An American Soldier was laid to rest today. He was eulogized, honored and buried with full Marine military honors.
The ceremony was spectacular and heartbreaking.
He had served his country for over 20 years as a Marine. He had served his community as a law enforcement officer. And in the last year, he had served his country again, training Iraqi soldiers. He was killed in Iraq by an IED. It took 11 days to bring him home.
He was buried in a cemetery next to a church a long way down a country road on the outskirts of a very small southern town.
This middle-of-no-where place is familiar to most of us Americans. You probably have a place very similar to it down the road and over the hill from where you are. Hundreds of people came to this middle-of-no-where place to pay respects to the man who was killed in service to his country.
Law enforcement officers escorted the horse drawn caisson from the church to the cemetery. Dozens of other law enforcement officers attended out of friendship and respect for the service he had given to his community. A group of military veteran bikers stood guard at the entrance of the cemetery.
And the Marines ….
The Marines honored him with the dignity, ceremony and respect fitting this fallen Marine.
This man was respected and emulated by his sons, adored by his daughters, loved and admired by his parents and siblings, and held in high esteem by his community.
His wife cherished him. And he cherished her.
A life well lived, ended too soon.
She let me read his last email to her. In it he had written, ‘I know that God exists and that He loves me. He has to love me because otherwise I could have never deserved your love.’ He also wrote, ‘You have made my mission here easy for me. You are the only woman who could understand why I need to be here and accept me for who I am.’
I watched from the sidelines today as my friend buried her husband. She was surrounded by a large, loving family. Her two sons sat on either side of her. One son in his dress greens the other will be in military garb when he graduates at the end of this school year.
She held herself with dignity, class and quiet strength. She greeted everyone who approached her. She thanked them for coming.
I hugged her as I was leaving, and for a couple of seconds she hid her face in my shoulder and wept, her body relaxed and felt as weak and helpless as a kitten. For just a couple of seconds. Then she raised herself again and mechanically thanked me for coming, regaining her composure.
The first time I saw her after getting the news, I asked her how she was doing. She said, ‘I’m still standing.’ As I walked away from the cemetery, I knew even after this gut-wrenching blow, she’d still be standing.
‘I’m grieving for myself.’ she had said, ‘He died doing what he loved’.
Flags fly on the houses around there. The people believe in God and country. They love their families, their friends and help their neighbors. They believe in integrity, honor, decency and carrying their own weight. They believe in traditional American values.
These people are the character and strength of America.
My friend, her family, her friends and her community have made a very personal sacrifice for love of their country. Americans have been making these sacrifices since the Revolutionary War. One family at a time. One person at a time. One community at a time.
It’s the extraordinary common man who holds this country together. It’s the guy who loves his country, his family, his community and his God. It’s the wife who waits for him, understands him and loves him.
You probably know these people. They are probably down the street from you, living in your community.
They are the threads that make up the fabric of American society and the cloth of the American Flag.
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Contributed to Michelle Malkin's list of Others Injured and Killed by IEDS This Week.
Also can be viewed at Argghhh!!!
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Service above self. Excerpt: This deserves better than a trackback link on the H&I post.. Beth of Blue Star Chronicles honors service above self. It’s the extraordinary common man who holds this country together. It’s the guy who loves his country, his family, his... Weblog: Argghhh! The Home Of Two Of Jonah's Military Guys. Tracked: 01.30.06 - 9:55 am Service Above Self Excerpt: American Strength An American Soldier was laid to rest today. He was eulogized, honored and buried with full Marine military honors. The ceremony was spectacular and heartbreaking. He had served his country for over 20 years as a Marine. Weblog: Small Town Veteran Tracked: 01.30.06 - 2:36 pm The Best Posts: Monday Excerpt: Blue Star Chronicles: American Strength An American Soldier was laid to rest today. He was eulogized, honored and buried with full Marine military honors. The ceremony was spectacular and heartbreaking. Hat tip: Jo's Cafe Weblog: Don Surber Tracked: 01.30.06 - 2:45 pm An American Hero Excerpt: Go read Beth's first hand account of a Marine laid to rest over at Blue Star Chronicles.An American Soldier was laid to rest today. He was eulogized, honored and buried with full Marine military honors. The ceremony was spectacular and Weblog: The Violence Worker! Tracked: 01.30.06 - 6:52 pm A Moving Tribute Excerpt: Beth at Blue Star Chronicles has written a most loving and beautiful tribute to a fallen Marine and the family who loves him. Weblog: A Rose By Any Other Name Tracked: 01.30.06 - 7:48 pm A Moving Tribute to a Fallen Hero Excerpt: Beth of Blue Star Chroncles posts a moving tribute to a fallen Marine.I don’t know this Marine. I don’t know but a handfull of those I post about here. I do know how the Military Honors them. I alsop know how the families grieve, the com... Weblog: Echo9er Tracked: 02.02.06 - 8:11 am
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