This Memorial Day 2011 diary honors our dear and dearly departed veterans, whom we will always remember in our hearts. Please feel free to add your own veteran tributes in the comments.
The IGTNT (I Got The News Today) series is a reminder that nearly every day, somebody gets the heartbreaking news that a friend, former classmate, or beloved family member will not be coming home from war.
This Memorial Day we remember three soldiers who died while serving far from home:
Cpl. Brandon M. Kirton, 25, of Centennial, Colorado
Sgt. 1st Class Clifford E. Beattie, 37, of Medical Lake, Washington
Pfc. Ramon Mora, Jr., 19, of Ontario, California
Please take a moment below to remember them,
and all those who have lost their lives in these wars.
Memorial Day, originally called "Decoration Day," is the time set aside to visit the graves of soldiers and decorate them with flowers and flags. It is a time to think about the high cost of war in precious lives lost.
Each Memorial Day weekend our little Village of Questa, New Mexico creates a "Healing Field of Honor" of one thousand American flags flying in the wind, to remember and honor the lives lost at war. The healing field also honors all of the veterans who have served and made sacrifices.
The custom is for family and friends to dedicate a flag to their veteran, be it grandfather, brother, daughter... The flag will then be flown every Memorial Day flag ceremony in the field, amongst all the other veterans' flags.
At the end of the flag dedication ceremony, I tried videorecording on my camera, the 21-gun salute by the NMNG 1115th and Taps by Larry Sanchez. Extremely windy day; but you can still faintly hear the bugle call, "goodnight." 21 gun salute and taps
This year we dedicate a flag for U S Navy veteran David Segars, who recently passed. Chief Segars is the beloved husband of our own dear JaxDem.
Peace, love and comfort to you and yours, dear friend.
In Honor and Memory of
Chief Petty Officer David R. Segars
of Jacksonville, Florida
US NAVY, Retired
Vietnam Veteran
Rest in Eternal Peace, David
+ + +
Last year we dedicated a flag for one of our own beloved home town brothers, who died serving in the Iraq war; my friend Joey Gallegos, whom I still think of every day.
In Honor and Memory of
Sgt. Joey Gallegos
of Questa, New Mexico
New Mexico National Guard
Died in service in Iraq, October 28, 2009
Rest in Eternal Peace, Joey
“Taps” is sounded nightly by the US military to indicate that it is “lights out”. It is played on bugle or trumpet during flag ceremonies and at the conclusion of most military funerals.
TAPS
written by Horace Lorenzo Trim
Fading light dims the sight
And a star gems the sky,
gleaming bright
From afar drawing nigh,
Falls the night.
Day is done, gone the sun
From the lakes, from the hills,
from the run
All is well, safely rest;
God is nigh.
Then goodnight, peaceful night;
Till the light of the dawn shineth bright.
God is near, do not fear,
Friend, goodnight.
Since 2001, 1514 U.S. troops have lost their lives while serving in Afghanistan. The news Friday reported 6 American soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan; they will be honored later this week. On Memorial Day 2011, from Afghanistan, we remember a soldier killed in action last week.
Cpl. Brandon Michael Kirton, 25, of Centennial, Colorado
Cpl. Kirton died May 18, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, after being wounded from small arms fire and mortar rounds. Cpl. Kirton had served a combat tour in Iraq, before deploying to Afghanistan last fall. He had a fiance named Charity, and young daughter named Heaven, back home in Centennial, Colorado.
Brandon Michael Kirton grew up southeast of Denver, Colorado, where his family still lives. He joined the Army in January 2008 and arrived at Fort Campbell, Kentucky in July 2008. Cpl. Kirton was an infantryman assigned to Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division.
Cpl. Kirton was killed in combat May 18. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal for bravery, Purple Heart Medal for wounds suffered in combat, and Combat Infantryman Badge, among many other decorations.
Kirton was posthumously promoted from specialist to corporal.
Cpl. Kirton's family suggested donations may be made to Brandon's Little Heaven Fund, at any branch of Wells Fargo Bank or Fisher House Foundation at Dover Air Force Base in Brandon's memory.
Among those Cpl. Kirton leaves behind are his fiance and daughter, his father and mother, two sisters, a brother-in-law, grandparents, aunts, an uncle and cousins in Colorado.
Cpl. Brandon Michael Kirton is missed. May he rest in peace.
Source Source Source Source
+ + + + * * * * + + + +
The war also continues in Iraq, now in it's ninth year. Since 2003, 4454 U.S. troops have lost their lives while serving in Iraq. This Memorial Day, we learn about two more lost during combat operations.
A May 22 roadside bomb explosion in Baghdad killed two infantry soldiers who were considered natural leaders by their troops, families, and friends. One was a veteran on his third combat deployment to Iraq, the other was just 19 and on his first tour of duty.
Both were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 63rd Armor, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, based in Fort Riley, Kansas. The 2nd HBC Team, known as the Dagger Brigade, deployed to Iraq in November 2010, and serves as an advise and assist brigade in central Iraq.
Sgt. 1st Class Clifford E. Beattie, 37, of Medical Lake, Washington
Sgt. 1st Class Beattie died May 22 after an IED explosion in Iraq. He was an infantry platoon sergeant and a 17-year veteran of the Army. Sgt. Beattie was married and has two children who live in Yelm, Washington.
Cliff Beattie grew up near Seattle, Washington and graduated from Medical Lake High School in 1992. Cliff's father is retired military and he and his family knew he would enlist, too. He joined the Army soon after graduating high school.
Sgt. Beattie served as a drill instructor at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and went on his first deployment to Iraq. He arrived at Fort Riley in August 2008, and returned to Iraq for another combat tour. During his second deployment, he received a Bronze Star Medal and earned the Expert Infantryman Badge and Combat Infantryman Badge.
His mother said the military was a natural fit for Beattie. His family described him as "brave, dedicated to the military, and very committed to his family and his children.” They said he died doing what he loved, to protect the people he loved.
Sgt. Beattie was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal (second award) and the Purple Heart.
Earlier in the day, Sgt. Beattie had participated in a run to honor fallen soldiers the day he was killed.
Cliff Beattie’s family described him a prankster with a good sense of humor.
“He was always joking around,” said his younger sister.
“Always smiling. Always happy.”
They also said Beattie was selfless and would go out of his way to help others.
He was friendly and vivacious, they said.
“He was the life of any room he went into,” said another younger sister.
“He just had a smile that would light up the whole room and laughter that was just contagious.”
Among those Sgt. 1st Class Beattie leaves behind are his wife and two daughters in Washington, and his troops in Iraq.
Sgt. 1st Class Clifford Beattie is missed. May He Rest in peace.
Source Source Source Source
* * * * * + + + + * * * *
Pfc. Ramon Mora, Jr., 19, of Ontario, California
Pfc. Ramon Mora also died in the May 22 IED attack in Baghdad. At just 19, Pfc. Mora was on his first combat tour with the Dagger Brigade. He was a recent graduate of Valley View Continuation High School.
Ramon Mora grew up in southern California, in Ontario, where he took his education seriously.
His teachers praised Ramon as a natural leader who carried with him a sense of self-discipline.
"He was a very serious student, and education was very important to him," a former advisor said.
"He had a very strong core and was very disciplined."
"He had a charisma about him, and the students just fell in line with him," said Mora's former English teacher.
"He helped his fellow classmates and gave them positive feedback," his former advisor said.
Ramon Mora had wanted to join the Army for a long time, and enlisted in January 2010. This was his first deployment to Iraq. Pfc. Mora had quickly distinguished himself in his short career. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart and Combat Infantryman Badge, amongst other decorations.
When Ontario Mayor Paul Leon first learned of Mora's death, he immediately inquired with city staff about getting in contact with the fallen soldier's family.
"I think we need to be there for the family who has paid the ultimate price of sacrifice for our freedom," he said.
The news of war casualties often doesn't "become real" until it hits close to home, Leon said.
"There's nothing like the shock of losing a loved one in the line of duty," he said. "I want to be there to assist the family."
In memorial, Gov. Jerry Brown ordered that flags be flown at half-staff over the State Capitol on Wednesday. Mora's family will receive a letter of condolence from the governor.
Among those Pfc. Mora leaves behind are his family and friends in Ontario.
Pfc. Ramon Mora is missed. May He Rest in Peace.
Source Source Source
+ + +
Thanks to Timroff for our faithfully lighted candle IGTNT logo;
Other Photos by CalNM and linked Sources
Helping our troops: If you wish to assist our military and their families, consider Operation Helmet, or sponsoring a deployed service member at TroopCarePackage.com. Fisher House provides housing for families of injured troops and veterans who are recovering in hospitals, and Guardian angels for soldierspet assists the animal companions of our deployed military.
When our veterans come back home, they can find support at Welcome Back Veterans. Our recently returned veterans need jobs, and Veterans Green Jobs is now hiring for positions and filling training sessions. VGJ corps retrains veterans as leaders in forest and resource conservation, green construction, and energy efficient upgrades of homes in rural areas. Encourage a Veteran, and see if you can help out.
+ * * * + * * * + * * * + * * * + * * * + * * * + * * * + * * * + * * * + * * * +
About the IGTNT series: I Got the News Today is intended to honor, respect, and remember the fallen, and to remind us that each casualty has family and friends who received the terrible news that their loved one has died at war.
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. The US Department of Defense news releases are found at defense gov/releases. Icasualties lists the names of those killed, and shows the number of wounded. Published AP photos of the returning war fatalities are found on the Dover AFB page. Click the IGTNT tags below for previous diaries in the series which was begun by i dunno, and which is maintained by monkeybiz, noweasels, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, joyful, roses, SisTwo, a girl in MI, Spam Nunn, JeNoCo, Janos Nation, True Blue Majority, Proud Mom and Grandma, Sandy on Signal, Wide Awake in Kentucky, Ms Wings, maggiejean, racheltracks, ccasas, JaxDem, and me, CalNM. These diaries are heartbreaking to write, but are an important service to those who have died, and show our community’s respect for our fallen brothers and sisters.
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.