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We see but dimly through the mists and vapors;
Amid these earthly damps
What seem to us but sad, funeral tapers
May be heaven's distant lamps.
~ Longfellow
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In Honor and In Memoriam
Spc Sean R. Cutsforth
Spc Ethan L. Goncalo
Staff Sgt Stacy A. Green
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I Got The News Today (IGTNT)
IGTNT is one of the oldest continuous series on Daily Kos. Its purpose is to provide members of this community a venue to pay their respects to those who have died as a result of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The IGTNT title is a reminder that nearly every day the family of an active duty service member receives the terrible news that their beloved has died.
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Fields of Gold
by Eva Cassidy, written by Sting
You'll remember me when the west wind moves
Among the fields of barley
You can tell the sun in his jealous sky
When we walked in fields of gold
So she took her love for to gaze awhile
Among the fields of barley
In his arms she fell as her hair came down
Among the fields of gold
Will you stay with me will you be my love
Among the fields of barley
And you can tell the sun in his jealous sky
When we walked in fields of gold
I never made promises lightly
And there have been some that I've broken
But I swear in the days still left
We will walk in fields of gold
We'll walk in fields of gold
I never made promises lightly
And there have been some that I've broken
But I swear in the days still left
We will walk in fields of gold
We'll walk in fields of gold
Many years have passed since those summer days
Among the fields of barley
See the children run as the sun goes down
As you lie in fields of gold
You'll remember me when the west wind moves
Among the fields of barley
You can tell the sun in his jealous sky
When we walked in fields of gold
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Sandy on Signal researched and wrote the beautiful tributes for Spc Ethan L Goncalo and Staff Sgt Stacy A. Green.
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Spc Sean R. Cutsforth, 22 of Radford, Virginia
Spc Sean R. Cutsforth died Wednesday, Dec. 15th at Ghazni Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
Sean Cutsforth was a Brentsville District High School graduate and he attended Virginia Wesleyan College in Norfolk on a baseball scholarship just prior to joining the Army. He was a pitcher on the school's baseball team.
Stan Wilson, who coached Sean Cutsforth since he was 11, remembered him as "a hard-working, caring person."
"He came over and cut out my grass just because it was long."
Along with his sports accomplishments, Cutsforth also had a talent for woodworking, his old coach said.
"He built a dog house for me that will probably last longer than my house."
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Sean Cutsforth, who grew up in Manassas, Va., was a very athletic kid. His mother showed off a photograph she snapped years ago showing her young son sleeping in bed wearing a catcher's mask.
"It was new equipment," laughed Vickie Cutsforth, remembering that night. "He just wanted to try it on. He'd fall asleep with his new bats, everything."
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Sean's father, Robert Cutsforth said his son loved sports but didn’t consider baseball a career pursuit.
"He felt it was a calling, joining the Army."
Sean joined the Army in September 2008 and arrived at Fort Campbell in February 2009.
Two years ago Sean married his love, Ashley and their first child is due in April.
Vickie Cutsforth, Sean's mother said:
"It’s going to be a boy," "He will be our first grandchild."
Spc Cutsforth's awards and decorations include: Army Commendation Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon; North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal and Combat Infantryman Badge.
The Governor of Kentucky, Steve Beshear will order that flags at all state office buildings be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset on the day of Spc. Cutsforth’s interment.
His family has asked that Sean Cutsforth be buried at Arlington National Cemetery. The Army has agreed.
The Patriot Guard Riders have Cutsforth on their Pending Missions Ride List.
Spc Sean R. Cutsforth is survived by his wife, Ashley L. Cutsforth; his mother, Vickie L. Cutsforth; his father, Robert H. Cutsforth; his brother Ryan; his sister Casey Torrez; and his sister Kayla Cutsforth.
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~ Source ~ Source ~ Source ~ Source ~ Source ~ Source
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Spc Ethan L. Goncalo, 21 of Fall River, Massachusetts
Spc. Ethan L. Goncalo, 21, of Fall River, Mass., died Dec. 11 in Kabul, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained in a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 181st Infantry Regiment, Worcester, Mass.
It has been more than a week since Pfc. Ethan Goncalo died in Afghanistan. His death was classified as non-combat related which left the family and community bewildered and with unanswered questions. Yesterday, the family released news that the cause might have been a scorpion or spider bite.
Ethan Goncalo was an honor roll student and great baseball player. His baseball coach, Jay Barressi of Fall River, told the South Coast Today.com:
"This is the worst thing in the world," he said. "I feel like I lost one of my sons."
Barressi's son, Mark, and Ethan were best friends. Ethan often stayed at their home and even went on family vacations with them. Barressi took both boys to Yankee stadium in 1994. Even though, Goncalo was only five at the time, he was able to call pitches. Barressi told the New Bedford Journal.
"Everything was baseball. That was what he lived for,"
Goncalo was due home in a week for a two week leave from Afghanistan. He was scheduled to speak at his alma-mater, BMC Durfee High School, where he had been a top athlete and student. He made all A's and was part of the Eastern Massachusetts all-star baseball team. He also attended a community college before entering the Army. He was well loved by many and is dearly missed. His facebook page is filled with condolences.
His body was escorted home by a life long friend and Little League player, Pvt. Tyler Andrade. Andrade and Goncalo were close friends and even enlisted together. Andrades mother told the Wicked local.com
"They were the best of friends. They were like brothers, from the Boys and Girls Club to Columbia Park Little League," she said.
Funeral arrangements are still pending. Rest in Peace, Spc. Ethan Goncalo.
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Staff Sgt Stacy A. Green, 34 of Alexander City, Alabama
Staff Sgt. Stacy A. Green, 34, of Alexander City, Ala., died Dec. 10 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Wednesday, December 15th, was a day Stanley Green will never forget. It was the day, he and Marine Gunner Sgt. Michael Hulsey, accompanied his son's body home from Dover to Alexander City, Alabama. As the plane approached, hundreds of people were waiting in the freezing rain to pay their respects. Stanley told the
Alexander City Outlook:
"I didn’t expect it, and when we were flying around about to land, I looked down. I looked at Gunner (Sgt. Michael Hulsey) and said, ‘Man, look at that,’" Stanley said. "I knew there would be some, but what I saw Wednesday makes me glad I live here."
Tony Green, the staff sergeant’s brother, said his family is speechless following the community’s response over the last week.
"Words can’t express how great this town has been to us," Tony said.
Stanley told the paper, his son always had a smile.
"He enjoyed life – he always had a smile," Stanley said. "Good, bad or indifferent, he always had a smile."
Staff Sgt. Stacy Green had been in the Marines for ten years. He was on his fourth tour of duty; three in Iraq and this one to Afghanistan, when he was killed in dangerous Helmand province. His brother, Tony Green, told the Alexander City Outlook:
"He was a marine full-time. It was his career," his brother, Tony Green, said."He enjoyed it, it changed his life."
Stacy Green graduated from Daleville High School, where he was active in many sports. After graduation, the family moved to Alexander City, and his father Stanley told him:
that he had three options: be a career cotton miller and be good at it; get an education and have a career and be good at it; or join the military and be good at it.
Staff Sgt. Stacy Green turned into an excellent Marine. His father recalled the last time he saw his son:
Stacy was getting his battalion ready to leave, making sure that each Marine had everything they needed – right down to making sure they packed their socks. He even took extra time to help the 18- and 19-year-old privates.
"He made sure he looked after them," Stanley said. "I’ll never forget that."
Staff Sgt. Stacy Green was laid to rest with full military honors yesterday, December 18, 2010, in Alexander City, Alabama. Hundreds showed up for his funeral. He is survived by his family, a fiancee, and many friends.
Semper Fi, Staff Sgt. Stacy Green.
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About the IGTNT series:
"I Got the News Today" is a diary series intended to honor, respect, and remind us of the sacrifice of our US troops. Click here to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and which is maintained by Sandy on Signal, noweasels, monkeybiz, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, joyful, roses, SisTwo, SpamNunn, a girl in MI, JeNoCo, Mediaprof, TrueBlueMajority, JanosNation, Proud Mom and Grandma, CalNM, Wide Awake in Kentucky, Ms Wings, maggiejean, racheltracks, and me, JaxDem. These diaries are heartbreaking to write, but are an important service to those who have died, and show our community’s respect for them.
Fallen service members whose names have been released by the US Department of Defense will usually be diarized two days after the official announcement on the DoD website. This allows the IGTNT team to cover each person more fully, but still in a timely manner.
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POW/MIA: Afghanistan & Iraq
Two U.S. soldiers are currently listed as captured or Duty Status -- Whereabouts Unknown as of December 1, 2009.
Spc. Ahmed K. Altaie 41
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Pfc. Bowe R. Bergdahl 23
Never forgotten - please keep good thoughts and prayers for these two men.
On December 8th new photos were published of Pfc Bowe R. Bergdahl in captivity. The article and images can be seen here.
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Helping Our Troops
There would be no finer way to honor the fallen than to contribute to programs that assist our active duty military. Here are a few suggestions:
Evan Ashcraft Foundation - This foundation was established to assist soldiers returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan to adjust to civilian life. In particular this foundation's emphasis is on PTSD and traumatic brain injuries.
Fisher House - Provides a "home away from home" for military families to be close to a loved one during hospitilization for an illness, disease or injury.
Netroots For The Troops - raises money for the assembly, mailing and delivery of care packages to American military in war zones, and to provide assistance to military families in the United States.
Veterans Green Jobs - Our recently returned veterans need jobs and VGJ is now hiring for positions and filling training sessions. VGJ corps retrains veterans as leaders in natural resource conservation, green construction, and energy efficient upgrades of homes in rural areas.
Welcome Back Veterans - created to inspire Americans to give back to our returning veterans and their families and assist in particular with PTSD.
Wounded Warrior Project - To raise awareness and enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service service members, to help injured service members aid and assist each other and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet the needs of injured service members.
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Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and family of the service members mentioned here. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.