Standing proud, Washington County resident Mary Rhoads represented her unit in the nation’s capital. “I’m a member of the 14th Quartermaster. I lost 13 soldiers…” Rhoads said. A United States Army veteran, Rhoads’ unit had one of the highest causalities during Operation Desert Storm when a missile hit the barracks. On Monday, she marched alongside thousands of other veterans to honor those she lost. “They gave their life and I made a promise when Bev died, I would never let them be forgotten,” Rhoads said of her good friend, Beverly Clark. As she marched the streets of Washington D.C. on this Memorial Day, Rhoads carried a patch for her dear friend so she knows the love she forever shares for her sacrifice. “She would smile and say, ‘Love you.’ My last two words to her when I was leaving the building, ‘I love you and good bye,’” Rhoads said.