Tonight, “Nightline” will repeat its controversial tribute to soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan with a show titled “The Fallen.” During the 45-minute, expanded show, anchor Ted Koppel will read the names of all the U.S. troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan since the news program aired a similar tribute last year. Pictures of the men and women will flash on the screen as the names are read.

In all, more than 900 U.S. military personnel have been killed since last year’s show.

“Too often we simply report casualties in terms of numbers. The Fallen’ is our way of reminding viewers, regardless of their feelings about the war, that the men and women who have given their lives in our behalf are individuals with names and faces,” said “Nightline” executive producer Tom Bettag.

According to “Nightline,” the show honored the 721 service men and women killed in action and in non-hostile situations in Iraq since the start of the war there. Less than a month later, on May 26, 2004, the program paid tribute to the 122 service members killed in the war on terror since the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001. Today’s program will honor those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan and whose names have been released by the Defense Department since last year’s broadcasts.

Spec. Beau Beaulieu, a 2002 graduate of Lisbon High School, is one of those individuals. Beaulieu was killed May 24, 2004, while serving with the 27th Main Support Battalion of the 1st Cavalry Division in Iraq.

Last year’s show proved to be unnecessarily controversial. Sinclair Broadcasting Group forbade its seven ABC affiliates from showing the edition, which earned the broadcaster a rebuke from Arizona Sen. John McCain. Hopefully, this year the dispute can be avoided. Sinclair, hopefully, will not block the program this year and the controversy appears to have lessened in the absence of a heated presidential campaign.

Agree with the war in Iraq and its motivations or not, the men and women who are and have served there and those who have died deserve recognition. The “Nightline” show is an honorable tribute on this Memorial Day.