Please also visit JeNoCo’s diary, IGTNT: Band of Brothers. Thanks to all who bear witness with us so faithfully!
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time...
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, "A Psalm of Life"
Six more soldiers and Marines have perished in Iraq and Afghanistan. Most of them probably didn’t know each other, and yet they were all there for the same reason: to make a difference for their families, their friends, and their country. And in so doing, they left behind them footprints that will not soon fade.
Let us remember together these six great men: Staff Sgt. Christopher D. Strickland, Chief Warrant Officer Robert C. Hammett, Major Dwayne M. Kelley, Lt. Col. Max A. Galeai, Capt. Philip J. Dykeman, and Cpl. Marcus W. Preudhomme.
A Psalm of Life, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream! —
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Find us farther than to-day.
Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.
In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!
Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act — act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o'erhead!
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time;
Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.
Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.
This diary was written by moneysmith and twilight falling, with research assistance from noweasels.
Christopher D. Strickland, USMC
The DoD reports:
Staff Sgt. Christopher D. Strickland, 25, of Labelle, Fla. died June 25, while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Chris Strickland grew up in LaBelle, Florida. A friend remembers him as a quiet person with a hard work ethic, and he took that work ethic with him everywhere. While attending LaBelle High School, he played football, was a state qualifier in wrestling, and still found time to play the saxophone and drum in his school’s band. His football coach, Ron Dunbar, told News-Press.com, "Chris really just stood out as a young man that was always willing to do whatever it took to help others." His mother, Beth Church, noted that her son was a passionate protector of others and would go out of his way to help people:
"He'd see something he thought he could change it or fix it, he went for it. That was my son," said Church.
~ ABC-7
Helping and protecting others was definitely where Chris’ heart was. And the passion in his heart led him to decide to serve his country as a Marine.
[His mother, Beth] Church recalls the day she signed the papers for her then 17-year-old son, a recent high school graduate, to join the Marines.
"I said is this what you want to do and he said yes mama, I want to be a Marine and as I'm signing the papers, I'm crying my eyes out because I knew I just gave him away," said Church.
~ WINK news
Chris and his mother made the right decision that day, though. Chris loved the Marine Corps. His friend, Whitney Chapman, told News-Press.com, "To him, to tell people he was a Marine was one of the proudest things to roll off his tongue." And the Marines loved him, too. He steadily rose in the ranks, all the way to Staff Sergeant. And did this man ever serve his country! He was deployed five times to the Middle East in his eight years as a Marine. But he never complained. To the contrary, he told his mother, "I love my job. And if I die doing my job that I love, I'm going to die happy."
He did die doing the job he loved, and we can only hope he died happy. Last Tuesday, his mother received the news.
"He's in a better place than we are and they're playing taps for him in heaven," said Church.
~ WINK news
Chris leaves behind a wife and a 3-year-old son; his mother, Beth Church; two sisters; and some mighty large footprints on the sands of time.
Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.
Rest in peace, Christopher Strickland. May your brave and loyal spirit soar free and be at peace forever, and may your memory be a blessing to those who love you and to all of us for whom you willingly sacrificed so much.
Chief Warrant Officer Robert C. Hammett, US Army
The DoD reports:
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died June 24 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered from a bomb blast.
Killed were:
Chief Warrant Officer Robert C. Hammett, 39, of Tucson, Ariz., who was assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.
Maj. Dwayne M. Kelley, 48, of Willingboro, N.J., who was assigned to the 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion, Green Bay, Wis.
Although the two probably never met, Chris Strickland and Robert Hammett—Charlie to his friends and family—grew up in the same hometown of LaBelle, Florida, a decade apart. Like Chris, Charlie graduated from LaBelle High School. He joined the Coast Guard but ultimately decided he wanted to serve his country in the Army. In March, 1990, he became a soldier and embarked on what would become a long and distinguished career. Along the way, he would meet and marry his wife, Leanna, and they would have five daughters together (ranging in age from 1 to 16).
[His father,] Robert Hammett Sr., 65, of LaBelle, Fla., said his son had two loves: his job and his family. In recent years, the former increasingly took him away from the latter.
"He loved being a soldier, and he loved being a dad," said the elder Hammett, a Vietnam War veteran. "The only thing he didn't like about being in the military was having to be away from home so much."
~ Azstarnet.com
Charlie ultimately rose to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer, with deep expertise in command-and-control systems. His father notes, "He was a quiet guy, very intelligent, and as close to a perfectionist as you could get. Whatever he did, he gave it his very best."
He did give it his very best, no matter what the cost. He had served three previous tours of duty in the Middle East—two in Kuwait and one in Iraq—before his final deployment to Iraq in December 2007. His specialty put him in demand, and he found himself out in Army vehicles, ensuring good satellite communications for the occupants. But the long, repeated deployments and the separations from his family were wearing on him.
Since 2002, he had spent a total of 29 months — nearly 2 1/2 years — overseas.
In an e-mail two days before his death, [Charlie] confessed to a growing weariness, his father said.
"He sounded tired. He said it's been really rough. Most of the guys he was with were on their third tour, and everybody was just so tired."
Even so, the elder Hammett said, his son was determined to make a difference in the war-torn country.
~ Azstarnet.com
And he made a difference, right to the end. At the time of his death, Charlie was apparently helping to facilitate a meeting between sheiks with the goal of reaching consensus on new infrastructure in Baghdad. A rocket struck the building in which the meeting was occurring. (Source: Tucson Citizen)
In just two years, Charlie would have served 20 years in the Army. He planned to retire and get to enjoy his beloved wife and daughters. But he knew it might not happen.
[His sister, Kit] Wolfe said before he left Fort Carson, Colo., for Iraq in December, "he made sure the family would be taken care of if he didn't make it back."
"He loved his girls and his wife very much," Wolfe said. "Every time he had to leave them, it just broke a little piece of his heart. He was courageous and brave to keep going over there and doing what he did."
~ AZ Central
Charlie is survived by his wife, Leanna; his five daughters; his mother, Carrie Moen, and his stepfather, Ret. Army Warrant Officer Orlin Moen; his father, Robert Hammett, Sr.; his sister, Kit Wolfe, and brother, Jonathan Hammett.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Find us farther than to-day.
Rest in peace, Robert "Charlie" Hammett. May tomorrow be a brighter day for your brave and selfless acts. May your courageous and steadfast spirit soar free and be at peace forever, and may your memory be a blessing to all those who love you and to all of us for whom you willingly sacrificed so much.
Major Dwayne M. Kelley, US Army
The DoD reports:
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died June 24 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered from a bomb blast.
Killed were:
Chief Warrant Officer Robert C. Hammett, 39, of Tucson, Ariz., who was assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.
Maj. Dwayne M. Kelley, 48, of Willingboro, N.J., who was assigned to the 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion, Green Bay, Wis.
It’s hard even to know where to begin with a man for whom the tag "extraordinary" doesn’t really do full justice.
Dwayne Kelley was utterly devoted to protecting his family, his friends, his home state of New Jersey, and his country. And he put everything he had into everything he did. Always. He enlisted in the Army in 1978 and served his country in several capacities: mechanic, ordnance officer, military police. When it became clear to him that he could serve his country more effectively as an officer, he went to college, obtained a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1985, went through ROTC, and became an officer. Later, he became a state trooper in New Jersey—while remaining in the Army Reserves. When he was assigned to counter-terrorism, he decided that he could serve more effectively if he studied Arabic. He also studied Islam, to ensure that he would understand and be respectful of those he was likely to encounter. He excelled so well that the Army sent him to Guantánamo Bay to help question detainees. (Source: Green Bay Press Gazette)
All this, and he was never too busy to stop by his mother’s apartment to make sure she was okay.
Protecting and serving—it was his duty, and it was his passion.
"He was the type of child that if I needed help he was here to help me," said his mother, Vera Kelley.
<snip>
"He just kept going, 'but Mom, I'm here to protect you. I want to make sure you and our family are protected.' Those were his words." (Source: ABC News)
"He felt it was his duty to protect his country," said his sister, Sabrina Dalton of Montclair. "He said to take it over there instead of over here. I always asked him if he was afraid or not. He never answered. He always said, 'That's my duty.' He was brave to a fault." (Source: NJ.com)
Above all else, Dwayne Kelley cared passionately about people, and they felt the same way about him.
Not only did Kelley have a personality and sense of humor that drew people to him [His friend, Major Mike] Hert says at 48, Kelley took on a fatherly role in his unit.
Hert says, "People connected with him."
Hert says, "When I think of Dwayne, just very charismatic, family man, just genuine, loved as a human being and as a person."
~ WBAY TV
So it should come as no surprise that Dwayne volunteered for the mission that ultimately cost him his life: working as part of "a provincial reconstruction team, a group dispatched to teach, coach and mentor Iraqis and help them with reconstruction projects." (Source: NJ.com)
[His friend, Major Mike] Hert knows Kelley died doing what he loved and more importantly, that Major Dwayne Kelley left a lasting impact on many lives.
Hert says, "If there's something I'd say, he put his whole heart and soul into everything he did and if we can do that with our lives we lived our lives well."
~ WBAY TV
A member of the wonderful Patriot Guard Riders is himself a member of our armed services, deployed in Baghdad. He was there to send Dwayne on the first stage of his final trip home:
Posted By AFStick on 25 Jun 2008 8:02 AM
Good Morning Connecticut.
Today I had the Honor as both a Military Member, and a PGR member of sending a Fallen Warrior home.
I can't provide details as the powers that be have not released an ROE on what can and can not be said yet.
But here's what I observed.
The Honor Cordon personnel arrived early and even though it was a busy flight line a small bubble of serenity and peace seemed to settle in the area. We recieved our breifing as to how the departure was to be happen. I was tasked to photograph it for the family as "evidence of proper honors given" but partway during the forming up I was given the knock it off sign by the Detail Commander, so I fell into the formation.
Old Glory, and all the unit colors were posted and we marched to our location at the back of the A/C.
The Cordon stood ram rod straight, and the emotions were palpable and tangible. There were a few folks that had a hard time with the emotion, but due to military bearing they were able to keep it in check.
The Fallen was carried through the Cordon to the awaiting A/C by member of his own unit after the order of Present, Arms was given.
Once placed on the A/C, Order Arms was given, and the detail was dismissed to cluster aboard the A/C to hear the benediction given by the Chaplains. Couldn't hear all the words but the message was clear. The warrior was fallen, but not forgotten, he was with the comfort of HIS Glory.
After the benediction the Honor Cordon members congregated back from the A/C allowing for the pre-flight checks to be conducted... it was not arraigned but those that stayed to watch the A/C with the Fallen Warrior fell into a relaxed formation with a really close buddy of the fallen comforted by the chaplains at the head of the formation.
No one moved, no one breathed easy. The A/C taxied out, a final salute was given, and the formation slowly dissolved, in an extremely quiet and somber mood.
Those that came to Honor the Fallen Warrior filled back up the vehicles they arrived in, and slowly pulled away. As I was riding with the Chaplain we waited until the end, and as the A/C rose from the field it looked to me as if Angels descended to escort the Fallen Warrior on this Leg of his Journey home.
So.. PGR, if you get to stand his flag line, know PGR was represented in the beginning of this Fallen Warriors trip home, and as invited guests you may be there at the end of his journey home.
This was my first KIA "flag line" and I fear it won't be my last.
Standing with Respect, and Honor in Baghdad Iraq.
To the family of Major Kelley you have my deepest sympathies. I did not know him in life but I was there at the beginning of his long journey home to you. Honors were rendered by myself and approximately 200 members from the Civil Affairs Brigade, and Civil Affairs Battalions and Companies, as well as US Air Force members assigned to Sather AB.
Major Kelley, you will not be forgotten, your mission to assist in the rebuilding of Iraq will go on.
Dwayne is survived by his wife, Manita; his two daughters; his mother, Vera Kelley; his brother and sister; and all those to whom he devoted his life to protect and serve.
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time
Rest in peace, Dwayne Kelley. Your enormous footprints will not soon be forgotten. May your beautiful and loyal spirit soar free and be at peace forever, and may your memory be a blessing to all those who love you and to all of us for whom you willingly sacrificed so much.
On Thursday, June 26, the fragile peace in Al Anbar province was shattered when a suicide bomber, reportedly dressed in a police uniform, joined a meeting of local government officials and American Marines and detonated an explosive belt.
Three Marines, two Iraqi interpreters, the local mayor and a number of tribal representatives were killed. An unknown number of other individuals were wounded. Two of the Marines were highly decorated career officers with nearly 60 honors and awards between them. The third was a young man who was serving as an administrative clerk.
The DoD reports:
The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of three Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The following Marines died June 26 while supporting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq:
Lt. Col. Max A. Galeai, 42, of Pago Pago, American Samoa.
Capt. Philip J. Dykeman, 38, of Brockport, N.Y.
Cpl. Marcus W. Preudhomme, 23, of North Miami Beach, Fla.
The Marines were assigned to 2d Battalion, 3d Marines, 3rd Marine Division, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
Lt. Col. Max A. Galeai, USMC
His first love was always leading Marines
From Iraq to the Pacific island communities of American Samoa and Hawaii, tremendous sorrow grips all those who knew Lt. Colonel Max Galeai Naliai (as he is known in Samoa), one of the highest ranking Marines of Samoan descent killed in the war.
As the commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, Galeai was held in highest regard by all those who knew and worked with him. Friends describe him as "a dedicated family man, a natural leader and a caring buddy" who was always concerned about others’ welfare and seldom talked about himself.
"I'm trying to cope with the fact that he's no longer with us," said Marine Master Gunnery Sgt. Taumaoe Gaoteote, of California, a longtime friend. "I didn't know how to react when I heard. I never thought it would actually happen to him."
(snip)
"He was a friend, mentor, bigger than life, extremely bright, just one of those guys," [Marine Master Gunnery Sgt. Paul] Moniz said.
Moniz, who used to work under Galeai, said the officer always "sunk his teeth into his work" and expected a lot from people, but also praised them when they delivered. "He was definitely an inspirational guy. He was caring, compassionate."
Master Sgt. Brett W. Beard, of California, also used to work under Galeai and quickly befriended him. "He just made it super easy to go out there to work day after day," Beard said. "His first love was always leading Marines."
~ Honolulu Advertiser
Long before he became an officer in the military, Max was a leader. In 1983, he was the class valedictorian at Marist High School, a private Roman Catholic school in American Samoa. Inspired by the Navy career of his late father, Pati Galeai, Max attended the U.S. Naval Academy. Later, he transferred to Oregon State University. After graduation in 1988, he enlisted in the Marine Corps.
His sister, Joan, spoke for Max’s devastated family, telling Pacific Magazine about the impact his death is having:
"Joan Galeai said her mother, Kalala, who is currently visiting her children and grandchildren in Seattle, Wash., called Thursday night to relay the news of her son’s death.
"My mother is not doing well over this terrible loss to our family. It’s a very sad time for us and we will miss Max very much," said Joan, who was very close to her brother. "We look after each other. We were always together.
(snip)
Joan Galeai said she always protected her brother ... when they were growing up on Tutuila. "But I couldn’t protect him during his tour of Iraq," she said yesterday. "But he will always be by my side and in my heart forever."
Details on Max’s Samoan heritage and the Naliai family name come from Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann in a report on KHON-TV:
"...the Naliai family is a very high ranking chief family. They call it the Matai system in American Samoa; they're originally from Manua. The island of Manua is where my parents can trace their lineage. So it's a great loss, he was a great role model" says Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann.
(snip)
"There's a big Naliai family here on Oahu, not only in American Samoa, so I'm very saddened by this tragic loss" says Mayor Hannemann.
Max was on his second deployment to Iraq. Previously, he had served in Okinawa, California and Virginia. He is survived by his wife, Evelyn, and four children – three girls and one boy -- who live in Kailua, and two brothers, four sisters, and his mother, Kalala.
Cpl. Marcus W. Preudhomme, USMC
"He was one who wanted to learn everything..."
During his short lifetime, Marcus Preudhomme impressed those who knew him by consistently striving for excellence.
"Marcus always had high standards and high expectations of himself," Desiree Downing [a former employer] said.
~ Jacksonville.com
While attending Fletcher High School in North Miami Beach, Preud'homme was honored with a variety of academic awards. But his athletic side shone, too, as a member of the school's wrestling team. Those who knew him, described Marcus as "patriotic and involved," according to First Coast News.
"He was an active member of our wrestling team," said Josh Carey, a former teacher at Fletcher. "He's the kind of kid that as a teacher you come to school everyday looking forward to the opportunity to teach."
"He loved the competition, the challenge," his sister [Jessica] said about his wrestling career. "It was something new for him to learn."
That thirst for knowledge marked his entire life, said Downing, who owns the Beach Hut Cafe where Preud'homme and members of his family had worked.
"Some kids just come and want to do one thing, he was one who wanted to learn everything," she said.
~ First Coast News
Marcus enlisted in the Marines in 2005, shortly after graduating from high school, and was stationed in Hawaii that same year. He had visited with his family about a month ago, and had spent New Year’s in New Orleans with relatives. Understandably, his family has declined to speak about their loss.
According to a statement by Colonel Duffy White, Commanding Officer of the 3rd Marine Regiment: "A message of sorrow for the loss of such great men, but that their service and sacrifice mean something, and that they and 2/3 [2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines] are making a positive difference." (Source: KHON News)
Captain Philip J. Dykeman, USMC
A great loss to our nation
I’m sorry to report that very little information is available about Captain Dykeman. He enlisted in the Marine Corps seventeen years ago, in June, 1991. During his years of distinguished service, he was awarded dozens of medals, including the Purple Heart. Leader of the 2nd battalion’s Fox Company, Philip had been stationed in Hawaii since May, 2007. The 38-year-old was a native of Brockport, New York.
Sadly, these three Marines are the first fatalities of the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines since this deployment started in February. The battalion is expected to return to Hawaii in August. Since the war in Iraq began, 84 Hawaii-based Marines and sailors have died there. The Honolulu Advertiser has set aside space to remember their fallen here.
To date, 4113 members of the United States military have lost their lives in Iraq, and 536 have died in Afghanistan. Approximately 40,000 men and women have been wounded, and an unknown number have taken their own lives while on active duty or after they returned home from psychological injuries received in service to their country. All of the fatalities can be seen here. The Department of Defense Press Releases can be seen here. The death toll among Iraqis and Afghanis is unknown, but conservative estimates place it at least in the tens of thousands.
You can help our military men and women. Please consider sponsoring a deployed service member at TroopCarePackage.com. It doesn’t take much time or money. Just send letters or care packages to your soldier, sailor, Airman, Marine, or Guardsman. One of my "adopted" soldiers told me that "mail is gold" for a deployed soldier. A few minutes of your time and one airmail stamp can make a real difference in a military person's life.
And don’t forget them when they get home! Read welcomebackveterans.org to learn what you can do.
(Our beautiful logo was created by kossack Timroff. Thank you, Timroff.)
I Got the News Today (IGTNT) is a diary series intended to honor service members who have died as a result of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; its title is a reminder that almost every day a military family gets the terrible news about a loved one. Click here to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and is currently maintained by Sandy on Signal, monkeybiz, noweasels, MsWings, greenies, blue jersey mom, twilight falling, labwitchy, moneysmith, joyful, roses, SisTwo, SpamNunn, a girl in MI, and JeNoCo.
These diaries are heartbreaking to write, but, we believe, an important service to those Americans who have died, and to our community’s respect for and remembrance of them. If you would like to volunteer, even once a month, please contact Sandy on Signal, monkeybiz, or noweasels.
Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and family of the service members chronicled here. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.
Many thanks to noweasels for research assistance.