved.

Also, Norma McKinney, president of the Lincolnton Pine Needle Garden Club, dedicated a tree that was planted on the courthouse grounds in memory of the fallen hero.

In her remarks, McKinney stated, "Let this tree stand to remind us of the sacrifice Sgt. Kinlow made." She then gave small United States flags to Kinlow's children, Chelsea and Chauncey.

Later in the program, Bob Pollard, state commander of the American Legion, presented Carrie Kinlow, Sgt. Kinlow's mother, with a Gold Star Banner in memory of her son.

Others taking part in the observance were the Harlem High School ROTC Color Guard; the LCHS Band; Dr. Alcye Hawes, county commissioner; Larry Collins, county commissioner; John Hawkins, chaplain for American Legion Post 194; Tiwanna Ferguson, president of the Lincolnton Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce; Rev. Dennis Quinn, pastor of Lincolnton Baptist Church; and Rita Hussey, representing the American Legion Post 194 Ladies Auxiliary.

On behalf of the ladies auxiliary, Hussey placed a red, white, and blue wreath on the war memorial in memory of all Lincoln Countians who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

At the conclusion of the program, members of American Legion Post 194 delivered a 21-gun salute, while the LCHS Band played taps.