ENUMCLAW, Wash. -- This Independence Day was a day of tribute for a local Army helicopter crew. The Blackhawk crashed on a training mission near Enumclaw. The small community came to embrace the fallen soldiers and their families.

Enumclaw took time from celebrating to unveil a monument paying tribute to the three men who died in crash a year and a half ago. They are Chief Warrant Officer James Whitehead, Chief Warrant Officer Patrick Paige and Sgt. Thomas Clarkston.

They flew a Blackhawk helicopter as part of the 4th squadron 6th Air Cavalry Regiment based at Fort Lewis and about to deploy to Iraq.

A lot of the combat flying in Iraq is done under the cover of darkness, which is what the Blackhawk crew was doing. The crew was up in the sky, conducting night vision training when their lives came to an end on Mt. Peak.

It was Dec. 21st, 2006 when the Blackhawk crashed, killing all three on board.

Their families are grieving, but on this day they traveled to Enumclaw to say 'thank you' to a town that embraced their loved ones.

"I want to personally thank each and every one of you for the love and gratefulness you've shown to us," said father, Tom Clarkston.

Many were thanked, from the fire crews and rescue teams who delicately handled the recovery of the bodies on the mountain to the citizens of Enumclaw who sent care packages and put up this memorial.

"I just can't think of words. I'm just so grateful. It's incredible. It's amazing, every body, every body," said widow Victoria Whitehead.

Eumclaw Mayor John Wise read a special poem at the memorial.

"Gladiators of flight we miss you all. Downed at Mt. Peak standing tall. Whitehead, Paige and Clarkston," he read.

For the families of the Blackhawk helicopter crew, Enumclaw was, at first, just a hard-to-pronounce spot on the map. Now it's a community that is near and dear to their hearts.

The Blackhawk unit that the three men served with deployed to Iraq and is due home later this summer or early fall.