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Monday, May 31, 2010

Michael's List - Memorial Day, Monday, 31 May 2010



I was trying to figure out what I wanted to write about for Memorial Day this year, when a message popped up on my blackberry last week. The answer was right in front of me. "The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom," read the email from the Pentagon. Along with the hundreds and hundreds of emails that I get every day, the Pentagon sends out press notices about servicemembers who have died. Every time I get one of these emails, I quickly read it and think of the families who are now grieving, especially on this Memorial Day. "Cpl. Jacob C. Leicht, 24, of College Station, Texas, died May 27 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan." Sometimes they have died on the other side of the globe. But other times they have died down the street from where I live. "Sgt. Edwin Rivera, 28, of Waterford, Conn., died May 25 at National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Md., of wounds sustained May 20 when his unit was attacked by enemy forces using indirect fire at Contingency Outpost Xio Haq, Afghanistan." Sometimes the home towns remind me of places that I have heard of before in politics. "Pfc. Christopher R. Barton, 22, of Concord, N.C., died May 24 in Khowst province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire." Other times I notice that it's not a young American who has died. "Maj. Ronald W. Culver Jr., 44, of Shreveport, La., died May 24 in Numaniyah, Iraq, when insurgents attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device." And there was another reminder that Iraq is still not a safe place for U.S. soldiers. "Staff Sgt. Amilcar H. Gonzalez, 26, of Miami, Fla., died May 21 in Ash Shura, Iraq, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire." And then there are the sad stories of someone who has died, maybe in nothing more than an accident. "Spc. Stanley J. Sokolowski, III, 26, of Ocean, N.J. died May 20 in Kirkuk, Iraq, in a non-combat related incident." When that email is opening, I always wonder, what town, what state will this one be from? "Pfc. Jason D. Fingar, 24, of Columbia, Mo., died May 22 in Durai, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his military vehicle struck an improvised explosive device." And then I think about the kids in the armed forces from a typical college town. And a town that I know. "Lance Cpl. Philip P. Clark, 19, of Gainesville, Fla., died May 18 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan." Those were the emails from the Department of Defense over the last week. The families of these soldiers will have a different Memorial Day in 2010.


On Memorial Day, our nation remembers our most honored dead, those who gave their lives in service to this country. By act of Congress, the last Monday in May is a national day of mourning observed in many parts of the country since the Civil War. "Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic," said U.S. Commander Gen. John Logan in proclaiming the first official Memorial Day on May 30, 1868. On this Memorial Day 2010, we remember not only our heroes lost in prior years or prior wars but, sadly some would say regrettably those added in this year to the number of lives lost in defense of this country. Today, their names will be read at ceremonies throughout Gloucester County. Flags will fly at half staff, "Taps" will sound, and tears will fall. Parades will lead bands of marchers to military memorials and cemeteries in towns in every part of the county in Franklin and Logan townships to the south, in National Park to the north, in Deptford, Washington and Monroe to the east where the very names of the towns recall our nation's heroes. As we stand together at attention today to salute Old Glory, to hail the flags borne by decorated veterans of other wars marching in step with school children and high school bands, we pay homage to the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who died in Iraq and Afghanistan this past year as well as those departed in years gone by. As we remember the dead, however, we cannot forget the thousands of men and women whose lives are at risk beneath our flag at this very moment, and we must pause to think of them as well. By custom, flags rise briskly to full staff at noon today to mark our solemn resolve that the sacrifice of those who serve shall not be in vain. At 3 p.m., the National Moment of Remembrance asks all Americans to pause for one minute in unity and gratitude to reflect on the sacrifices made by others abroad so that we might enjoy our freedoms at home. "Live honoring America's fallen every day," states the White House Commission on Remembrance. Live also to honor those still standing tall beneath the flag.


On this Memorial Day, be grateful that Americans' willingness to sacrifice for freedom's sake, instilled by each generation in the next, remains as strong as ever. Today, Americans honor those most worthy of such gratitude -- those who gave their lives in our nation's service. Be proud and thankful that their spirit of sacrifice lives on undiminished among our men and women in uniform, all volunteers, serving and dying today in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. Veterans' graves are emblems of that same spirit, whether they hold the remains of heroes who fell in Baghdad or Saigon, on Normandy Beach or in a western European trench. To those who made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve our liberty, all Americans owe the ultimate debt, one greater than we ever can repay fully. We can, however, pay down that debt by ensuring that Memorial Day is about more than picnics, cookouts, ballgames and swimming pools. We must put first -- ahead of enjoying summer fun -- thanking veterans marching in parades, paying proper respect to the flag for which so many have died, caring for the graves of fallen heroes and praying for those lost. Their duty is done. Ours is to honor them, especially today, on Memorial Day, knowing full well that our obligation to them is as eternal, sacred and unchanging as their sacrifice.


U.S. soldiers serving in Afghanistan remembered friends and colleagues Monday in solemn Memorial Day ceremonies to commemorate all of their nation's war dead. At the sprawling Bagram Air Field, the largest U.S. military base, about 400 soldiers in camouflage uniforms and brown combat boots stood at attention for a moment's silence as Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the commander of some 94,000 U.S. troops in the country, led the ceremony. A bugler played taps and a color guard displayed the U.S. flag and the flags of units serving in eastern Afghanistan where the base is located, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) north of Kabul. A steel construction beam from the World Trade Center destroyed in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks was unveiled, with the inscription "WTC 9 11 01". The beam was donated by citizens' group the Sons and Daughters of America of Breezy Point, a suburb in Queens, New York, where 29 victims of the Sept. 11 attacks lived, according to a letter read out at the ceremony. McChrystal praised the soldiers for their sacrifice. "Today is about people. It is about the people we have lost and most importantly it's about the people who have been left behind," McChrystal said, referring to the families of those who have died. He later attended another ceremony at Camp Morehead, a smaller base for a commando unit. At Bagram, Maj. John Sherwood, 38, of San Antonio, said Memorial Day is more somber in Afghanistan than in the U.S., as people remember friends who died. "I think about a few people I knew, mostly back in Iraq," said Sherwood, of the 82nd Airborne Division based in Fort Bragg. Maj. Sonya Powell, 42, of Cincinnati, said she thought of two people: her executive officer who was killed in an aircraft crash in October, and her 4-year-old son, who is waiting for her to come home. "It's very hard, but you don't dwell on it," said Powell, of the 401st Army Field Support Brigade. "You come here, you do your mission, and you pray."


The nation's eyes turn to Arlington National Cemetery on Monday for the annual Memorial Day observance. If you can't make it to D.C., a variety of other local cemeteries offer memorial services closer to home. Here's where to pay your respects. On Monday, May 31, the annual National Memorial Day Observance to honor America’s fallen military service members will take place in the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery. The National Memorial Day Observance program will begin with a full honor wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns at 11 a.m. The observance program will commence in Memorial Amphitheater directly following the wreath-laying ceremony. If you can't make it, take a few minutes to visit the cemeteries site for a virtual stroll. Arlington National has an interactive map, offering an online tour of the cemetery. And while you're thinking about it, why not become a fan of Arlington National Cemetery on Facebook. Then consider a visit to of these other sites instead. NATIONAL - Veterans Affairs Guide to National Cemeteries - ALABAMA, Alabama National Cemetery; ALASKA, Fort Richardson National Cemetery; ARIZONA, National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona; ARKANSAS, Fayetteville National Cemetery; CALIFORNIA, Golden Gate National Cemetery; COLORADO, Fort Logan National Cemetery; FLORIDA, Barrancas National Cemetery; GEORGIA, Marietta National Cemetery; HAWAII, National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific; ILLINOIS, Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery; INDIANA, Crown Hill National Cemetery; IOWA, Keokuk National Cemetery; KANSAS, Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery; KENTUCKY, Lexington National Cemetery; LOUISIANA, Baton Rouge National Cemetery; MAINE, Togus National Cemetery; MARYLAND, Annapolis National Cemetery; MASSACHUSETTS, Massachusetts National Cemetery; MICHIGAN, Fort Custer National Cemetery; MINNESOTA, Fort Snelling National Cemetery; MISSISSIPPI, Biloxi National Cemetery; MISSOURI, Jefferson City National Cemetery; NEBRASKA, Fort McPherson National Cemetery; NEW JERSEY, Beverly National Cemetery; NEW MEXICO, Santa Fe National Cemetery; NEW YORK, Woodlawn National Cemetery; NORTH CAROLINA, Raleigh National Cemetery; OHIO, Dayton National Cemetery; OKLAHOMA, Fort Gibson National Cemetery; OREGON, Willamette National Cemetery; PENNSYLVANIA, Philadelphia National Cemetery; PUERTO RICO, Puerto Rico National Cemetery; SOUTH CAROLINA, Beaufort National Cemetery; SOUTH DAKOTA, Black Hills National Cemetery; TENNESSEE, Chattanooga National Cemetery; TEXAS, Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery; VIRGINIA, Alexandria National Cemetery; WASHINGTON, Tahoma National Cemetery; WEST VIRGINIA, West Virginia National Cemetery; WISCONSIN, Wood National Cemetery. INTERNATIONAL - Aisne-Marne, France; Ardennes, Belgium; Brittany, France; Brookwood, England; Cambridge, England; Corozal, Panama; Epinal, France; Flanders Field, Belgium; Florence, Italy; Henri-Chapelle, Belgium; Lorraine, France; Luxembourg, Luxembourg; Manila, Philippines; Meuse-Argonne, France; Mexico City, Mexico; Netherlands, Netherlands; Normandy, France; North Africa, Tunisia; Oise-Aisne, France; Rhone, France; Sicily-Rome, Italy; Somme, France; St. Mihiel, France; Suresnes, France.


This Memorial Day in Iraq, I have shed many tears for a soldier I never met. I was asked to videotape a memorial service for an Army major killed in action May 24 when an improvised explosive device pierced his mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle near Numaniyah in southern Iraq. The memorial service took place May 27 at Memorial Hall here. Seats were set for 560 people, and it was already half full as soldiers waited for the 10:15 a.m. start time. It was very quiet with hardly a whisper or sound of a weapon placed on the concrete floor. A projector cast photos of the major on a screen at the front of the stage. Soldiers filed in and filled up seats until the hall was standing room only. To videotape, I positioned myself toward the front and to the side. The members of his brigade wore the usual Army combat uniforms, with a few exceptions: instead of camouflaged caps, the members from the 2-108th Cavalry Squadron wore the traditional black Stetson hat with gold tassels, some with blue tassels in reference to that soldier’s infantry background. Many wore silver or gold combat spurs on their combat boots to honor their cavalry heritage. Finally, a soldier asked the assembly to rise for the arrival of the official party. Four soldiers walked on stage. They talked about what a great guy the major was, his great sense of humor and how he was always concerned about his soldiers. They talked about how he gave his watch to a young lieutenant who kept asking what time it was, afraid she would miss a meeting. He told her he had worn that watch without taking it off for a year during his last deployment here and he left without a scratch. He told her to never take it off and she'll go home fine. She is a public affairs officer and every night the watch alarm went off at 6 p.m. She called and asked him how to turn it off and he said he wouldn't tell her. Every evening when the alarm goes off, he told her, she will be reminded that she needs to write more stories about soldiers. When his seemingly routine mission began, the major asked the squadron to fly a flag in honor of his wedding anniversary that day so he could send it back to his wife. The squadron raised his flag in front of headquarters for him. That afternoon, after the attack, they lowered his flag to half-staff, in his memory. The service continued with the chaplain speaking of the major's faith and how he knew he would see his friend in heaven. He choked up at the podium and the squadron command sergeant major walked across the stage to support him. The room was silent, save for the sound of more than 500 battle-tested soldiers sniffling. The chaplain concluded his remarks with a prayer. Immediately, a bagpipe’s wail began at the rear of the hall as a single soldier played “Amazing Grace” while marching down the center aisle. He stopped at the memorial at the front. The memorial was a table covered by a black and gold cloth upon which sat his boots, an inverted rifle standing upright with his helmet placed on top. His dog tags were hanging from the top of the rifle. The table had various items soldiers had placed there: his coffee cup, papers and other things that only have special meaning for them and their lost comrade. When the song ended, the room was called to attention. The first sergeant on stage called for roll call for Headquarters and Headquarters Troop. He yelled, "Captain Lloyd!" A booming voice yelled back, "Here, first sergeant!" "Major Robinson!" "Here, first sergeant." "Major Culver!" There was silence. He yelled, "Maj. Ronald Culver!" Silence. He yelled again, "Maj. Ronald W. Culver Jr.!" And a voice said, "He’s not here first sergeant - for he’s gone to Fiddler’s Green." Profound silence. "Sergeant Major, strike Major Culver’s name from the roll." After a few moments the soldiers walked off the stage and taps was played. Soldiers stood and waited their turn to approach the memorial table, touch the dog tags, leave an item or say a prayer. Each performed a slow salute, turned and marched to a line of waiting comrades to express their condolences and share their grief. Maj. Ronald “Wayne” Culver was a member of the Louisiana Army National Guard Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2nd Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment of Shreveport, La. The 44 year-old officer left behind a wife and two teenage children.


Welcome to the Veterans Page of St. Nicholas Cathedral, the National War Memorial Shrine of the Orthodox Church in America. This page is dedicated to preserving the memory of veterans from Orthodox parishes throughout the United States and Canada. To have your veteran included, please email the following information, in the order shown, to veterans@stnicholasdc.org: Jurisdiction; Name of Home Parish, Location of Home Parish; Full Name of Veteran, Rank, Branch of Service, Status (Active Duty, Reserve Duty, Retired) Years of Service, Wartime Service, Awards for Valor, Deceased/KIA/MIA. Please include the words "VETERANS" in the subject line of all emails. Attach a digital photo (jpeg format) if you like. Address all hardcopy correspondence to Veterans Memorial Coordinator, Saint Nicholas Cathedral, 3500 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20007. Names of service members killed in action (KIA) or are missing in action (MIA) not already included on the cathedral's listing of the fallen will be added and duly commemorated in the Divine Liturgy on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend.