NICEVILLE, FLORIDA - I zip past Turkey Creek Nature Trail along John Sims Parkway at least four times a week, walk the trail about once every three weeks, and when guests visit, our family takes them there so they get a feel for our area’s gorgeous native vegetation and wildlife. I’ve spied a heron perched statue-like on a log, and in the summertime, turtles gather under the first bridge hoping people will throw them a snack. It wasn’t until recently that I noticed a memorial at Turkey Creek, honoring 12 people who died nearly 10 years ago.

"These twelve oaks are dedicated in memory of the twelve airmen of the 33d Fighter Wing who perished June 25, 1996 in the tragic terrorist bombing of Khobar Towers," the stone’s inscription reads. "These brave airmen gave their lives for our country, our freedom, and our way of life. Like our memories of them, may these trees grow tall, strong, and proud."

The oaks each have a name engraved on a plaque marker at their roots. They commemorate a dozen men assigned to Eglin. Pulling into the parking lot, the trees line the left side. Evenly spaced, they seem sturdy sentries for these fallen heroes. Oaks are long-lived and generally withstand violent storms.

I walked the length of the trees’ path recently and read the names beneath them. Leaving Turkey Creek, I have more questions than answers.

For instance, did Sgt Millard D. "Soup" Campbell come by his nickname because his last name is also a famous brand of soup? If so, did it annoy him? He was born Sept 20 in 1965, so he’d be 40 years old if he were still living. I wonder how his mother handled the heat when she was carrying her baby boy, born in Angleton, Texas. My daughter was born in late September, and I remember the last trimester being hot and arduous. Nevertheless, I’d go through it all again to have her! And I cannot imagine what it’d be like to lose my child. At any age.

Last week, my husband, Lee, daughter, Jean, and I drove to Panama City just to see it before the spring break crowd takes over. I think about TSgt Thanh "Gus" V. Nguyen, who was born in Panama City, on the seventh of May in 1959. He’d be my husband’s age. Did he walk the same beach we did while we in Panama City? See the same horizon? In high school, did he work at one of the eateries or hotels before joining the Air Force? Was Patrick P. Fennig, also a technical sergeant, a friend of his, since they shared the same set of skills? TSgt Fennig was born April 17, in 1962, so they were only a few years apart.

And then there’s A1C Joshua E. Woody, barely 20 years old. What would his life be like now? A1C Brent E. Marthaler was even younger; he just turned 20. Did they leave behind sweethearts? Both young men probably believed they were invincible.

But life is fragile. Explosions prove it.

While 12 oaks stand, 19 men actually died in the bombing. Twelve of the 19 were assigned to the 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin; seven were assigned to Patrick Air Force Base, also in Florida.

Creating a crater 35 feet deep and 85 feet wide, the truck bomb exploded at about 10 p.m. at their military near Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. Over 400 American and Saudi people were injured. Fortunately, many escaped.

Our neighbor, Dwight Pavek, remembers the Khobar Towers, for he was there in ’93. Major Pavek is impressed by the actions taken by men such as SSgt Alfredo R. Guerrero, who helped people evacuate the building during the attack. Guerrero was awarded the Airman’s medal, the United States’ highest peacetime award for valor. Without heroes like Guerrero, "it could have been a lot worse," said Pavek.

In June 2001, 14 men were indicted on charges of murder and conspiracy. One was a Lebanese chemist; the others were allegedly militants from the Hezbollah group, and they are blamed for the Khobar Towers bombing.