State honors fallen employees

State officials today (Thursday) honored 66 Iowans who were killed on the job last year. The names of the dead were read aloud. The list included Iowans killed while serving in the military overseas. Governor Tom Vilsack thanked the families of the soldiers for their sacrifice. “They are serving us. They are putting themselves at risk and I’ve had the unfortunate circumstance of having to contact and call so many of those families,” Vilsack says. “They have made an extraordinary sacrifice.” This is Workers Memorial Day and 66 white crosses were placed on a lawn near the statehouse. “All those we honor today have sacrificed for us,” Vilsack says. “Those who worked to create the economy that we enjoy, those who worked to create the quality of life we enjoy, those who worked to keep the American experience alive.” The ceremony ended with a 21-gun salute.