A National Park ranger and a Prince William County, Va. police officer -- both killed in the line of duty in 2012 -- were honored during the annual Unveiling Ceremony at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial on April 30.
The newly engraved names of Ranger Margaret Anderson and Officer Chris Yung were presented to their family, friends and colleagues at the memorial in Washington, D.C. that honors the nearly 20,000 officers who have died in the line of duty through U.S. history.
Anderson was shot and killed on Jan. 1, 2012 at the Mount Rainier National Park in Washington State while conducting a routine traffic stop.
As the vehicle approached a road block she set to slow the vehicle that had flown by an earlier stop, the driver opened fire, fatally wounding the ranger.
"Ranger Anderson made deliberate, tactical decisions to protect the visitors," National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis said at the ceremony. "She gave her life to keep the visitors safe."
Yung was killed in a crash on Jan. 31, 2012 after a minivan crossed in front of his department motorcycle while responded to a traffic call with his emergency lights and siren activated.
"Chris had an infectious smile that impacted everyone he met," Prince William County Police Chief Steve Hudson said that the officer was always "striving to be sure he did things better tomorrow than he had done today."
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund Chairman & CEO Craig W. Floyd spoke at the ceremony about the importance of honoring the fallen officers.
"Today, we continue the process of forever remembering and honoring these fallen American heroes, and reminding the citizens of our nation that we should never take the service and sacrifice of our law enforcement professionals for granted," he said.
The names of the two officers are among the 321 being added to the memorial this week to be dedicated at the 25th Annual Candlelight Vigil on May 13.
