We Shall Keep the Faith
Oh! you who sleep in Flanders Fields,
Sleep sweet - to rise anew!
We caught the torch you threw
And holding high, we keep the Faith
With All who died.
We cherish, too, the poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led;
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies,
But lends a lustre to the red
Of the flower that blooms above the dead
In Flanders Fields.
And now the Torch and Poppy Red
We wear in honor of our dead.
Fear not that ye have died for naught;
We'll teach the lesson that ye wrought
In Flanders Fields.
by Moina Michael
From the Department of Defense:
Lance Cpl. Pedro A. Barbozaflores, 27, of Glendale, Calif., and Master Sgt. Jerome D. Hatfield, 36, of Axton, Va., died July 11 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. They were assigned to 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Lance Cpl. Pedro A. Barbozaflores
From wnct.com:
Barbozaflores was a light armored vehicle crewman assigned to the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 3, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade. He joined the Marine Corps March 2008 and was promoted to the rank of lance corporal Dec. 2008. He deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in June 2009.
Barbozaflores’ awards include the National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. He was stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C., and his formal military training included Recruit Training, Marine Combat Training and LAV Crewman School.
From the Glendale News Press:
The Glendale Chamber of Commerce’s Patriotism and Citizenship Committee will create a military banner for Barbozaflores, committee member Mirna Stanley said.
The banners hang on light poles along Glendale Avenue from San Fernando Road to Doran Street in honor of military personnel who were in active duty and deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan after Sept. 11, 2001.
"We’ll have his name and his branch of service on it, and it will have a gold star," Stanley said.
The City Council was scheduled to adjourn Tuesday’s regular meeting in Barbozaflores’ memory. And Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s office, in announcing that flags at the state Capitol would be flown at half-staff, honored the Marine’s "admirable service and noble sacrifice."
His cousin left this comment at the LA Times website:
Pedro,
We will all miss you very much. You had a very big heart and kind soul. We are all grieving your loss. We love you.
Your cousin,
Lorena
Legacy.com has a guest book for Lance Cpl. Barbozaflores
Master Sgt. Jerome D. Hatfield
From the Fort Mill Times:
He joined the Marines in June 1991 and was promoted to the rank of master sergeant in Sept. 2007.
Previous deployments for Hatfield included tours in Iraq in 2006 and 2008 and operations in the Adriatic Sea in 1992 and 2000.
Hatfield’s father-in-law, Chester Jefferson of Henry County, said the family learned of Hatfield’s death late Saturday. Based on what the family was told by military officials, Hatfield apparently was wounded by enemy fire, said Jefferson, who added he did not know full details of the incident.
...
Not long after he graduated, Hatfield married his wife and joined the Marines, Jefferson said. Hatfield had been in the military for about 18 years and planned to make it his career, said his father-in-law.
...
Jefferson said his son-in-law enjoyed outdoor activities such as fishing, deer hunting, camping and riding his motorcycle.
"He had a wonderful personality," Jefferson recalled. "He liked everybody."
(Source)
Staff Sgt. Eric J. Lindstrom
From the Department of Defense:
Staff Sgt. Eric J. Lindstrom, 27, of Flagstaff, Ariz., died July 12 near Barge Matal, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his dismounted patrol using small arms and indirect fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.
From azcentral.com:
Lindstrom's father, Ric, told the Arizona Daily Sun that his 27-year-old son was killed by gunfire. Eric Linstrom's death hasn't been officially announced by the Department of Defense.
Eric Lindstrom was raised in Flagstaff and graduated high school in 1999. He joined the Army and spent time in Iraq before leaving the service.
Lindstrom then followed in his father's footsteps and joined the Flagstaff Police Department, said Police Chief Brent Cooper. He spent four years as a police officer and re-enlisted in the Army last fall.
"He had a burning desire to return to service," Cooper said Tuesday
From Syracuse.com:
Lindstrom joined the Army in June 2003 and came to Fort Drum in October 2007. He is survived by his wife, two children and his parents.
Lindstrom's awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantry Badge, and Air Assault Badge.
Chief Warrant Officer Rodney A. Jarvis
From the Department of Defense:
Chief Warrant Officer Rodney A. Jarvis, 34, of Akron, Ohio, died July 13 in Baghdad of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 46th Engineer Battalion, 1st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Fort Polk, La.
The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.
The Beacon Journal reports that Chief Warrent Officer Jarvis died as the result of a heart attack.
''He is a casualty of war,'' his sister, Robin Bacola of Munroe Falls said Wednesday. ''He gave his life just as if he were hit by a bullet.''
...
Fashion Jarvis said her husband was a ''wonderful man'' and ''everyone he met just loved him. He loved everybody and everybody loved him.''
Her husband, she said, ''gave 120 percent every time.''
His sister said the family is ''blown away'' by the news of his death.
From Fox8.com:
His wife and two young daughters were notified Monday that he had been killed in Baghdad in what the military calls a non-combat related incident.
His wife, Fashion Jarvis told Fox Eight by phone "it's my worst nightmare that could ever come true. He was a great father, husband and son and he died doing what he loved."
...
Fashion Jarvis says, "he loved being from Akron, Ohio. He loved the Cleveland Browns and the Indians. He would always root for them, we would always go against him just to make it fun."
As she grieves and awaits word from the Army on how her husband lost his life, Fashion Jarvis says she is trying to help her daughters deal with the loss of their father.
Legacy.com has a guest book for Chief Warrant Officer Jarvis
One person who had served with him left this touching comment:
I served in Iraq with CW2 Jarvis in 2005-06 where he was our PBO and in 2006-07 at Fort Polk where he was our Brigade PBO while I was Bn XO in the 46th Engr Bn. He was one of the most technically proficient Soldiers I've met and a great leader who proved to be a real "shot in the arm" when he joined us while we were already deployed. No way we could have redeployed and managed to find all our equipment without him. The Army and I will both miss Mr. Jarvis as he was someone I was looking forward to running into 5-10 years from now and seeing him as a CW3 or CW4 and senior leader in our Army. CW2 Jarvis, go with God and rest in peace brother - you will not be forgotten!! Hooah!
My prayers are with you all daily
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What You Can Do
There are a number of wonderful organizations out there which could use your help:
* Anysoldier.com
* Operation Helmet
* Fisher House
* Books for Soldiers
* Operation Ensuring Christmas
(big thanks to timroff for the beautiful logo)
About "I Got the News Today" (IGTNT)
I Got the News Today is a diary series intended to honor, respect and remind.; its title is a reminder that almost every day a military family gets the terrible news about a loved one. Diaries about the fallen usually appear two days after their names are officially released, which allows time for the IGTNT team to find and tell their stories.
Click here to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and which is maintained by Sandy on Signal, monkeybiz, noweasels, greenies, blue jersey mom, chacounne, twilight falling, joyful, roses, SisTwo, SpamNunn, JeNoCo, mediaprof, rb137, and me, a girl in MI. 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 are interested in volunteering for the series please contact me, a girl in MI, at a_girl_in_mi_101 AT yahoo DOT com
Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and family of the service members chronicled here. We treat these diaries as a place to remember and reflect. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.