The ceremony was attended by the Head of the Bajo Uruguay Zone, Prefecto Mayor Manuel Enrique Barreiro, the Head of the Concepción del Uruguay Coast Guard, Prefecto Principal Roberto Silvio Daniel Fernández, the widow of the honored non-commissioned officer, Ramona Rosa Almada de Jardón, along with their children, the municipal president, José Eduardo Lauritto, and personnel from the Armed Forces and Security Forces, representatives of the Institution's Non-Commissioned Officers' Circle, and special guests.
During the act, a religious invocation was led by Deacon Rubén González. Subsequently, commemorative words were spoken in homage to the non-commissioned officer, recalling his heroic actions and highlighting the human and professional values that guided his conduct. Afterwards, a floral offering was laid as a symbol of the Institution's respect, gratitude, and permanent recognition. The ceremony concluded with a minute of silence in his memory.
The tribute recalled one of the most moving episodes in the history of the Argentine Naval Prefecture, starring then Second Assistant Enrique Arturo Jardón on October 10, 1997, when, after fulfilling his service obligations, he was returning home aboard the launch Trans Uruguay, accompanied by 91 other people.
During navigation at the confluence of the Paraná Guazú and Paraná Miní rivers, about 56 kilometers from the port of Tigre, the vessel suffered a large fire that triggered an extremely serious situation. Amidst the emergency, numerous passengers jumped into the water in a desperate attempt to save their lives, exposed to the difficult conditions of the place.
It was then that Jardón, demonstrating extraordinary courage and a deep sense of solidarity, did not hesitate to jump into the water to assist those in danger. In circumstances of enormous risk, fighting against the current and physical exhaustion, he managed to rescue seven people, including a child of just two years old.
However, his actions were not limited to that first effort. Driven by his vocation for service and the imperative to protect human life, he returned again and again to the scene of the accident to try to save more survivors. In his last attempt, after making an extreme physical effort and being practically without strength, he disappeared into the waters, giving his life in the fulfillment of an act of heroism and self-sacrifice.
