Local restaurants pay tribute to fallen soldiers

Two local restaurants have joined the effort to memorialize the Marines, sailor and solider killed last week in Afghanistan.

Austin City Saloon

Austin City Saloon in Corbin and the Butcher’s Pub in Williamsburg each set up a table with 13 drinks in honor of the 13 U.S. military members killed in an attack on the Kabul Airport by ISIS-affiliated suicide bombers and gunmen last Thursday.

“Austin City Saloon has always been very patriotic, and this seemed like a very good way to show our support for the troops,” said Josh Brock, the owner of Austin City Saloon.

The table at Austin City Saloon is located in the back of the restaurant. On the wall by the table is a framed folded American flag along with a photo of a Blackhawk helicopter.

“It was a gift from a customer,” Brock said of the framed flag and photo noting that it had flown over Iraq.

Brock said the memorial table will remain in place through Sept. 11.

“Then we will move it to a permanent location,” Brock said noting that the exact manner is still being determined.

In that same timeframe, Brock said Austin City Saloon is joining a fundraising effort to aid first responders through fundthefirst.com.

“We are going to take a percentage of what we ring between now and September 11 and give to that,” Brock said.

Finally, Brock said Austin City Saloon will be working on a Purple Heart memorial.

The medal is awarded to military members wounded or killed in action.

Butcher’s Pub

“A veteran that worked for me in Lexington a long time ago gave me his Purple Heart to display,” Brock said. “I have kept it in a safe, but I want to make it part of a larger memorial for our veterans.”

Brock said Purple Heart recipients, or family members of deceased recipients, are welcome to loan the medals along with a five-by-seven photo of the veteran to be part of the display on the wall.

The Butchers Pub on Main Street in Williamsburg reserved a table with 13 draft beers in memory of the fallen.

“Thank you for your courage to serve and protect this great nation,” restaurant officials wrote about the memorial.

Numerous restaurants and bars across the country began setting up the tables soon after deaths were announced.

Among those killed was U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, 23, of Corryton, Tennessee, northeast of Knoxville.

The Marines killed included:

• Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts
• Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, 23, of Sacramento, California
• Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, 31, of Salt Lake City, Utah
• Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio, California
• Cpl. Daegan W. Page, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska
• Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Indiana
• Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, 20, of Rio Bravo, Texas
• Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, of St. Charles, Missouri
• Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, 20, of Jackson, Wyoming
• Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, California
• Lance Cpl. Kareem M Nikoui, 20, of Norco, California

The sailor killed was identified as Navy Corpsman Naxton W. Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, Ohio.