Rhonda and Mack Brown of McMinville lost their son in Afghanistan. Photo by Blake Farmer/WPLN

A bugler played taps at Fort Campbell Thursday afternoon to honor all the 101st Airborne soldiers who’ve died in combat since the division was created 70 years ago.

At the memorial service were hundreds of family and friends who’ve lost loved ones more recently. Mack and Rhonda Brown of McMinnville lost their son in Afghanistan on Mothers Day of 2010. Spec. Jeremy Brown was a forward observer and part of the division’s 3rd Brigade. The unit is now preparing to return to Afghanistan. The Browns say families should pray hard.

MACK BROWN: “Love them as much as you can before they leave because it’s dangerous over there.”

RHONDA BROWN: “You know the night before he left, I never did expect that’d be the last time I’d ever see him. I’ll never forget that night. Me and him – either one – didn’t want to let go of each other.”

The upcoming deployments will be the sixth rotation from Fort Campbell since 2001. Thursday’s ceremony was part of the annual “Week of the Eagle” on post.