Frankoski, Grassia honored in Memorial Day ceremony

Two fallen New York National Guard members, who were killed in a helicopter crash, were honored on Thursday ahead of Memorial Day.

LATHAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Two fallen New York National Guard members, who were killed in a helicopter crash, were honored on Thursday ahead of Memorial Day.

"It means a lot to honor those that have passed away serving our country and our nation," NYS National Guard Brigadier Gen. Isabel Smith said. "There were two tragic passings this year as everybody in the county is aware of, and those two mean a lot to the organization."

Casey Frankoski and John Grassia were killed on March 8 in a helicopter crash along the U.S.-Mexico border. Both were Capital Region natives.

"Because they made the ultimate sacrifice, honoring them on this Memorial Day -- but not only on Memorial Day -- every day to make sure that we don't forget and to make sure that their families and their children and their grandchildren remember who they were and why they served," Smith said.

Christopher Luna, a border patrol agent, was also killed. Jacob Pratt, a National Guard service member from Rensselaer, suffered serious injuries and is still receiving medical care in Texas.